The Federal Republic of West Alta is a huge, orderly nation, notable for its rum-swilling pirates, pith helmet sales, and suspicion of poets. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 374 million Altans are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Castelalta. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 46.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Altan economy, worth 45.3 trillion Marks a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Retail, Information Technology, and Automobile Manufacturing. Black market activity is extensive. Average income is an impressive 121,039 Marks, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 436,917 per year while the poor average 23,953, a ratio of 18.2 to 1.

Hiding wrinkles with make-up is illegal, mining is the nation's most dangerous occupation, nobody draws smiley faces on receipts anymore, and the moon's craters are more numerous every day. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. West Alta's national animal is the Horse, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

West Alta is ranked 188,832^nd in the world and 924^th in Europe for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 75.47 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.