The Burnt World of Athas is a gargantuan, cultured nation, ruled by Tithian of Mericles with an iron fist, and remarkable for its museums and concert halls, free-roaming dinosaurs, and absence of drug laws. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 25.598 billion Athasians 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, well-organized government is primarily concerned with Defense, with Environment, Education, and Industry also on the agenda, while Welfare and Social Policy aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Tyr. The average income tax rate is 96.0%.

The frighteningly efficient Athasian economy, worth an astonishing 12,029 trillion gold pieces a year, is mostly comprised of black market activity, especially in Arms Manufacturing, Gambling, Retail, and Tourism. Average income is an amazing 469,924 gold pieces, with the richest citizens earning 5.8 times as much as the poorest.

4-year-olds studying for their mathematics exams are anxious that they will be unemployable in adulthood if they fail, courses in how to boil water are popular for formerly microwave-reliant Athasians, the national guard is mobilized whenever a mother gets separated from her child at the mall, and middle-aged metal fans quite enjoy being called "rebellious youths" by even older politicians. Crime, especially youth-related, is so common that it is unusual to encounter someone following the law, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Athas's national animal is the Thri-kreen, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Psionics.

Athas is ranked 294,154^th in the world and 4^th in Athas for Lowest Crime Rates, with 2.21 law-abiding acts per hour.