The Galactic Empire of Flarbinia is a gargantuan, orderly nation, ruled by Grand Emperor Vladimir Novgorod IV with an iron fist, and renowned for its museums and concert halls, infamous sell-swords, and multi-spousal wedding ceremonies. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 27.5 billion Flarbinians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The tiny, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Industry, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Deroth Ungol. Income tax is unheard of.

The frighteningly efficient Flarbinian economy, worth an astonishing 18,370 trillion Shark'towels a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Uranium Mining. Black market activity is frequent. Average income is a breathtaking 668,018 Shark'towels, but there is a large disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 2,529,646 per year while the poor average 122,599, a ratio of 20.6 to 1.

The government blames all suspicious phenomena on flying saucers, minority children spend hours bussing to schools miles away from home, politicians look weirdly alike, and neighbouring countries pay to situate their nuclear power plants in Flarbinia. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Flarbinia's national animal is the Hellhound, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its national religion is Church Of Crulmoxius.

Flarbinia is ranked 3,488^th in the world and 232^nd in Lazarus for Most Advanced Defense Forces, scoring 16,903.53 on the Total War Preparedness Rating.