World of Code Geass

The fictional setting and themes of the anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion are parts of an alternate universe where the Holy Empire of Britannia, an international superpower, has expanded its influence over a large portion of the planet.

Setting
The world of Code Geass is mainly divided amongst three international superpowers: the Holy Empire of Britannia (shown in red), the Chinese Federation (shown in light green), and the Euro Universe (shown in yellow). Australia (shown in light blue) has remained independent, and is not a major player in international politics, instead becoming a neutral state akin to real-world Switzerland.

Much of the series is set in Japan. On August 10, 2010 a.t.b., the Holy Empire of Britannia overpowered Japanese forces and conquered the country with their newly-developed robotic weapons, the Knightmare Frames, in less than a month. Japan lost its freedom, its rights, and even its name, becoming "Area 11" and its people "Elevens". The Elevens are forced to survive in ghettos while Britannians live in first-class settlements. Rebel elements persist, however, as pockets of Japanese resistance struggle against the Empire for the independence of Japan, partly due to Japan surrendering before all of its human resources would have been depleted in the struggle against the Britannian invasion. The Japanese resistance movement is supposedly unrivaled amongst such movements in other Areas, as hinted by Lelouch in episode 17 of Season 1.

After his father, Emperor Charles di Britannia, did nothing to pursue the terrorists who murdered his mother and crippled his sister, Lelouch Lamperouge vowed to destroy Britannia after being banished from his home. Seven years later in Area 11, he encounters a mysterious girl who gives him the power of Geass. With it, he finally has the power he needs to defeat Britannia and fulfill his two wishes: to seek revenge for his mother and to create a world where his beloved sister can live happily.

The Holy Empire of Britannia


The Holy Empire of Britannia is an imperial monarchy and the most prominent superpower within the world of Code Geass. Its homeland is based in North America, with additional territories spanning the western hemisphere, including the rest of the Americas, Greenland and Iceland. Britannia initially controls over one third of the world, and eventually conquered most of the world, with the rest joining UFN.

Britannian territories
The Britannian Empire is concentrated in the Americas, holding both North and South America as its mainland.

Through various conquests, Britannia also controls New Zealand, Japan (Area 11), the Philippines, and in the novels a portion of the Indochina Peninsula (Area 10). Notably, contrary to its name and origin, it does not control the British Isles, having lost them to Napoleon.

Japan
Japan is the source of over 70% of the world's total supply of sakuradite. Under the former administration of Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi and with the shadow support of the sakuradite mining industries, Japan oppressed and dominated other countries through economic control. Tensions between the Britannian Empire and Japan eventually developed into a diplomatic conflict and later open war. Following Japan's defeat, it was occupied by Britannian forces, and its name was changed to Area 11. As a means of cultural suppression, Britannia has eliminated the use of kanji in proper names.

Chinese Federation
Shown in teal on the map, the Chinese Federation is an imperial monarchy that spans the Asian and Pacific regions, including Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia(except the Philippines) with Sakhalin and the Korean Peninsula. Its population is the largest of the three major powers, but most live in poverty. Its political structure and organization appears to resemble the real-world Empire of China. The Emperor of the Federation was formerly an office that held absolute political power, but it has since been reduced to an effectively symbolic figurehead posting, "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people." As with the real-world Emperor of Japan, the individual who holds the title is regarded as a living divinity whose sovereignty is entirely ceremonial. Prior to a civilian uprising, true control of the nation lies with the brutal governmental organization known as the High Eunuchs. Following the group's liquidation, the territories of the Federation become politically fragmented.

Under the High Eunuchs, the Federation sought to take control of Area 11 for its own purposes. In the first season, General Cao attempts unsuccessfully to set up a puppet government in Kyūshū, using the remnants of the Japanese cabinet in exile. In the second season, a Chinese consulate is established with the agreement of the local Britannian authorities, and negotiations are held by Eunuch Gao Hai to the end of obtaining a solid Chinese foothold within the colony. The Federation has long-standing hostilities with the Euro Universe, but this is resolved when half of the EU was conquered by Britannia while the other half joined United Federation of Nations. After joining the UFN, it changed its name to United States of China.

Euro Universe
Shown in yellow on the map, the Euro Universe (ユーロ・ユニバース, Yūro Yunibāsu), or E.U., is a democratic union formed during the time of revolution (1800s). It has been to be overseen by a council that meets in a location known as the Central Hemicycle (中央会議場). It has long been in conflict with Britannia, with a legendary commander stationed at the El Alamein Front(エル・アラメイン戦線, Eru Aramein Sensen) to check the Britannian advance into North Africa. It encompasses all of Europe (including the British Isles), Africa, and Russia. In the second season, Schneizel leads the Britannian forces against the E.U., successfully conquering almost half of their territory. The remaining EU territory either joined the UFN, or decided to remain unaligned. It is unknown whether the E.U. still exists or it has dissolved into independent states.

The E.U. apparently organizes their military into left-wing and right-wing camps, and their forces are drawn from National Guard-style units from a member nation (i.e. the German National Guard, the Italian National Guard and the Dutch Engineering Corps).

Australia
Shown in blue, Australia is seemingly independent of Britannia, possibly due to the historical divergence causing no English settlers to be sent. However, it could be populated by settlers from the EU Countries or even solely by native Australian Aborigines.

United Federation of Nations
In order to combat Britannia successfully, Lelouch proposed a federation of all nations. Initially called the United States Alliance, during formal Ratification it was known as United Federation of Nations, consisting of United States of Japan, the Chinese Federation, exiled governments from the Areas, and fragments of Euro Universe. In total, 47 nations joined the the UFN by R2 Episode 16. Its capital is based on Penglai Island.

According to analysis by the Britannian Media, the United Federation of Nations wields power that equals that of Britannia. When a country joins the UFN, the signatory agrees to resign their military power. In their stead, the Order of the Black Knights, which is not affliated to any country, will agree to defend them in exchange for continued power and support for the United Federation of Nations. If an action were to be taken by the Black Knights, all members must agree to it.

United States of Japan
The United States of Japan is declared by Zero near the end of the first season. The country rebels against the Britannian Empire following the failed attempt at establishing the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, but is defeated when Lelouch abandons the Black Knights in search of Nunnally. Upon their escape to the Chinese Federation Consulate in the second season, Zero once again declares its formation, this time as a room in the consulate. While Britannia considers it to be non-existent, other countries, the Chinese Federation among them, do recognize it.

After the exile of the Black Knights, the Japanese are granted control of the artificial island of Penglai in Chinese territory, which has recently become their temporary capital.

History of the World
The fictional history of the Code Geass universe differs significantly from real-world history, primarily in the outcomes of various famous battles, and in the appearance of materials like Sakuradite and immortals like C.C.

Geass
Geass (ギアス|giasu) is a mysterious ability which certain people can bestow upon others; C.C. is the most prominent character who grants the power of Geass. The form the Geass takes is different in each individual. C.C. calls Geass the Power of the King (王の力|Ō no Chikara) while Lelouch calls it a form of wish. It is represented by a glowing, bird-shaped symbol.

Technology

 * Automatic Small Arms
 * Generic automatic weapons, such as assault rifles and submachine guns that use a strong electromagnetic pulse to fire ammunition; essentially using the same technology as pistols; albeit, with a higher rate of fire. Such weapons are used by the Britannian Military, The Black Knights, and the Chinese Federation.


 * Automobiles
 * High efficiency electric vehicles are the standard, typically powered by a sakuradite energy filler. Pre-modern vehicles have been known to attain 50 horsepower, and go roughly 100 Kilometers per hour at maximum. Combustion of fossil fuels as a power source for vehicles never became commonplace in the world of Code Geass, though it is unknown if the principle is used.


 * Energy Filler
 * A type of battery, wherein sakuradite serves as a critical medium to the process of reverse electrolysis. Energy fillers of different types are the common power source of most of the world's vehicles and portable electronic devices.


 * Float System
 * An atmospheric flotation device of unknown principle, but probably electromagnetic in nature, capable both of suspending extremely high-mass structures in stationary flight and moving them through the air at decent speeds. It requires gyroscopic stabilization. Originally, the immense size of the Float System made it suitable only for enabling the aerial transport of traditional land cruisers, but recent miniaturization efforts have produced Float Units scaled for installation on Knightmare Frames. The Black Knights developed a derivative technology called the Air Glide Wing. Another variation of the Float system is the Energy Wing system created by Cécile Croomy. This variation far surpasses the performance of all previous models. A Knightmare equipped with one has unrivaled agility and can break the speed of sound, allowing the pilot move at blinding speeds. It is difficult to control, however, and only the Lancelot and Guren are equipped with them.


 * F.L.E.I.J.A.


 * The latest development of In Vogue headed by Nina Einstein, F.L.E.I.J.A. (Field Limitary Effective Implosion Armament) is a field implosion bomb, developed using sakuradite causing it to tremendously collapse, obliterating all matter within its area of effect. It is pronounced Freyja, in reference to the Norse Goddess of Love, Magic, and Warfare.


 * F.L.E.I.J.A. Eliminator
 * It is a device described as an "Anti F.L.E.I.J.A. System" developed by Nina Einstein as a countermeasure to her F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead. Taking advantage of F.L.E.I.J.A.'s ever-changing composition, the F.L.E.I.J.A. Eliminator bombards it with a reaction that counters its composition thus preventing it from reaching its critical state. However, it must be inputted with the data of the surrounding environment into its program around 19 seconds before its detonation and the window for execution is only 0.04 seconds.


 * Gefjun Disturber


 * A force field generator used primarily to disrupt the superconductivity of sakuradite, which render all machines powered by energy fillers containing the substance unresponsive for the duration of its activation. The generated field has been demonstrated to block the motion of hadrons, radio waves, and microwaves as well, which gives it a number of practical uses on the battlefield — as an electronic countermeasures; a means of controlling the blooming of hadron-based beam weaponry; and as a defensive shield against hadron weapons. The technology was conceived by Rakshata Chawla during her Britannian internship, but only recently actualized. It is named after the Norse goddess Gefjun.


 * Pistols
 * A generic handheld weapon initially introduced during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, which accelerates a metallic bullet out of a barrel with use of a strong electromagnetic pulse, possibly like a coilgun or a railgun, although the latter is more unlikely. Gunpowder was never adopted as a standard projectile propellant for handheld weapons within the world of Code Geass. The most commonly seen types are of the Britannian models.


 * Sakuradite


 * A naturally occurring substance that may be used as a high-temperature superconductor, employed as a critical component in energy fillers. Originally discovered near the Stonehenge, it was referred to in the distant past as the "Philosopher's Stone". It was subsequently found by Marco Polo to be abundant in the island nation of Japan — and it later served as one of the motives behind the Britannian occupation of the state. Sakuradite may be artificially refined to a rare and expensive liquid form that is highly explosive.


 * Super-Peltier film
 * An advanced Peltier device capable of maintaining the temperature of icebergs. It is used by the Chinese Federation to create iceberg-supported ships that can transport more than one million people at a time.


 * Sword of Akasha


 * A shrine-like structure controlled by the Emperor of Britannia, which is architecturally reminiscent of Roman buildings and the Stonehenge. The system was built by Charles for the sole purpose of killing the gods. Very few individuals had access to the system and it is located in the World of C.


 * Thought Elevator


 * A term used by those affiliated with Code-R to designated structures linked with the Geass ability, such as that within the ancients ruins at Kamine Island. General Bartley speculates that the Emperor's recent invasions were done to gain control of the devices. They apparently serve as the entrances to the Sword of Akasha.

Knightmare Frames

 * Knightmare Frames(ナイトメアフレーム), officially designated as the Humanoid Autonomous Armored Knight, are giant mechanized vehicles designed by the Britannia Empire. Using self-propelled roller skate systems called 'Landspinners' to achieve high mobility and speeds on almost any terrain, they have all but replaced other ground-based combat vehicles. They are equipped with sophisticated 'Factsphere' open sensor cameras to gather visual data. They are powered by a Yggdrasil Drive and later models incorporate sakuradite. Verbally, the name sounds like nightmare, but in spelling, it refers to a knight's mare.


 * Typical Knightmare Frame armament includes hand-held rifles, shoulder or wrist-mounted wired rocket anchors called Slash Harkens, Stun Tonfas, lances, and air burst hand grenades. The cockpit, set in the protruding "hump back", is equipped with rocket engines and parachutes so that the pilot can eject to safety in case of emergency. Recent seventh generation Knightmare frames do not follow these standards and are equipped with experimental technologies.

Vehicles

 * Aside from Knigthmare frames, other vehicles are used for tactical and strategical purposes, such as serving as Knightmare Frame carriers.

Corporate sponsorship
Code Geass is sponsored by a number of companies in Japan, and hence their logos and mascots make frequent appearances.


 * BIGLOBE
 * A Britannian internet service provider that owns a search engine often used by Lelouch and other characters. BIGLOBE is an Japanese internet service provider and a sponsor of Code Geass. Unlike Pizza Hut, this is not edited out of the English dub.


 * Pizza Hut


 * A popular Britannian fast food delivery chain that C.C. orders from constantly. Pizza Hut sponsors Code Geass in Japan, and as such, their logo and paraphernalia of their branch mascot, Cheese-kun(チーズくん), make frequent appearances. Pizza Hut's logo is edited out of the Engish dub, but their mascot isn't.


 * Cheese-kun
 * Official mascot character of the Area 11 branch of Pizza Hut, an amorphous orange blob made of mozzarella cheese. He is said to have been born in Italy, and has a sister that looks just like him (Cheese-kun is distinguished by his black hat while his sister wears a bow). C.C. collects a large amount of Cheese-kun Souvenir|paraphernalia, including a child-sized plush doll that she's often seen holding. The Japanese branch of Pizza Hut uses Cheese-kun as its mascot, hence the frequent appearances of the character.


 * SoftRola
 * A Britannian telecommunications company that provides mobile phone service. Its name appears to be inspired by SoftBank and Motorola, who are not official sponsors of the program.

Groups and organizations

 * For other groups and organizations to which notable characters are affiliated, please refer to: List of Code Geass characters


 * Blood-Purist faction
 * A Britannian political and military faction that opposes the honorary citizenship system, claiming that neither military nor society should be sullied with foreigners. Knightmares affiliated with the Blood-Purist faction have red markings on them, and high-ranking members tend to wear a red winged pin on the lapel of their jackets.


 * Camelot
 * An irregular Britannian military research and development organization answerable only to members of the Imperial Family. It is headed by Lloyd Asplund following the Black Rebellion, and its research focus as of second season is the development of the experimental Knightmare Frame Lancelot and its subsequent derivative designs. It is the parent body of the Special Dispatch Forerunner Research and Development Team (特別派遣嚮導技術部, Tokubetsu Haken Kyoudou Gijutsu Bu), to which Lloyd was assigned prior to the Black Rebellion. It is named after the city of Camelot of the Arthurian Legend.


 * Four Holy Swords
 * An elite unit of four of Kyoshiro Tohdoh's most talented and devoted followers. Their existence extends all the way back into the initial invasion of Japan by Britannia seven years prior to the Battle of Narita.


 * Geass Directorate/The Order
 * A secret organization led by V.V., which presently studies and produces Geass users in affiliation with the Britannian military project Code-R. The headquarters of the organization relocates with each new leader, and is presently situated in a desert region of Gobi desert(or possibly Takla-Makan desert) within the Chinese Federation. Other than its leader, the rest of the Order has been effectively annihilated in covert operation conducted by the Black Knights. In Japanese, the pronunciation of the organization's name resembles the word "cult"(教団, kyoudan).


 * Gods


 * The Gods is the name that the Emperor gives to the collective human consciousness residing in the World of C.


 * In Vogue
 * A nuclear research team based in Dallas, Texas, created by Schneizel El Britannia and led by Nina Einstein. They seek to develop a working nuclear reactor as a viable source of energy with the possibility of weaponization.


 * Japan Liberation Front

The Japan Liberation Front (日本解放戦線, Nippon Kaihō Sensen) is the largest anti-Britannia resistance group prior to the appearance of the Black Knights, consisting predominantly of former Japanese military personnel.


 * Knight Police
 * A mechanized paramilitary unit that operates Knightmare Frames under the command of the Britannian Police Force, deployed to perform exceptionally dangerous or high-risk operations that fall outside both the abilities of common patrol officers and the jurisdiction of the military. The majority of the Knightmare Frames used by the Area 11 Knight Police appear to be modified Glasgows, painted white and marked with the Police emblem to indicate their affiliation.


 * NAC
 * A confederation of the richest and most powerful families amongst the former Japanese, tasked by the Area 11 colonial administration with the oversight and government of Elevens living outside the Britannian concessions. It was the public face of the Kyōto House prior to the Black Rebellion. Following the execution of most of its members, the present status of this governing body is unknown.


 * Rosenberg Institute
 * The research organization operating under Schneizel El Britannia, bearing some unidentified relationship to the military research project known as Code R. They are responsible for the cyberneticization of Jeremiah Gottwald and the creation of the Knight Giga Fortress Siegfried. Members of the organization were later sent to the Geass Directorate to finish the modifications of Jeremiah Gottwald.


 * Royal Panzer Infantry (RPI)
 * The official designation for common Knightmare Frame infantry within the Britannian Army.


 * Royal Marine Infantry (RMI)
 * The official designation for amphibious Knightmare Frame infantry within the Britannian Navy.


 * Secret Intelligence Service
 * An intelligence agency answerable only to the Emperor, tasked, among other tasks befitting a secret agency, with the capture of C.C. Its members appear not to have been informed of C.C.'s immortality, and only a few select agents have been made privy to the true nature of Geass.


 * Sumeragi Concern
 * A large conglomerate founded by the Sumeragi House. It appears to remain in good standing with the Area 11 colonial government.


 * Toromo Agency
 * A research organization of Britannia that is situated in Cambodia, led by Schneizel El Britannia. Following the death of Emperor Charles, Schneizel along with those loyal to him were hidden in Cambodia by the Toromo Agency. After Lelouch's ascension to the trone, they severed their relation with the Empire and became traitors. Under Schneizel, they were able to mass-produce the F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb as well as create the Aerial Fortress Damocles.

Terminology

 * Area
 * The generic attribution of all presently known satellite colonies of the Britannian Empire. Each colony is given a numeric designation by order of conquest, which doubles as a derogatory diminutive for its native peoples. There appear to be eighteen such territories as of Cornelia's conquest in the Middle East in the first season. The legal rights of the conquered peoples are under normal circumstances severely limited, but they may be further suspended if the loyalty of the colony comes under sufficient question, at which point the region is flagged by the motherland as a "correctional area" (矯正エリア, Kyousei Eria).


 * Code-R
 * A top secret Britannian military research project overseen by Princes Schneizel el Britannia and Clovis la Britannia, which employs the Rosenberg Institute under the leadership of Bartley Asprius. Not all members of the Britannian Imperial Family are aware of its existence. Its focus is the research of C.C. and the nature of the Geass ability, with the intent of duplicating her powers. In the sidestory Nightmare of Nunnally, it is also referred to as Project C.C.


 * Devicer
 * The technical term for a Knightmare Frame pilot.


 * Eleven
 * The derogatory designation of the Japanese following the colonization and establishment of Area 11.


 * "Emblem of Blood" Incident
 * A violent internal feud that occurred within the Britannian imperial family prior to Charles' ascension to the throne. During this period, assassination and betrayals was frequented among members of the Imperial Family that wanted the throne. Charles and V.V.'s mother were among the casualties. This event influence the two to form a Geass contract to kill the Gods.


 * Ghetto
 * Districts within a Britannian colony left ungoverned by the colonial administration and inhabited by Numbers unwilling to adopt Britannian citizenship. Conditions are typically poor. The ghettos of Area 11 are filled with the bombed remains of pre-war buildings, and the majority of the residents are unemployed.


 * The Girl Who Loves Pizzas
 * Pseudonym used in a letter to the Ashford Academy Student Government, requesting the baking of the world's largest pizza (12-meters in diameter) as a special event during the 2017 school fair. Because the pizza is ruined, the event is attempted again the following year under the title "Giant Pizza R", and is again ruined.


 * Honorary Britannian
 * Citizens of the conquered Areas can become Honorary Britannians when they swear allegiance to the Britannian Empire. They attain the same legal rights as normal Britannians, but by no means are they free from prejudice and inequality. Also, Honorary Britannian soldiers cannot achieve the same career as native Britannians as certain privileges, like piloting Knightmare Frames, are forbidden to them.


 * Imperial Calendar(Abbrev. a.t.b)
 * The calendar used by the Britannia Empire. It started during the Roman Empire's first (foiled) attempt to invade Great Britain. The initials "a.t.b." mean 'Ascension Throne Britannia' and refer to the election of a Celtic super-leader by the Britannian tribes to resist the invader.


 * Irregular
 * A term referring to any individual with physical capabilities that significantly exceed the limits of a normal human. In Nightmare of Nunnally, "Irregulars" is also the name of a Britannian military division that employs such individuals.


 * Numbers
 * A derogatory general designation for the people of regions colonized by Britannia, e.g. "Elevens". Native inhabitants of a colony are categorically referred to by their "Area" number.


 * Providence
 * Official term for the immediate vicinity of any Thought Elevator claimed by Britannia. Kamine Island is not designated as a Providence, as Clovis claimed it in a personal venture prior to his death. In the real world, the term "tenryou" was in the Edo period used to refer to territories under the direct control of the Shogunate, and during the Meiji period to the properties of the Japanese Emperor.


 * Ragnarök
 * A term initially uttered by the Emperor of Britannia when Lelouch forms his Geass contract with C.C. With the use of Sword of Akasha and the Thought Elevator, and two Codes, the Emperor can use it to force the collective subconscious of human beings onto the surface of their mask and affect reality, making all humans, both living and dead, into one being. For this reason, the Emperor has connected every thought elevator on the planet. He then intended to unleash Ragnarök using the thought elevator in Kamine Island.


 * Refrain
 * An illegal and highly addictive deliriant that induces hallucinatory flashbacks to pleasant past experiences. Temporary behavioral abnormality is exhibited while under the influence. Once the drug wears off, the user is left unable to speak for some time. Under Britannian law, penalization for possession is comparable to that associated with narcotics in the real world. Prior to a crackdown executed by Cornelia, it was smuggled into Area 11 from the Chinese Federation by way of the Kyūshū Route.


 * Settlement
 * Areas within Britannian-controlled regions designed to provide First World comforts to citizens of the Empire abroad at the expense of colonized peoples. The commercial and residential sectors are administered so as to be indistinguishable from the metropolitan environments of the Britannian homeland. Settlements are typically segregated from the rest of the colony by the massive solar arrays that power them. Monorails are installed for ease of transport within.


 * Tabatacchi
 * A mascot character that appears to be a green otter, used by Kallen Stadtfeld as a disguise at the Ashford festival in the second season.


 * Zero Requiem
 * Zero Requiem is a plan created by Lelouch, Suzaku, and possibly C.C. to end all war and to usher an age of peace. The plan involved focusing all of the world's hatred on himself, then have Suzaku pose as Zero and kill him, dissipating the hatred and allowing the world to focus on more important matters than fighting, thus facilitating peace.


 * Aside from Lelouch, Suzaku, & C.C. several other key characters knew about Zero Requiem, including Jeremiah Gottwald, Lloyd Asplund, Cécile Croomy, Sayoko Shinozaki and Nina Einstein, while others such as Nunnally, Kallen and the core Black Knights members only realized it only during and after its execution.