Appearance

Being the second largest nation, there is minor degree of physical diversity among members of the Fire Nation. Its citizens tend to have black or brown hair, often styled in a bun or ponytail. Their eyes are usually golden, amber, or bronze in color, with brown and gray as rare alternatives. The people often have light skin tones, though some citizens have darker complexions. Traditional colors worn throughout the nation range from vibrant reds and yellows to more muted browns and black. Members of the army wear red, black, and brown uniforms.

Culture

The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord/Lady to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation oath is a characteristic and important cultural element, demonstrated by its teaching to children in schools with demureness and recited thoughtfully. Women in the Fire Nation are given more freedom than in the other Nations and are even able, and sometimes encouraged, to join the police and the Domestic Forces.

Natural Resources

The Fire Nation employs highly skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths who make use of iron and other metals to engender their fortresses and warships. Utilizing coal dug out by prisoners slaving in mines, they are able to power massive industrial furnaces and war machinery. The initial drive for the nation's attempts for expansion was industrialization and having a greater need for resources, in itself a staple of imperialism.

Education

The Fire Nation has a formal education system that aims to instill loyalty in its students through political indoctrination, strict discipline, and nationalist teachings. Students in certain schools begin the educational process as soon as they begin firebending, or for nonbenders, as soon as they begin walking. Subjects including history, music, etiquette, warfare, and firebending are taught to the students by various teachers. However, the educational system primarily works as a "mind-molding" process, influencing students to develop a strong sense of nationality and loyalty to the Fire Lord/Lady. Teachers maintain rigid order and withhold teaching students the art of dance or any other form of self-expression. In addition, censorship and propaganda is used in history books.

Marriage

Another important aspect of Fire Nation culture is marriage. Thus, among both the nobility and the common people a wedding is traditionally an extensive celebrated event; this includes formal garments. Women favor wearing red-white gowns, though those worn by nobles are far more elaborated and expansive than those of commoners. There is an even greater difference between noble and common grooms, as the former favor expansive red-black clothing, while the latter wear red-white attire similar to their brides. Large-scale decoration, including lanterns of flowers, and a banquet are typical for weddings. The wedding itself is presided over by either a Fire Sage or a village elder. At the same time, marriage out of love seems to be more common than arranged marriages, as even among the nobility, only the royal family is known to conduct political marriage of convenience.

Food

The diet of its citizens consists of noodles, meat, fish, rice, cabbage, tea and lychee nuts. The people are also known for having a taste for foods of a spicier fare, as they enjoy flaming fire flakes, fire gummies, sizzle-crisps, and fire cakes. As the Fire Nation is a hilly island country, pasture is more common than farmland, thus most Fire Nation dishes are rich in meat, while there are very little vegetarian meals. Tea is generally popular, as there is even a National Tea Appreciation Day. The tea most commonly drunk in the Fire Nation is spiced tea.

Customs

Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.

Theater

Fire Nation theater has a long history and is popular within the country, as both high-class citizens and peasants often attend plays in their free time. One of the most famous and popular theater plays is Love amongst the Dragons, which is performed annually at many places in the Fire Nation, ranging from high-society resort islands like Ember Island, to poor backwater villages. Becoming an actor or an actress is a respected profession, even though some acting troupes are not highly regarded due to their regularly poor performances. Despite great artistic freedom, the theater is also utilized to serve Fire Nation propaganda during wars; for example, the play The Boy in the Iceberg from an Earth Kingdom writer about Avatar Aang was allowed to be performed, but only when the ending would show the Fire Nation's total victory and Aang's death.

Season

Each nation of the four nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Fire Nation's season is summer. Firebenders' powers are slightly enhanced due to the increase in temperature. Most firebending children are born during the summer.

National Emblem

The national emblem of the Fire Nation is a stylized, teardrop-shaped flame forked into a trident of three tongues that taper upward to a point. The insignia is primarily displayed on its flag, uniforms, on the pennants of Fire Navy warships, the sides of their various vehicles of war, and as marking of Fire Nation territory. It seems that the Fire Nation Royal Family or certain higher members wear the emblem in their top-knots. The Fire Nation flag is a triangle-shaped banner with the stylized flame insignia at its center. Six thin stripes extend from the slanted edge. Fire Nation currency consists of gold, silver, and bronze pieces of varying shapes and sizes used by Fire Nation citizens to purchase goods and services and are fashioned with the national emblem situated in the center.