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In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, Arda is the world in which all of the events occur, including the continents of Middle-earth and Aman. Arda was part of Eä, the universe of all which exists. Arda was created, together with the rest of Eä, through the Music of the Ainur for the Children of Ilúvatar (that is, Elves and Men).

Because the Sun, Moon, stars, and other objects orbited the planet in the cosmology of Middle-earth they were considered part of Arda, leading to Arda sometimes being called the 'Solar System' of Middle-earth. The term for the Earth itself, excluding these celestial bodies, was Ambar or Imbar.

See Middle-earth for the main article about Tolkien's fictional universe

Originally a flat world, the continents were surrounded by a mighty ocean (or perhaps by space), Ekkaia or the Encircling Sea, and separated by Belegaer, called the Great Sea. In the First Age, the area north and west of Middle-earth was occupied by the country of Beleriand, but this was destroyed during the War of Wrath.

In the Second Age, Númenor was raised in the Great Sea for the Edain. This island existed through most of the Second Age, but was destroyed as a result of the pride of the Númenórean people in defying the Ban of the Valar and sailing to Aman in the west.

After the destruction of Númenor, Arda was made round. Aman (The Undying Lands) was taken out of the world into an alien dimension, and could only be reached by the Elves, following the straight road that was granted to them. As Aman was taken away from Arda, new lands and continents were created.

South of Middle-earth was the Dark Land and east of it was the Land of the Sun.