Located in the Core Worlds, Alderaan is a rarity there, having a large agricultural surplus and also a significant population. A planet mostly of rolling hills covered in grassland and farms, it prides itself on ecological sustainability, gathering most of its population in cities built underground, along steep riverbanks and faults and drawing power from the heat of the planet's core to power a sophisticated and diversified industrial base. The government is a constitutional Monarchy, with the Royal Family acting solely as head of state. The government is active in galactic diplomacy and was a longtime member of the Galactic Republic until recently. Alderaanians are a rugged, yet sophisticated people. They can move between hiking cross country for months directly into a high-society ball without difficulty.

Presently Alderaan is dealing with millions of refugees from Coruscant and has had to implement strict quarantine measures to prevent infection by TCV. It has declared itself independent and neutral in the conflict between the Sith Empire and the Republic. It helped mediate the discussions between the Republic and the Tion Principality which led to the cecessation of hostilities between those powers recently.