Hunger Games: Here’s What Each District Is Known For

The Hunger Games series introduced the fictional world of Panem, a nation compromised of the Capitol and several outlying districts. Each district was responsible for a different segment of Panem’s economy, and, together, they kept the post-apocalyptic world habitable. There were 12 distinct districts within Panem. The entire nation was run by an authoritarian-totalitarian dictatorship led by President Snow from the Capitol. The laws were violently enforced by the Panem government and their army of Peacekeepers. A 13th district, independent of Panem, continued to operate in secrecy which later came into play during the rebellion efforts inspired by Katniss Aberdeen in Mockingjay.

Every year, Panem forced two children from each district to compete in the Hunger Games, a deadly event that pitted innocent citizens against each other. Due to the Hunger Games and the government’s treatment of most of Panem, many districts viewed the Capitol as their enemy. The government, however, was highly dependent on the districts to supply products through a wide array of industries. Here’s a breakdown of what each of the Hunger Games districts was known for.

Related: Hunger Games Panem Map Guide: Every Location Explained

The Complete Hunger Games District Map

Pictured above is Panem’s complete map as described in The Hunger Games books and movies. The map of North America has been clearly edited to show the effects of the future, such as Florida’s disappearance and the large gap in California’s landscape. Each district represented on the map has a greater function within the Hunger Games universe. Here’s every Hunger Games district, including the most victorious, and its role, explained.

The Hunger Games Districts Explained: Names, Jobs, and Characteristics

District 1: Members of District 1 were known to produce luxury items such as jewelry. Due to their skill in craftsmanship, the goods that came out of District 1 were used to decorate the Capitol. Those who lived in District 1 were some of the wealthiest citizens of Panem. Tributes from District 1 were known as “Careers” because they trained for years before competing in the Hunger Games.

District 2: Located in the Rocky Mountains, District 2 was one of the largest communities in Panem. It was also home to wealthy citizens, resulting in a positive relationship with the Capitol. District 2 was known for its masonry and weapon manufacturing. In Mockingjay, it was revealed that the Capitol’s army of Peacekeepers trained in District 2.

District 3: The primary industry in District 3 was technology as the people there produced televisions, computers, and other electronics. During Katniss’ Victory Tour, she noticed that District 3 was one of the more rebellious districts. One of the most memorable members who came out of District 3 was Beetee, a victor who displayed his engineering and technology knowledge multiple times during the Second Rebellion.

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District 4: District 4 specializes in the fishing industry. The citizens in District 4 were known to be wealthy and very good-looking. Their tributes were also Careers, training from a very early age to prepare for the Games. The most notable members of District 4 were Finnick Odair and Mags Flanagan.

District 5: District 5 was responsible for power and electricity. The area produced the electricity that powered all of Panem. They housed a hydroelectric dam where many of the citizens worked. The dam became a target by the rebels in Mockingjay as they tried to cut out the power in the Capitol.

District 6: The core industry within District 6 was transportation. It served as the hub for the transport network throughout all of Panem. Like District 3, District 6 supported Katniss and the rebellion’s efforts against the Capitol.

District 7: District 7 supplied Panem with copious amounts of lumber. The area was said to be surrounded mostly by trees. The most noteworthy member of District 7 was Johanna Mason, a victor who used the District’s signature weapon, the ax.

Related: Every Hunger Games Tribute & Winner Still Alive After Mockingjay

District 8: District 8 was known for their work in the textiles industry. One of their factories was dedicated to producing the uniforms used by the Peacekeepers. Along with a few other districts, District 8 was instantly open to joining the rebellion.

District 9: The principal industry at the focus of District 9 was grain production. The area was the least referenced district in all of Panem. Not much is known about the victors or tributes from District 9.

District 10: District 10 focused on the livestock industry. Their main job was to raise animals and supply the meat to the Capitol. Katniss never mentioned any of the specific tributes from District 10.

District 11: District 11 was said to be composed of a vast area, possibly the entire Southern region of Panem. Agriculture was the main industry of District 11, as the land was covered in orchards, crop fields, and cattle farms. District 11 was one of the poorest districts, and its citizens lived in small shacks in an area patrolled by Peacekeepers. Rue was one of the most notable citizens that came out of District 11.

Related: How Much Time Passes Between Hunger Games & Mockingjay

District 12: District 12 was the smallest and poorest district in Panem. The district was located in Appalachia, and their primary industry was coal mining. After the Second Rebellion, the coal mine was closed, and the district began to produce medicines. Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and Haymitch were notable members of District 12.

District 13: District 13 was thought to have been destroyed by the Capitol during the First Rebellion, but it evidently made a deal to act as an independent nation. Before it seceded, District 13 was known for mining graphite, but its hidden industry was nuclear technology. District 13’s underground facility later became the center of the new rebellion.

How Will Panem’s Districts Be Different In The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes?

The prequel novel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes is set 64 years before the events of Katniss’ first trip to the Hunger Games. In it, President Snow isn’t yet a political figure and is a student placed in charge of mentoring a District 12 tribute in Panem’s 10th Hunger Games. Hunger Games fans will remember that previous winners of the Hunger Games usually mentor tributes in their own district, but with only 10 games at the time of the novel, not every district has a victor yet. With the story being set so far in the past, there’s room for the movie to flesh out the different Hunger Games districts a bit more than what audiences saw in the original Hunger Games trilogy.

The novel still places a large focus on District 12 with tribute Lucy Gray Baird being the person Snow has to mentor. Even District 12 is different from the district fans know in this story though, and that’s sure to be shown in the movie. It’s not just the Hunger Games themselves that will be different. The district hasn’t yet stopped mining and isn’t in as dire straits as in Katniss’ childhood. Lucy, played by West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, is a singer, after all, a job that wouldn’t exactly be seen in Katniss’ day as there isn’t any extra money to spend on performances.

Related: Hunger Games: How Old Katniss Is In Each Movie

The other two districts that are likely to get quite a bit more attention in the movie are 11 and 2. Both districts have mentors that Snow, played by Tom Blyth, is personally affiliated with, so their tributes and their customs should play a large role in Snow’s big screen story. Most of all, however, is the fact that the movie is set right after a major rebellion occurs that the Capitol quelled, unlike what happens with Katniss’ rebellion. That means the measures that the Capitol has taken to control the different districts in the past, and just why some are more loyal than others when Katniss and her allies rebel 65 years later, should be more evident. The Hunger Games themselves are still being defined when Snow is forced to become a mentor, but the districts are already clearly defined by how valuable they are to the Capitol, and that should be reflected in the Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes as well.

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