In Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, the nation divided into districts is called Panem.
Panem rises after the destruction of North America and is ruled from the Capitol. Twelve districts remain under its control at the start of the story, while District 13 is officially said to have been destroyed after an earlier rebellion. Each district is associated with particular economic production, such as coal mining in District 12.
The Hunger Games are an annual televised punishment and spectacle. The Capitol selects one boy and one girl from each participating district to fight until one remains, using the event to intimidate the population and display state power.
Collins published The Hunger Games in 2008, beginning a trilogy that continued with Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The name Panem is commonly linked to the Latin phrase “panem et circenses,” meaning “bread and circuses,” which describes public entertainment used to distract a population.