What's the backstory if you don't import a save?

Question

In Mass Effect 2, if you created your Shepard from scratch, the game assumed you'd mostly made Renegade choices in the first game. I'm wondering what the lay of the land looks like for Mass Effect 3

• What specific important decision points are made by default with a precreated Shepard?
• Are any of the decision points that happened in the first game different from the way they were for a newly-created Shepard in the second game?
• Is there any significant content you can miss out on as the result of a decision point that had a poor outcome?
• Does this depend in any way on your gender? Specifically, I'm thinking of both potential romances and

the choice in the first game between Kaidan and Ashley, which wasn't all that important in ME2 but I see being a lot more important in ME3 since the survivor is back in your party.

• And finally,

Who lived through the suicide mission at the end of Mass Effect 2?

Answer 1

If you do not have Mass Effect 1 save data then:

• the colony on Feros was not saved
• Shiala the Asari was killed
• the Rachni Queen on Noveria was killed
• the Council died and the Destiny Ascension was destroyed
• Udina is the Councilor
• No DLC events will be transferred over
• Garrus was recruited
• Wrex was recruited

If you do not have Mass Effect 2 save data then:

• Garrus is alive
• Jack died on the last mission
• Tali was recruited and alive
• Samara was never recruited
• Thane died on the last mission
• Miranda is alive
• Jacob is alive
• Legion was never activated
• Shepard destroyed the Collector’s Base
• Shepard did not complete Mordin’s loyalty mission
• Tali was exiled by her people
• No N7 missions are completed
• No DLC will be transferred over (Arrival, Overlord or Lair of the Shadow Broker)
  • ie: Zaeed and Kasumi were never encountered in ME2