Earth

Earth in the story is somewhat different to reality, due to the story taking place a few hundred years in the future. (I don't have an exact number, but it probably won't be hugely relevant exactly when). As such, the technological and political environment is drastically different.

Where earthlings rank technologically in relation to other species depends what you focus on. In terms of computational and medical sciences, humans are among the most advanced in the galaxy. In terms of galactic colonisation and space-faring, they are far ahead of today's real-world standards, but compared with Tordonites for example, they are pretty much still testing the water.