A few statistics on The Culture
Orbitals-estimate around four hundred thousand constructed by the Culture by the 14th century Common Era; over two million by the 29th century ("Surface Detail").
Individual Minds-several hundred thousand estimated by Bora Horza Gobuchul in the 14th century, say 150,000. (Probably all Systems Vehicles and Contact Units have a Mind at this point, whereas the Orbitals are just as likely to rely on large networks of individually AI-level computers)
General Systems Vehicles-estimate 20,000 constructed in total before start of Idiran-Culture war.
General Contact Units-estimate around 50,000 constructed in total before start of Idiran war.
Number of Rocks associated with the Culture-estimate 60,000 before start of Idiran war.
Superlifters destroyed during Idiran war-estimate at least 80,000.
Total warships produced during the Idiran war-estimate between 780,000 and 800,000 ("Excession"); the lower figure assuming twelve warship classes and 65,000 of each class being constructed.
Most were decommissioned; presumably their Minds (God-like artificial intelligences, in case anyone is asking) were removed and placed into more civilian-oriented vessels after the war while the actual craft were used to provide spare parts. It's possible more ships were actually built than Minds, however.
Estimate no more than 400,000 warships actually took part in major battles; the majority acted as picket ships or escort vessels. Otherwise, the war in space was over while many were being constructed: "Player of Games" implies both, while "Look to Windward" describes the effectiveness of a single Systems Vehicle against a whole fleet of enemy warships.
Warships, GSVs and GCUs destroyed during Idiran War-estimate around 120,000, although:
The definition of destroyed could be problematic in the case of a sentient weapon but, for argument's sake, destroyed means either the ship's Mind has been rendered inoperable or the ship itself e.g. brain-death or body-death.
Estimate the Culture had between ten and twenty thousand warships before formal hostilities started.
Superlifters remaining by the 22nd century-estimate less than 3000 ("Matter").
Estimate total size of Idiran war fleet as being three million, including all cruiser and destroyer classes.
Human population-18 trillion in main Culture in 14th century CE ("Consider Phlebas") ;
30 trillion by 22nd century CE, probably including various Factions and Culture Ulterior ("Look To Windward").
Total population of sentients-55 trillion in 29th century ("Surface Detail"), presumably including drones and any Culture citizens in Storage.
Inhabited Culture planets-Estimate 120 total, including home worlds and planets terraformed early in the Culture's history.
Originating species/civilisations-seven, or perhaps eight if one counts the Gzilt.
Culture home planets-twenty ("Excession").
Estimate it takes one or two years to construct and raise a Culture Mind and at least five years to construct a General Systems Vehicle.
Chronology of novels and short stories:
"Consider Phlebas" (main narrative: fourteenth century Common Era)
"Excession" (19th century CE, roughly 500 years after "Consider Phlebas")
"The State of the Art" (main narrative 20th century CE, specifically 1977-1978 CE)
"Player of Games"-(late) 21st century.
"Use of Weapons" (late 21st century; same time period as Sma's letter containing "The State of the Art" narrative, specifically Year 114 Khmer calendar or 2084 CE-Khmer "Year Zero" being 1975 CE)
"Matter"-22nd century.
"Inversions"-22nd century.
"Look to Windward" (late 22nd century, 800 years since the Idiran-Culture war occurred. Specifically since the Twin Novae Battle of Arm One-Six as this battle is a crucial plot point)
"A Gift from the Culture"-22nd or 23rd century.
"Descendant"-22nd or 23rd century.
"The Hydrogen Sonata"-24th century, or more likely the 27th century*.
"Surface Detail"-29th century, or 1500 years after the end of the Idiran war**.
* Note that although the Culture is supposedly 8000 years old by this point, "Consider Phlebas" implies the Culture is much younger, perhaps only six thousand five hundred years old by the twenty-ninth century. The "Maraintime" date implied could indicate when Marain was eventually adopted as the Culture's main language.
**This could be a reference to the end of the clean-up period, roughly three centuries after formal hostilities ended. Therefore, "Surface Detail" is probably set in the 32nd century CE.
Orbitals-estimate around four hundred thousand constructed by the Culture by the 14th century Common Era; over two million by the 29th century ("Surface Detail").
Individual Minds-several hundred thousand estimated by Bora Horza Gobuchul in the 14th century, say 150,000. (Probably all Systems Vehicles and Contact Units have a Mind at this point, whereas the Orbitals are just as likely to rely on large networks of individually AI-level computers)
General Systems Vehicles-estimate 20,000 constructed in total before start of Idiran-Culture war.
General Contact Units-estimate around 50,000 constructed in total before start of Idiran war.
Number of Rocks associated with the Culture-estimate 60,000 before start of Idiran war.
Superlifters destroyed during Idiran war-estimate at least 80,000.
Total warships produced during the Idiran war-estimate between 780,000 and 800,000 ("Excession"); the lower figure assuming twelve warship classes and 65,000 of each class being constructed.
Most were decommissioned; presumably their Minds (God-like artificial intelligences, in case anyone is asking) were removed and placed into more civilian-oriented vessels after the war while the actual craft were used to provide spare parts. It's possible more ships were actually built than Minds, however.
Estimate no more than 400,000 warships actually took part in major battles; the majority acted as picket ships or escort vessels. Otherwise, the war in space was over while many were being constructed: "Player of Games" implies both, while "Look to Windward" describes the effectiveness of a single Systems Vehicle against a whole fleet of enemy warships.
Warships, GSVs and GCUs destroyed during Idiran War-estimate around 120,000, although:
The definition of destroyed could be problematic in the case of a sentient weapon but, for argument's sake, destroyed means either the ship's Mind has been rendered inoperable or the ship itself e.g. brain-death or body-death.
Estimate the Culture had between ten and twenty thousand warships before formal hostilities started.
Superlifters remaining by the 22nd century-estimate less than 3000 ("Matter").
Estimate total size of Idiran war fleet as being three million, including all cruiser and destroyer classes.
Human population-18 trillion in main Culture in 14th century CE ("Consider Phlebas") ;
30 trillion by 22nd century CE, probably including various Factions and Culture Ulterior ("Look To Windward").
Total population of sentients-55 trillion in 29th century ("Surface Detail"), presumably including drones and any Culture citizens in Storage.
Inhabited Culture planets-Estimate 120 total, including home worlds and planets terraformed early in the Culture's history.
Originating species/civilisations-seven, or perhaps eight if one counts the Gzilt.
Culture home planets-twenty ("Excession").
Estimate it takes one or two years to construct and raise a Culture Mind and at least five years to construct a General Systems Vehicle.
Chronology of novels and short stories:
"Consider Phlebas" (main narrative: fourteenth century Common Era)
"Excession" (19th century CE, roughly 500 years after "Consider Phlebas")
"The State of the Art" (main narrative 20th century CE, specifically 1977-1978 CE)
"Player of Games"-(late) 21st century.
"Use of Weapons" (late 21st century; same time period as Sma's letter containing "The State of the Art" narrative, specifically Year 114 Khmer calendar or 2084 CE-Khmer "Year Zero" being 1975 CE)
"Matter"-22nd century.
"Inversions"-22nd century.
"Look to Windward" (late 22nd century, 800 years since the Idiran-Culture war occurred. Specifically since the Twin Novae Battle of Arm One-Six as this battle is a crucial plot point)
"A Gift from the Culture"-22nd or 23rd century.
"Descendant"-22nd or 23rd century.
"The Hydrogen Sonata"-24th century, or more likely the 27th century*.
"Surface Detail"-29th century, or 1500 years after the end of the Idiran war**.
* Note that although the Culture is supposedly 8000 years old by this point, "Consider Phlebas" implies the Culture is much younger, perhaps only six thousand five hundred years old by the twenty-ninth century. The "Maraintime" date implied could indicate when Marain was eventually adopted as the Culture's main language.
**This could be a reference to the end of the clean-up period, roughly three centuries after formal hostilities ended. Therefore, "Surface Detail" is probably set in the 32nd century CE.
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