Some time in the future, after the destruction of what used to be the United States, a new country is formed with a Capitol that exerts complete control over its twelve districts. To keep the districts from uprising, the Capitol has created the annual Hunger Games, where one boy and one girl, called Tributes, are picked from each district to fight to the death on live television. Facing obstacles such as fire bombs, starvation, dehydration, hypothermia, and extreme weather conditions, the last tribute alive is the victor. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the games, she knows that the skills she's developed to survive in her district will be put to the ultimate test.