Panem

**Panem** is a sovereign nuclear state and democratic constitutional republic established sometime after a series of ecological disasters and a global conflict brought about the collapse of modern civilization. It is situated in North America, consisting of a federal district, the Capitol, and thirteen outlying districts

For presumably the majority of its existence, Panem's central government operated as a totalitarian dictatorship and police state with society, particularly in the Capitol, modeled heavily on ancient Rome. The outlying Districts were subservient to the Capitol, expected to provide significant economic and material services in exchange for protection provided by the Capitol's armies of Peacekeepers, largely at the heavy expense and detriment to the districts' populace. This inherently uneven and unequal relationship was brutally enforced on the districts for several years, culminating in the outbreak of a civil war known as the First Rebellion, led by District 13, Panem's then center of its military-industrial complex.

After three years of conflict, the rebellion collapsed with the apparent destruction of District 13, bringing about the Dark Days. However, unbeknownst to the wider populace of Panem, District 13 had survived, having organized a separate peace with the Capitol after securing a significant portion of the Capitol's stockpile of nuclear weaponry. In accordance with the ceasefire, District 13 would disengage from the insurrection and appear destroyed on the surface in exchange for its independence and a non-aggression pact. The remaining districts were quickly pacified with the resulting Treaty of Treason enforcing a harsh peace on the defeated districts, as well as instituting a sadistic annual event known as the Hunger Games, established as a continual reminder of the failed past insurrection and to never make an attempt at it again. Public executions and whippings, severe restrictions on civil rights, and mass surveillance became widespread throughout Panem in the following years. The outlying districts were also effectively quarantined from one another, with all inter-district travel and communication banned.

For the next seventy-four years, the districts endured continued oppression and humiliation at the hands of the Capitol through the annual occurrence of the Hunger Games. Despite the Games intended goal of snuffing out future insurrections by reminding the Districts of the cost, the Games only acted to further incite seditious activity in the populace that gradually built up over the decades. By the time of the rule of President Snow, the most recent and last of Panem's line of dictators for over 25 years, civil unrest was mounting in a number of Districts which, following the 74th Hunger Games, further escalated and spread despite several brutal crackdowns. This would culminate in the outbreak of the Second Rebellion following the 75th Hunger Games, with the Districts once again being led by District 13 in a revolution to overthrow Panem's totalitarian government. Within a year, the Snow regime was deposed and Panem was transformed into a democratic constitutional republic, led by Commander Paylor. It is portrayed in the trilogy to be the dominant and only known society in North America, with no other nations or civilized societies beyond Panem having been mentioned, so it is unknown if any exist at all.

The name Panem derives from the Latin phrase *Panem et circenses*, which literally translates into 'bread and circuses'. The phrase itself is used to describe entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters. Furthermore, by the government providing ample food, entertainment and protection, the citizens would give up their political rights.

According to the Capitol, Panem has a population of 4,556,778 people. However, adding up the known populations of the Capitol and 12 districts gives it a total of only 1,905,286 people.

## Location and geography

Panem is located on the continent of North America, with its territory encompassing areas formerly controlled by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The administrative center of the country, the Capitol, is located in the Rocky Mountains, roughly corresponding to being within the area of the former U.S. states of Wyoming and Utah. Each one of its thirteen outlying districts are situated across the continent and given their large size, cover significant portions of former U.S. states, Mexican states and Canadian provinces.

The size of the country is known not to be as large as North America today, given that, according to Katniss, large areas of land across the world were flooded by rising sea level (significant portions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coastlines of North America are shown to be inundated, including the entirety of Florida). Nevertheless, maps of Panem indicate it is about as large as the former contiguous United States, spanning from the east coast to the west coast of North America and stretching from southern Canada in the north to central Mexico in the south. Given the territory it covers, Panem's geography largely resembles that of the former United States.

In *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, District 12 is the easternmost district, followed by Districts 8, 6, and 11.

## Government

For presumably the majority of its history since its founding, Panem was run as a totalitarian dictatorship led by a president who served for life and wielded absolute power over the government and military. Four presidents of Panem are present in the book series: Ravinstill, Coriolanus Snow, Alma Coin, and Paylor. Previous presidents are unknown; Coriolanus Snow was mentioned to have been the president during the 50th Hunger Games, meaning he held power for at least 25 years. Ravinstill had been in power before the First Rebellion and up to and including at least the 10th Hunger Games. The exact details of the national government are unknown, but it is at least known the President possesses a cabinet, with ministers that presumably oversee different areas of the government. The government overall is modelled after that of ancient Rome, reflected in Capitol society by the citizenry taking names of Greco-Roman origin and the architecture of the city. It is unknown if Panem possesses other branches of government such as a judiciary or a legislature, although given the authoritarian nature of the Panemian central government, both either don't exist or are under the complete control of the executive branch headed by the President. Following Panem's transition into a constitutional republic after the Second Rebellion, it is implied some form of representative democracy was established through the holding of presidential elections.

Due to the nature of the totalitarian dictatorship governing Panem, citizens, particularly in the districts, have little civil liberties and virtually no capacity for self-governance or say in how to be governed. Even in the Capitol, its citizens have surrendered such rights in exchange for "bread and circuses." As such, Capitol citizens partake in lavish and hedonistic lifestyle dominated by mass entertainment, parties, and extravagant fashion that is largely removed from the oppressions and destitution faced by the outlying districts.

Panem can be compared to North Korea, and it is possible that they had turned down or ignored diplomatic relations with other survivor nations in the world, if they do exist.

### Departments

#### Agriculture Department

At the time of the prequel, the department was headed by the father of Iphigenia Moss.

#### Communications

After the Second Rebellion, Plutarch Heavensbee was appointed secretary of communications.

#### War Department

At the time of the prequel, the War Department was housed in the Citadel, and in *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes*, it was headed by the Head Gamemaker, Dr. Volumnia Gaul.

### Economy

*The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes* gave Panem's currency as dollars, while coins appeared to be the main form of currency in the districts. The *Ballad* film used paper currency known as Panars, presumably a portmanteau of "Panem dollar".

## Flag

### Old Panem flag

The earliest known version of the Panem flag appeared in *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes* film. It had a solid crimson backdrop with a stylized gold eagle on it, which was surrounded by a circle of thirteen 4-pointed stars. When displayed as a banner in the Capitol Arena, it had a gold border and eight gold stripes going down from the top vertically, guiding the viewer's eye down to the eagle emblem. Its stars could be interpreted as symbolizing the thirteen districts, or the remaining twelve and the Capitol. It also bears similarity to the historical American Betsy Ross flag, which had a circle of 13 white stars within the blue rectangle in the upper left.

### Hunger Games era

The next known iteration of the flag consisted of a red banner with a similar, but altered, stylized gold eagle at its center. It held four arrows in each of its feet, pointing to the left and right, and it was surrounded by a gold barley laurel. The flag's design harkens backs to that of the Roman Empire, to which Capitol society and its government draws heavy influence from and attempts to emulate. This is reflected in the naming convention of the citizens from the Capitol, the architecture of the buildings and skyscrapers of the Capitol, and even the name of the nation itself, derived from the Latin phrase *panem et circenses*, meaning "bread and circuses". This flag was likely in use from the founding of Panem, through the period of the Hunger Games and reign of President Coriolanus Snow, until the final collapse of the authoritarian regime at the end of the Second Rebellion.

### Post-Second Rebellion

Following the overthrow of the Snow regime and Panem's transition into a democratic constitutional republic, the new government adopted a new flag. This flag possesses a navy blue banner, with at its center now a gold circle with rising chevrons above it, while at its base is a banner is emblazoned with the nations name. Surrounding it is a gold olive branch laurel, which is in turn surrounded by fourteen stars. The flag has many inherent meanings. The blue color and olive branch are commonly associated with peace and democracy, while the gold circle and chevrons above it resemble a rising sun, likely to signify the dawn of a new era for the country as a peaceful, democratic republic. Finally, the fourteen stars presumably represent the thirteen districts and the Capitol, no longer dominated by the Capitol itself, but now united together and on equal footing.

## Military

*Main article: Peacekeeper*Law enforcement is provided through a military/police force known as the Peacekeepers. Each district possesses a local garrison of Peacekeepers led by a Head Peacekeeper. This individual is responsible for commanding the district's Peacekeeper force and the enforcement of the laws of Panem within their designated district. It is assumed that the President of Panem is commander-in-chief of the Peacekeepers.

The Peacekeeper force was originally headquartered in District 13, the then center of Panem's military-industrial complex. Following the First Rebellion, the Peacekeepers' headquarters were relocated to District 2. Presumably for the next seventy-five years, the Capitol's command and control center for its military was centered in the Nut, a heavily fortified mountain fortress that overlooked District 2. As a result of District 2's position regarding the Capitol military, most soldiers who enlisted in the Peacekeepers came from District 2, although a significant portion originated from the Capitol, with a small minority coming from the other Districts.

Peacekeepers were distinguished by their near-all white uniforms. In times of intense civil unrest, such as what occurred in the aftermath of the 74th Hunger Games into the lead up of the Second Rebellion, there is a tactical variant of their uniform that is more heavily armored.

The Peacekeepers had a number of mechanized equipment at their disposal including armored ground vehicles as well as the Capitol's vast fleet of hovercraft. In addition, the Capitol is known to possess a significant arsenal of nuclear weapons.

## History

Much of Panem's history is shrouded in mystery, though known history dates back approximately seventy-five years prior to the beginning of *The Hunger Games* trilogy.

* **Founding**
* **The Dark Days**
* **The Hunger Games**
* **The Second Rebellion**

An unspecified time before the events of the story, the Earth was devastated by climate change and global nuclear war(s) that led to the collapse of modern civilization. Surviving populations that survived this initial calamity were further decimated by the subsequent nuclear winter and catastrophic ecological events that followed, which Katniss states were droughts, fires, storms, and rising sea levels.

Some time after this apocalyptic event, survivors from the collapse of civilization in North America eventually founded a new nation in the region of the Rocky Mountain that would come to be known as Panem. It is unknown precisely when Panem was established and how long it has existed, though it is certain that Panem has been around for more than seventy-five years, and it's entirely possible for it to be at least a century or two old.

Panem eventually grew large enough that it was segmented into thirteen separate districts, each responsible for producing goods of a particular industry to serve the growing needs of the nation, and all operating under the auspices of Panem's oppressive Capitol. The exact method of Panem's expansion is unknown; it is possible that some of the separate districts may have even once been smaller, separate survivor nations that were eventually annexed or conquered by Panem.