The Midstate of Aureas is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its ritual sacrifices, compulsory military service, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 1.62 billion Auraesians 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 medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Industry, and Environment. The average income tax rate is 26.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Auraesian economy, worth 163 trillion Coranthaean Pounds a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Tourism, and Cheese Exports. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 100,852 Coranthaean Pounds, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.5 times as much as the poorest.

Mining safety laws are often more expensive than what's being mined, the experimental sculpture "Overtures In Dried Cat Dung" has been declared a national treasure, talking during class is a gateway to lifelong drug addiction, and daily newspapers are permitted to run only pro-government stories. Crime, especially youth-related, is relatively low. Aureas's national animal is the Cat, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Aureas is ranked 42,432^nd in the world and 1^st in New Corinthea for Highest Poor Incomes, with 61,604.13 Standard Monetary Units.