The Hive World of Vaelkhar is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Planetary Governor Lorien Helarion with a fair hand, and notable for its compulsory military service, public floggings, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, humorless population of 29.724 billion Vaelkharians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The minute government, or what there is of one, prioritizes Education, although Defense is also considered important, while Spirituality and International Aid aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Hive Faragos. Income tax is unheard of.

The frighteningly efficient Vaelkharian economy, worth a remarkable 6,754 trillion Imperial Credits a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an amazing 227,241 Imperial Credits, with the richest citizens earning 5.1 times as much as the poorest.

Stony-faced ratings board panelists are unamused by free lap dances, Planetary Governor Lorien Helarion is quite hard to get a hold of, undersea volcanoes receive strongly worded letters for violating environmental regulations, and the RXN information hour is a guaranteed cure for insomnia. Crime, especially youth-related, is all-pervasive, probably because of the absence of a police force. Vaelkhar's national animal is the Great Forest Lizard, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is the Imperial Truth.

Vaelkhar is ranked 286,493^rd in the world and 14^th in Warhammer 40000 for Highest Foreign Aid Spending, scoring -43.36 on the Clooney Contribution Index.