The fictional country in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is Panem. It is a dystopian nation built across much of what remains of North America after an unspecified future catastrophe.
Panem is governed by the wealthy and authoritarian Capitol, located in the Rocky Mountains. The country is divided into districts that provide resources and labor for the Capitol, while most district residents live under strict political control and economic hardship. In the story’s history, the districts once rebelled during an event known as the Dark Days.
The Capitol claims District 13 was destroyed after that rebellion, although later events reveal that the district survived underground. The Hunger Games themselves are staged as punishment and propaganda: one boy and one girl from each of the twelve recognized districts are selected to fight in an annual televised competition.
District 12, where Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark live, is part of Panem but is not the country’s name. The Capitol is also not the country; it is Panem’s ruling city and seat of power. The name Panem echoes the Latin phrase “panem et circenses,” meaning “bread and circuses.”