The Golden Empire of The United Artherian Federation is a huge, cultured nation, ruled by President Kobe Xi with an even hand, and renowned for its complete lack of prisons, otherworldly petting zoo, and daily referendums. The hard-nosed, humorless, devout population of 765 million Artherians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The large, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Chicago. The average income tax rate is 72.3%.

The frighteningly efficient Artherian economy, worth 94.2 trillion Creds a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Trout Farming, and Tourism. Average income is an impressive 123,101 Creds, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.6 times as much as the poorest.

Trespassers entering President Kobe Xi's office are immediately vaporized, Max Barry is this year's Miss The United Artherian Federation, every new building project has to undergo a five-year environmental impact study before it can go ahead, and the new national anthem passes the Turing Test. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. The United Artherian Federation's national animal is the Wolf, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

The United Artherian Federation is ranked 17,017^th in the world and 11^th in United Nations of Earthlings for Most Extensive Public Healthcare, scoring 4,429.67 on the Theresa-Nightingale Rating.