Kiniké is the primary inhabited world of the Sanddown system and is very heavily populated and industrialized. Pollution on Kiniké went unchecked for many years, and as a result, life on the surface became almost literally unbearable until the advent of new dome technology, researched specifically with Kiniké in mind. Kiniké is certainly no scenic beauty, but life is at least tolerable within the protection of the Menin domes, which keep the now nearly toxic environment at bay. Efforts are currently underway to clean up the biosphere, but political and economic roadblocks ensure that the process will take many more decades to come.