The Empire of Ashkan is a gargantuan, safe nation, ruled by Ashkan with an even hand, and notable for its multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, public floggings, and suspicion of poets. The hard-nosed, humorless population of 41.23 billion Ashkanians 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 medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Education, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Ashkanian City. The average income tax rate is 68.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ashkanian economy, worth an astonishing 11,677 trillion Dollars a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Arms Manufacturing, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is rampant. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an amazing 283,233 Dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The once prosperous capital is in utter decline, airplane passengers who purchase "basic economy" tickets are often assigned seats in the lavatory, mechanics are often exhausted by their work, and students do more community service than homework. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ashkan's national animal is the Bald Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Zazen.

Ashkan is ranked 323,832^nd in the world and 2,592^nd in the West Pacific for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring -11.9 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.