So, the government just mapped out America “Hunger Games”-style, and we have questions

In The Hunger Games, the books are set in Panem, a futuristic area previously called North America. Its capital is located somewhere in what was known as the Rockies. So, like, Colorado? Author Suzanne Collins never reveals the exact locations of the Districts of Panem.

But, the totally pop-culturally hip U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) took its own data on employment (based on industries, occupation, employment numbers and geography) to map the dystopian future country of Panem in real U.S. geography.

Each of the 12 districts of Panem has a primary industry.

Of course, the hero of The Hunger Games series, Katniss Everdeen, lives in District 12 where jobs are based around coal.

Based on the geography and weather detailed in the books, the district could be based on the West Virginia area, a.k.a. “Coal Country.”

Other clues tie District 8, and maybe 11, to the South, where cotton is grown.

With clues from the books, and real data and stats from US industries, you can now click through to maps that pinpoint the possible locations of each district.

The Bureau compiled all of this to prove that data and stats are fun! We can only imagine the level of geeking-out that took place within the BLS offices, as the parents of this brainchild got to work. Must have been a blast.

Ok, but it’s a little creepy, right?

Yes, sure, particularly in a time of deep political turmoil, it’s a teensy bit concerning that the BLS is spending time imagining us as an authoritarian dictatorship a la The Hunger Games. Right, Katniss?

Go! Click! Read! Find out what goods you’d be forces to produce, ’cause that’s something we should all be aware of! Fun!