The Enlightened Empire of Tarsas is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Emperor Romulus X with an even hand, and renowned for its museums and concert halls, unlimited-speed roads, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless, devout population of 34.328 billion Tarsans have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and look forward to their next free and open election, to be held on an as-yet unannounced date.

The enormous, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Civitas Tarsae. The average income tax rate is 78.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Tarsan economy, worth a remarkable 3,209 trillion harkans a year, is highly specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is 93,493 harkans, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets, marketing departments of corporate giants compete to sponsor little league teams, conscientious objectors are hanged as traitors, and replacement organs are grown in vats. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Tarsas's national animal is the Blue Eared Lion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Tarsan Paganism.

Tarsas is ranked 48,093^rd in the world and 8^th in Ajax for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 187.25 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.