Although comparable in total population to other republican cities, the Attena region never developed a central city - a widespread network of easily navigable waterways made for rapid travel, meaning there was less incentive to centralise for trade and communication purposes in the pre-industrial era. Although the largest settlements have grown to the size of cities in their own right, there is still no true regional capital, and even in the most urban areas, population centres and facilities remain dispersed, with high concentrations of undeveloped natural land.
Attena is situated in the west of the Tescani continent; the climate is warm, and the geography a mixture of low hills, rivers and lakes, and forested areas with some of the properties of rainforests in a mild form. The coastline boasts several spectacular rock formations, most notable among them the Dancing Bird Straits, a massive network of spires and slanted cliffs surrounded by ocean, which is a popular destination for recreational aircraft enthusiasts.
Due to a high concentration of academic institutions, Attena's popular image is something like that of an oversized "college town", combined with a reputation for its inhabitants being outdoors types. Attena attracts a high number of visitors, including tourists and foreign students attenting its schools; in addition to the usual asari population movement between areas, the region is home to a sizeable number of non-asari residents.
- Attena Academy is the region's primary higher learning institute. The Academy has a history of its graduates entering the diplomatic field, and boats one of Thessia's finest galactic studies departments.
- The Attena Political Cybernetics Institute is an artificial intelligence research centre. Part of the network of centres ensuring the proper operation of Thessia's political VIs, the Institute's specific focus is on advanced theoretical modelling.