*chimes in*
The "A Time of War" RPG actually has a very neat map with short descriptions for all factions, small and large. Lemme just type this off the paper:
House Steiner (Lyran Alliance)
Government: Constitutional Monarchy (with German feudal stylings)
Dominant languages: English and German (official), Scottish, Gaelic, Italian, French
Dominant religions: Christianity (Protestant), Judaism, Islam
Founding year: 2341
Currency: Kroner
House Marik (Free Worlds League)
Government: Parliamentary Confederation (operating under military rule)
Dominant languages: English (official), Spanish, Greek, Romanian, Urdu
Dominant religions: Christianity (Catholic), Judaism, Islam
Founding year: 2271
Currency: Eagle
House Davion (Federated Suns)
Government: Constitutional Aristocracy (Western European feudal stylings)
Dominant languages: English (official), French, German
Dominant religions: Christianity (Catholic), Buddhism, Judaism
Founding year: 2317
Currency: Pound
House Liao (Capellan Confederation)
Government: Dictatorship (Chinese feudal stylings)
Dominant languages: Chinese (Mandarin, official), Chinese (Cantonese), Russian, English, Hindi
Dominant religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism
Founding year: 2366
Currency: Yuan
House Kurita (Draconis Combine)
Government: Autocracy (Japanese feudal stylings)
Dominant languages: Japanese (official), Arabic, English
Dominant religions: Shinto (official), Buddhism, Islam
Founding year: 2319
Currency: Ryu
Free Rasalhague Republic
Government: Constitutional Monarchy, non-hereditary (Nordic-style trappings)
Dominant languages: Swedish (official), English, Japanese, Swedenese, German
Dominant religions: Christian (Lutherian, official), Shinto, Neo-Norse
Founding year: 3034
Currency: Krona
ComStar
Government: Corporate (with mystical trappings)
Dominant languages: English (official), others by realm of birth
Dominant religions: Agnosticism
Founding year: 2785
Currency: C-bill
Of course, there's more in which these nations differ, such as population standards, fashion, law and order, military doctrines etc, but this should serve as a quick and dirty general description - I hope.
Edited by Kyone Akashi, 16 February 2012 - 07:10 PM.