Since the announcement of Trump's so-called 'Patriot Games', rhetoric from the dystopian Hunger Games series has flooded social media. Phrases like 'Watching from District 12' now pepper comments under videos from wealthy influencers, drawing a stark parallel between fiction and perceived modern inequality.
In Suzanne Collins' acclaimed books, District 12 is the impoverished coal-mining region, symbolic of America's Appalachian Mountains. But a compelling question has emerged on platforms like TikTok: if Panem were in the United Kingdom, which of our cities and counties would represent each of the thirteen districts?
The Opulent Heart and Wealthy Producers
The UK's equivalent to the extravagant Capitol, the ruling city of Panem, is unanimously agreed to be London. With its average house price of £665,168—far above the UK average of £269,000—and landmarks like the Crown Jewels and The Shard, London mirrors the Capitol's excessive lifestyle and political power.
For District 1, the producer of luxury items, the UK counterpart is the celebrity-packed enclave of Oxfordshire and The Cotswolds. Home to figures like King Charles, the Beckhams, and Hugh Grant, it represents privileged living outside the capital.
District 2, known for masonry and weapons, finds its match in Edinburgh. The Scottish capital's medieval castle and historic sandstone quarries, like Craighleith and Hailes, perfectly align with the district's industrial and swanky character.
Technology, Energy and Transport Hubs
The electronics-focused District 3 is represented by Milton Keynes. This Bedfordshire city is now home to over 2,400 tech companies generating £3.4 billion annually and is even serviced by autonomous delivery robots from Starship Technologies.
Responsible for fishing, District 4 is best symbolised by Aberdeen. Beyond its massive port at Peterhead, the region's rivers—Dee, Don, Ythan, Feugh—are replete with salmon and trout, making it a fishing powerhouse.
District 5, which powers Panem via hydroelectric dams, corresponds to Kent. The county's many offshore wind farms, including the pioneering Kentish Flats and the once-world-leading Thanet Offshore Wind Farm, make it the UK's logical energy district.
The transport hub of District 6 could be Belfast. Northern Ireland's capital has a rich shipbuilding heritage dating to 1636, famously building the Titanic, which aligns with the district's role in providing vehicles and transit.
From Textiles to Agriculture: The Working Districts
Known for lumber, District 7 is matched with Surrey, where aerial mapping shows a remarkable 31% of the county is covered by trees—the highest percentage in Britain.
The textile-producing District 8 is best represented by West Yorkshire, particularly Leeds. With the UK's largest textiles sector employing over 10,000 people and supplying designers like Burberry, it remains a fundamental producer.
For grain-focused District 9, the UK's 'bread basket' Norfolk is the strongest contender. Farmers in East Anglia grow enough grain to produce an estimated 5,774 million loaves of bread annually.
The livestock district, District 10, is undoubtedly Wales. With over 10 million sheep—vastly outnumbering its human population—and over 90% of land used for farming, the country is defined by pastoral agriculture.
Agricultural District 11 finds its home in Lincolnshire. Part of The Fens, it supplies around 20% of England's potatoes, vegetables, and sugar beets, with a sector worth over £2 billion and employing 75,000 people.
The deprived coal-mining District 12, home to heroine Katniss Everdeen, is symbolised by Newcastle. The phrase 'taking coals to Newcastle' underscores its historical identity as a major coal producer, vital yet less affluent than southern counties.
Finally, the secretive, nuclear-focused District 13 is represented by Argyll and Bute in Scotland, specifically The Gare Loch. This is the site of HM Naval Base Clyde, home to the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent submarines, housing the majority of Scotland's estimated 200 nuclear bombs.
This imaginative mapping, sparked by online discourse, offers a provocative lens through which to view the UK's own geographic and economic divides, from centres of power and luxury to regions of production and historic industry.
