The Galactic Empire of Riptaria is a titanic, efficient nation, ruled by general degaras with an iron fist, and remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, prohibition of alcohol, and state-planned economy. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless population of 17.988 billion Riptarians, 6.811 billion of whom are zombies, are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government is effectively ruled by the Department of Defense, although Law & Order is also considered important, while Social Policy and Environment aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of riptaria city. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient Riptarian economy, worth an astonishing 13,677 trillion ripion doller and pound ripions a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is an enormous, deeply entrenched, broadly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Uranium Mining, and Woodchip Exports. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is a breathtaking 760,394 ripion doller and pound ripions, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.4 times as much as the poorest.

Running away is an essential part of the elite forces' hand-to-hand training, tourists flock to see the giant stone carvings of historical leaders at Mount Rushless, frequent fliers are obliged to submit to invasive security procedures by government security, and SOS from foreign ships mean "shoot on sight". Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Riptaria's national animal is the slave, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Atheism.

Riptaria is ranked 4^th in the world and 1^st in The United Federations for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector, scoring 332,892.09 on the Charon Conveyancy Index.