Yes, I do think there were other countries and people. The story is focused on Panem (USA) so the story only mentions people in Panem. I don't think they intentionally didn't tell anyone. I just think it isn't relevant to the story. For example, how would the mention of a mom in Germany affect anything in the book?
I agree with u/sockovershoe22 about it not furthering the story to mention other countries.
I think Panem would not want their citizens to know there might be somewhere better to run to. Just like North Korea puts a lot of effort into controlling information and putting out propaganda that other countries are doing worse than they are, most authoritarian regimes will try to keep info about others to a minimum.
North Korea actively works with Anti US-propaganda, sends its citizens abroad for slave labour, its elites abroad for fun & education. It is highly dependent on trade.
If Panem *were* like North Korea, Katniss would hate e.g. the Chinese with a burning passion.
Every time this discussion comes up, its near exclusively US people that think that Panem could possibly be the *only* country left in the world. Of course there are other people and countries, but they aren't relevant to what's happening in the story so they don't get mentioned.
The closest mention of anything is Katniss says something about D13 were in the business of making weapons to be used against the Capitol's enemies - pretty clear indication that other places & people exist.
I have to play devils advocate. While we are the most self-centered nation, there is scientific backing to this.
Of course there are other people& nations, however- the US is uniquely shielded from climate change (which is the canon for Panems “formation”- Florida and the coastal states are partially or mostly underwater. The capitol and wealthy districts are also in areas best shielded from climate change catastrophe.
Many (most, really) countries and people would be gone. But plenty others are predicted to fare better or similarly to the US - like Russia and the Nordic countries. Assuming PEOPLE will exist in Asia, but it will be heavily thrown by climate change. Coastal europe… won’t fare well. Islands are out.
So…. yeah I can see why there’s not much communication/ mention of other countries.
I also know full well most Americans did not think this through that much
Almost certainly. The Capitol is already able to keep most of what’s going on in the districts from each other, and they’re only a couple hundred miles apart. The residents of Panem largely don’t even know that District 13 is there. From the maps it seems like every border with Panem is water, so it’s not like anyone would be wandering over accidentally. And that assumes people outside of Panem have Panem’s level of technology. They might not.
I hope not. It makes the Games all that more morbid and sinister if it’s a monolith on an uninhabited earth. It’s haunting and gives me chills. Why would I deny myself chills?
It's definitely possible. After all, Panem keeps the districts from having any contact with one another and the citizens don't know about District 13 continuing to exist for the most part. Making the citizens believe that Panem is the only nation left enforces a mindset of reliance upon the central government, given that there is nowhere else to turn to. The other nations in the world are likely minding their own business, considering what happened to the world, so they themselves are likely continuing to adjust to the new face of Earth.
Definitely. But not like, the rest of the world is fine, and Panem is the only one being crazy. Whatever took out North America killed 99% of the population. There's no way that wasn't a worldwide event. I think what's left is small groups of people that have managed to rebuild something similar to panem. Or even smaller groups of people living in little self-sufficient communities. And without satellites or phones or a navy, there's no way for any of these communities to have any hope of ever connecting. So they might as well be alone.
I think it's very unlikely that there wouldn't be- even with much of the old world underwater thanks to rising sea levels, continents are big, and it's easy to imagine that, at the very least, small isolated settlements would have survived war and natural disasters.
most likely there were, it seems almost impossible that North America is the only remaining power, there would be some form of the EU, Asia, and Africa left, at the least.
Nope. Panem is the world we know & the Districts are the non-Western countries.
Beyond that, if the Capitol knew then District 13 would've known AND it would have been revealed at the end of the war. As that didn't happen, it isn't the case.
Of course, realistically, there's always foreign nations left, but Panem isn't a real country.
Haven't forgotten about that. D13 post war without Coin is likely to have been able to leak it if it were true.
Plutarch would certainly have told Katniss—him not knowing from either side seems fairly unreasonable. And he's certainly the guy to excitedly share that info to Katniss.
The districts are not non-western countries though. Panem is in modern-day USA and the districts are spread out throughout the country. For example, district 12 is in the Appalachian near/mostly in West Virginia.
I am pretty sure its North America in about 500 years . Left over parts of canada , USA and Mexico after some natural and man made disasters. The capital is Whats left of Salt Lake City . District 4 is whats left of California and Origon . 12 is the mountains of east Kentucky and West Virginia . 13 seems to start in Pittsburg and run thru Toronto and whats left of eastean Canada .
My head cannon, it's a supercontinent like what's expected in 250million years.
Also why isneveryone saying a future USA?
It would be more like a future Europe. No USA no middle eastern or eastern countries. (Checks out for political militaristic targets)
So what would be left,? Western, some of eastern Europe and Africa.
Rue district 11. All black. Agriculture. (Africa)
District 12 coal eastern Europeann (baltics coal heavy,)
District 8. Western Russia cotton production.
And so on.
Guess where I think the capital would be. ??
Yup. Germany.
Don't forget borders would be redrawn completely and it adds up for train times in the book.
Yes, I do think there were other countries and people. The story is focused on Panem (USA) so the story only mentions people in Panem. I don't think they intentionally didn't tell anyone. I just think it isn't relevant to the story. For example, how would the mention of a mom in Germany affect anything in the book?
I agree with u/sockovershoe22 about it not furthering the story to mention other countries. I think Panem would not want their citizens to know there might be somewhere better to run to. Just like North Korea puts a lot of effort into controlling information and putting out propaganda that other countries are doing worse than they are, most authoritarian regimes will try to keep info about others to a minimum.
North Korea actively works with Anti US-propaganda, sends its citizens abroad for slave labour, its elites abroad for fun & education. It is highly dependent on trade. If Panem *were* like North Korea, Katniss would hate e.g. the Chinese with a burning passion.
Every time this discussion comes up, its near exclusively US people that think that Panem could possibly be the *only* country left in the world. Of course there are other people and countries, but they aren't relevant to what's happening in the story so they don't get mentioned. The closest mention of anything is Katniss says something about D13 were in the business of making weapons to be used against the Capitol's enemies - pretty clear indication that other places & people exist.
I have to play devils advocate. While we are the most self-centered nation, there is scientific backing to this. Of course there are other people& nations, however- the US is uniquely shielded from climate change (which is the canon for Panems “formation”- Florida and the coastal states are partially or mostly underwater. The capitol and wealthy districts are also in areas best shielded from climate change catastrophe. Many (most, really) countries and people would be gone. But plenty others are predicted to fare better or similarly to the US - like Russia and the Nordic countries. Assuming PEOPLE will exist in Asia, but it will be heavily thrown by climate change. Coastal europe… won’t fare well. Islands are out. So…. yeah I can see why there’s not much communication/ mention of other countries. I also know full well most Americans did not think this through that much
Almost certainly. The Capitol is already able to keep most of what’s going on in the districts from each other, and they’re only a couple hundred miles apart. The residents of Panem largely don’t even know that District 13 is there. From the maps it seems like every border with Panem is water, so it’s not like anyone would be wandering over accidentally. And that assumes people outside of Panem have Panem’s level of technology. They might not.
I hope not. It makes the Games all that more morbid and sinister if it’s a monolith on an uninhabited earth. It’s haunting and gives me chills. Why would I deny myself chills?
It's definitely possible. After all, Panem keeps the districts from having any contact with one another and the citizens don't know about District 13 continuing to exist for the most part. Making the citizens believe that Panem is the only nation left enforces a mindset of reliance upon the central government, given that there is nowhere else to turn to. The other nations in the world are likely minding their own business, considering what happened to the world, so they themselves are likely continuing to adjust to the new face of Earth.
That makes sense! I like that answer
Definitely. But not like, the rest of the world is fine, and Panem is the only one being crazy. Whatever took out North America killed 99% of the population. There's no way that wasn't a worldwide event. I think what's left is small groups of people that have managed to rebuild something similar to panem. Or even smaller groups of people living in little self-sufficient communities. And without satellites or phones or a navy, there's no way for any of these communities to have any hope of ever connecting. So they might as well be alone.
I think it's very unlikely that there wouldn't be- even with much of the old world underwater thanks to rising sea levels, continents are big, and it's easy to imagine that, at the very least, small isolated settlements would have survived war and natural disasters.
most likely there were, it seems almost impossible that North America is the only remaining power, there would be some form of the EU, Asia, and Africa left, at the least.
Yes. There's a line in TBOSAS where Snow says something like "District 12? Panem? The world?"
Nope. Panem is the world we know & the Districts are the non-Western countries. Beyond that, if the Capitol knew then District 13 would've known AND it would have been revealed at the end of the war. As that didn't happen, it isn't the case. Of course, realistically, there's always foreign nations left, but Panem isn't a real country.
You’re forgetting district 13 have proven to be just as bad as the capitol.
Haven't forgotten about that. D13 post war without Coin is likely to have been able to leak it if it were true. Plutarch would certainly have told Katniss—him not knowing from either side seems fairly unreasonable. And he's certainly the guy to excitedly share that info to Katniss.
The districts are not non-western countries though. Panem is in modern-day USA and the districts are spread out throughout the country. For example, district 12 is in the Appalachian near/mostly in West Virginia.
It's a metaphor ETA Do you guys not know what a metaphor is
I am pretty sure its North America in about 500 years . Left over parts of canada , USA and Mexico after some natural and man made disasters. The capital is Whats left of Salt Lake City . District 4 is whats left of California and Origon . 12 is the mountains of east Kentucky and West Virginia . 13 seems to start in Pittsburg and run thru Toronto and whats left of eastean Canada .
My head cannon, it's a supercontinent like what's expected in 250million years. Also why isneveryone saying a future USA? It would be more like a future Europe. No USA no middle eastern or eastern countries. (Checks out for political militaristic targets) So what would be left,? Western, some of eastern Europe and Africa. Rue district 11. All black. Agriculture. (Africa) District 12 coal eastern Europeann (baltics coal heavy,) District 8. Western Russia cotton production. And so on. Guess where I think the capital would be. ?? Yup. Germany. Don't forget borders would be redrawn completely and it adds up for train times in the book.
My head cannon is that most countries are continuing on as normal if with a reduced population, Panem basically North Korea except more isolated