small powers

1) Where do I find out about Canon? 
The link posted to Jerry's archives are good. But it (I believe)
includes GZGPedia stuff, which (strictly) is non-canonical. This link,
though a few entries shy of the full deal (Yes, another millenial - as
in Y3K - project). 

http://fox.nstn.ca/~kaladorn/Gaming/gzghist.htm

2) Here's the approach I'd take in setting up a power. Find out the
links to Indy's fleet pages - this'll give you an idea of how many
points are tied up in a first rate power's forces. Assume your power is
not even second or third rate, but somewhere around 4th if it is to be
"beneath radar". That, to my mind, suggests a fleet of no more than
(since it is three degrees lower) 1/8th the size of a major powers
fleet, and quite plausibly as small as 1/64th the size. 

Indy, have some numbers of gross points for ESU and NAC?

This gives you an idea of your large scale military situation - ship
wise. Note that smaller nations may have trouble building or procuring
new ships and may use cast offs from other powers. Additionally, they
may have hull sizing restrictions. Maybe their biggest ship is a heavy
cruiser. An old one. 

My Gurkha power (The Empire of Gorkha) has a small fleet, just enough
for defence. It's largest ship is a single CVL and its biggest "battle
line" ship is either a BC or a CH. Most of the ships are old NAC ships
(dated CLs phased out by the NAC), along with a bunch of 2nd or 3rd hand
ESU destroyers and a few ships bought/gifted by the Sultan of Brunei in
the IF. Fighters are popular because basic ones can be locally
manufactured. And they're good bang for the buck in defence. 

If you want to locate a planet, somebody should point you to Nyrath the
Eternally Indispensable, Stellar Cartographer to the GZGverse. He may be
able to help you find an unclaimed system or two out on the bum end of
space. Through his kind assistance, I located a system adequate for the
Empire of Gorkha to establish itself. 

As for ground forces, to take a modern day comparison, Canada has
between 5K and 20K fieldable ground forces (depending on whose numbers
you buy) and it has a small fleet of SDDs, DDs, and smaller craft. And
it has 30 million people. But the GZGverse sizes down ships (in terms of
size/crew) so these might be CLs and SDDs instead. So that's not too
bad. If the culture is more militant, frontiersy, or threatened, it
might have 2 or 3 times that force level, one or two larger ships. 

This is still small enough that if the NAC chose to focus even the
attention of a Sector Command on it, there would be ugly consequences
(unless another superpower was willing to help you out). 

3) Scottish/Irish - I've got both in my Background. I think Mr.
Reynolds, Mr. Goodall, maybe a Fulton, and some others around here
probably can provide some insights. 

Tomb.