Editing Middle Earth (section)

===Harad===
The realm south of Gondor; Harad is home to various tribesmen collectively known as Southrons living in the deserts and jungles. According to Tolkein, Harad was inspired by Ethiopia (or more accurately, apocryphal encounters of medieval Europeans with sub-Saharan Africans translated from Old English which use the word Sigelhearwan - because Tolkien), but the New Line films take a more "tribal" Middle-Eastern tract in terms of aesthetics.
*'''Harondor''' - The southernmost province of Gondor, arid but still livable, and constantly changed hands between the Wicked Men of the South and Gondor.
*'''Near Harad''' - A big desert that runs along Mordor's southern mountain range and stretches south until it meets the completely unlivable Haradwaith.
*'''Haradwaith''' - An even larger desert that takes up the central and eastern regions of Harad, a completely desolate and arid wasteland.
*'''Lostladen''' - The foothills and wastes located between Near Harad and the Mountains of Shadow which make up Mordor's southern border. Other than it likely being extremely desolate and unlivable, we know nothing about it.
*'''Far Harad''' - A jungle far, far, far to the South. This was where the Mûmakil/Oliphaunts came from. Apparently of great size and analogous to sub-Saharan Africa.
*'''Umbar''' - A bay that had been settled by the Númenóreans who built a great port town. After the fall of Númenor, the Black Númenóreans of the King's Men claimed Umbar for themselves and remained enemies of Gondor ever since, turning it into a great naval fortress. Over time the original Númenóreans either died out or interbred with the native Southrons. The city became a pirate scourge after traitors who lost the civil war known as the Kin-Strife in Gondor fled to Umbar with a large portion of Gondor's navy, thus creating the Corsairs of Umbar, who mercilessly raided Gondor for the rest of the Third Age.
*'''Khand''' - Just East of Harad and South of Mordor. Very little is known about Khand except that it has nomadic horsemen that raided Gondor and is home to Wicked Men known as "Variags".