The Asterian Nexus Sector of The Stratosphere Islands is a colossal, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Alquantic with a fair hand, and remarkable for its daily referendums, national health service, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, democratic population of 7.191 billion Asterians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The large, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Del Faisán. The average income tax rate is 94.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Asterian economy, worth a remarkable 1,128 trillion Stardusts a year, is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Retail. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 156,970 Stardusts, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Feeling like a winner comes at a price, the ruling party has a devil of a time keeping order in the ranks, kids looking for shark teeth have become ancient history, and passive-aggressive congratulations cards inform mums-to-be that their pregnancy is their greatest achievement in life. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. The Stratosphere Islands's national animal is the Golden Pheasant, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Starlight.

The Stratosphere Islands is ranked 43,742^nd in the world and 2,340^th in The North Pacific for Most Income Equality, scoring 63.37 on the Marx-Engels Emancipation Scale.