Inner Worlds (planets Mercury and Venus) in Space the Ultimate Frontier

The planet Venus was artificially terraformed to Earth-like conditions many centuries ago, and is now populated by millions of people. It's economy is largely based upon agriculture, particularly the raising of cattle and the growing of citrus fruits, though other aspects of the Venusian economy are also apparent. Venus has a slighy warmer climate on average than does Earth or Mars. Venus is politically divided into two nations: the northern-based Ishtar and the southern-based Aphrodite. Ishtar is governed by a near-absolute monarch aided by a hereditary noble class, while Aphrodite is governed as a democratic republic with an elected President and similarly-elected Senate. Ishtar is allied with the Red World Empire (see Mars in Space the Ultimate Frontier) while Aphrodite receives support from the United Earth Governing Alliance (see Earth in Space the Ultimate Frontier). Mercury is economically based upon mining and it's population normally lives in underground cities due to extreme temperatures on the planet's surface at high noon and in the afternoon due to it's close vicinity to the Sun. Mercurian cities are either united in the independent Mercurian League or controlled by a nation based upon Venus (mostly Ishtar, but with three Mercurian cities controlled by Aphrodite).