The Grand Duchy of Astagrad is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Duke Simon Rivan with an iron fist, and remarkable for its pith helmet sales, ubiquitous missile silos, and compulsory military service. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 3.659 billion Astagradians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Soukai. The average income tax rate is 47.1%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Astagradian economy, worth 420 trillion Astagradian Rubels a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Cheese Exports. Black market activity is rampant. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 114,921 Astagradian Rubels, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.5 times as much as the poorest.

The Pipe Bomb Makers' Pop-Up Book can be found in preschool libraries, politicians always seem to take two steps forward then three steps back, signs saying "No Poor People or Weirdoes" are common outside shops and cafés, and the bonfire of the old paper records can be seen for miles around Soukai. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Astagrad's national animal is the Phoenix, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Saudyjism.

Astagrad is ranked 90,946^th in the world and 408^th in Europeia for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 2,387.82 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.