Federal Republic of Earth (Universe)

The Federal Republic of Earth (F.R.E. or FRE) and commonly known as Earth, is the de facto world government of Humanity. It consists of 195 member states, a federal district, two major unincorporated territories, and various interplanetary/interstellar territories. With a population of more than 15 billion people, it is the third most populous nation in the Spiral Arm. The national capital is New York City, and the most populous city is Tokyo.

The Federal Republic emerged from the chaos of the Third World War. In the late 21st century, the F.R.E. began expanding across the Sol System, gradually obtaining new territories; by 2088, the Federal Republic spanned the entire system. The invention of the Superluminal Transition System led to further expansion beyond Sol. With this expansion came the first contacts with various alien nations. During the Earth-Arcturus Cold War, the Federal Republic fought the Sh'lassen War and the Jung War but avoided direct military conflict with the Arcturian Union. The Arcturian Union's dissolution in 2149 ended the Cold War, leaving the Federal Republic as the Spiral Arm's sole superpower.

The Federal Republic of Earth is a federal republic and a representative democracy with three separate branches of government, including a unicameral legislature. It is a founding member of the Galactic Union, Interstellar Bank, and other international organizations. Considered a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, its population has been profoundly shaped by centuries of immigration. The F.R.E. ranks high in international measures of economic freedom, quality of life, education, and sentient rights; it has low levels of perceived corruption.

The Federal Republic is a highly developed country, accounts for approximately a quarter of the interstellar GDP, and is the Spiral Arm's largest economy by GDP at market exchange rates. By value, the Federal Republic is the largest importer and second-largest exporter of goods in the Spiral Arm. Making up more than a third of global military spending, it is the foremost military power in its region of space and a leading political, cultural, and scientific force on the interstellar stage.

Government and politics
The Federal Republic is a federal state of 195 states, a federal district, two major unincorporated territories, and various interplanetary/interstellar territories. It is a federal republic and a representative democracy "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law."

In the Earthen federalist system, citizens are usually subject to four levels of government: federal, commonwealth, state, and local. The local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district.