If you aren’t familiar with Panem, The Hunger Games’ futuristic vision of North America, time is running out; November’s shot-in-Atlanta Mockingjay—Part 1 is the series’ penultimate film. In the meantime, a primer to the dystopia’s thirteen “districts” and their local analogs.
The Capitol
Panem A government center where the wealthy live lavishly.
Atlanta Rich Buckhead, site of the film’s presidential mansion: the Atlanta History Center’s Swan House.
District 1
Panem Masterminds of the Capitol’s luxuries.
Atlanta Phipps Plaza, home of Tiffany.
District 2
Panem A masonry district with a secret military presence.
Atlanta Stone Mountain has a mix of rocks and military history.
District 3
Panem Engineers and manufacturers of gizmos.
Atlanta Georgia Tech grads will craft our gadgets for decades to come.
District 4
Panem In this fishing district, even the bread has seaweed in it.
Atlanta Don’t expect a seafood feast after a day on the Chattahoochee, but you might snag a trout.
District 5
Panem Produces electricity for the entire country.
Atlanta The black, bulky Georgia Power HQ.
District 6
Panem Transportation producers: hovercrafts and trains.
Atlanta The Perimeter produces our top export: traffic.
District 7
Panem A lumber district, home to expert ax wielders.
Atlanta Our “City in the Trees” includes one true primeval woodland: Fernbank Forest.
District 8
Panem Responsible for all clothing and textiles.
Atlanta SCAD Atlanta churns out fashion prodigies faster than you can say “Effie Trinket.”
District 9
Panem The grain suppliers.
Atlanta Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, where H&F Bread Co. has become our go-to supplier of carbs.
District 10
Panem They control all the livestock.
Atlanta The only place you’ll see a cow is outside of a Chick-fil-A.
District 11
Panem A Deep South agricultural area.
Atlanta Southwest Atlanta, nicknamed the “Fertile Crescent” thanks to burgeoning urban farms.
District 12
Panem Katniss Everdeen’s Appalachian home, known for its coal mines, was destroyed at the end of Catching Fire. But it’ll come back, right?
Atlanta There are no mines in the Old Fourth Ward, but it did survive being burned to the ground. Twice.
District 13
Panem The nuclear district was supposedly wiped off the map, but returns as a main setting in Mockingjay
Atlanta Kirkwood, where the abandoned Pullman Yard was resurrected as . . . a main location for Mockingjay.
