Current State of Development – Mammon

CURRENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT
Population

Approximately 1.5 million people occupy Mammon, more than 1.1 million of them immigrants. The population is widely distributed over most of the planet, but the majority live on the shores of the Husaini Ocean. Most people do not live in or around cities, preferring to locate within reasonable commuting distance of their work. Industrial and commercial complexes tend to be small and isolated, rather than concentrated in specific geographic areas.

Consumer Goods

Because of its unique natural resources. Mammon boasts the highest physical standard of living of any Human planet. Though its sparse population makes industrial self-sufficiency impossible, virtually any consumer good found on Earth can be purchased on Mammon. In fact, Mammon is the only Human planet on which consumer goods from other colonial planets or from other races in the Galactic Association can be found. Naturally, Chlorzi and Ardotians don’t make too many things that a Human might want, but art objects, such as Ardotian geoforms, decorate both homes and public places. Some very chic Human fashions have been styled from materials like aquasheer, produced in highest quality by the Ardotians.

Industry and Technology

Mammon’s industry tends to be highly specialized. The giant starships that take away rare earth bring both customer goods and capital equipment with them. Few consumer goods, save clothing, food, and shelter, are manufactured on the planet, though Mammon’s industries assemble large items, like transportation vehicles. Mammon now manufactures many specific items that use rare earths for export. The first factory to manufacture matter/antimatter buffer plates opened more than fifteen years ago, and today manufactures plates to Chlorzi and Ardotian, as well as Human Specifications.

Minerals

Manufactured items on Mammon often appear quite distinctive. Mammon has more deposits of gold and silver than the Earth has of metals like chromium and nickel. Therefore Mammonites use gold plating on a variety of common objects, from bathroom fixtures to kitchen utensils.

Mammon’s unique contribution to the Galactic Association stems from the essential minerals it provides. The rare earths of Mammon have reduced the cost of space ships and enhanced the interstellar exploration and development programs of all GAIL members. In addition, Mammon’s rather central location in the explored space of GAIL, and the fact that GAIL’s members must go there for rare earths has made it an important meeting place and transfer point for the entire Galactic Association. All information exchanges between the Chlorzi, Ardotian, and Human races now take place on Mammon, and diplomats now travel via Mammon to the home planets of GAIL’s member species. As interstellar space travel becomes less expensive and more common, Mammon’s importance as an intergalactic port may someday outweigh its importance as a producer of elements.

Research and Development

Besides its commercial value, scientific study of Mammon has proven important to Humankind. Mammon’s dual ocean system, unique among the known worlds, provides data essential to understanding the beginnings of life. Because Mammon lies on the lower limits of Human habitability, study of its physical characteristics and life forms has enabled scientists to develop better theories for predicting which stars will possess homes for Humans.