The Empire of Ciphage is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Impératrice Eleanor of Pieumonte with a fair hand, and remarkable for its ubiquitous missile silos, free-roaming dinosaurs, and frequent executions. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 2.566 billion Ciphageans hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Loxford. The average income tax rate is 89.7%.

The frighteningly efficient Ciphagean economy, worth 455 trillion Pounds a year, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 177,319 Pounds, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.2 times as much as the poorest.

The diplomatic corps tends to open negotiations by insulting all the foreigners in the room, police officers often conceal their identities to safeguard against public complaints, the government has cut its subsidies for all special interest groups, and teenagers claim that morning paper rounds are performance art. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ciphage's national animal is the Imperial Eagle, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is The Imperial Church of Ciphage.

Ciphage is ranked 203,039^th in the world and 53^rd in Aelstun for Least Corrupt Governments, with 91.42 percentage of bribes refused.