Kalimdor

Kalimdor (Titan and Darnassian for land of eternal starlight)The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth is one of the main continents of Azeroth. It is located to the west of the Eastern Kingdoms, southwest of Northrend and northwest of Pandaria. The Great Sea lies in between the continents. Kalimdor is home to the night elves, orcs, tauren, trolls, and draenei. Other races present include the ogres, centaur, naga, demons, and other, more minor races.
Kalimdor can be further divided into three major regions (western continents)Lands of Mystery, pg. 74 known as North Kalimdor, Central Kalimdor, and South Kalimdor. Other sources vary on how it is divided. The World of Warcraft Manual divides it into the Northern Kalimdor and Southern Kalimdor regions. The various editions of the World of Warcraft Guide breaks it into Northern Kalimdor, Central Kalimdor, Southern Kalimdor, and Teldrassil regions. At least one map has divided it into the three regions of Durotar, Mulgore, and Kalimdor (shown through largest font size and caps),Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game map: although the Durotar and Mulgore emphasis could just be the fact that the book talks about the Tauren and Orcs' new homelands throughout the book. A few maps however do not divide Kalimdor into separate continents and treat it as one single large landmass.
 
Kalimdor was primarily the domain of the night elves in the ten thousand years between the War of the Ancients and the Battle of Mount Hyjal. In the years since the battle, night elf dominion has given way as the tauren adopted a more centralized system and accepted their allies, the orcs and the trolls into their midst. The recent arrival of the draenei adds a new power to the map.
Now, however, the continent is a politically divided one, the Horde have established strong control in the central and eastern areas while the night elves, now aided by the draenei, preserve footholds in northwestern areas.
==History==
===After the War of the Ancients===
After the Highborne's departure, the remaining night elves deliberately withdrew from the rest of the world. A veil of mist descended upon their entire continent, shrouding its presence from passing sailors.The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Cenarius
The knowledge of Kalimdor survived in some old human legends, but without details about its history or whereabouts, merely that the land was broken and set beneath the waves during the Sundering of the World.The Last Guardian, chapter 8 The quel'dorei, however, knew the truth, as some night elves such as Emmarel Shadewarden visited them in the following millennia.Rendezvous with the Courier This led to a group of high elves leaving Quel'Thalas and traveling to Winterspring in order to obtain the Crystal of Zin-Malor one hundred of years before the events of World of Warcraft.Legacy of the High Elves
===Second War===
After their defeat on the Broken Isles, Cho'gall and his surviving minions of the Twilight's Hammer sailed west to the mysterious continent of Kalimdor, drawn in by the whispers of the Old Gods. They were followed by Garona, who was eager to hunt out the last members of the Shadow Council.
Approximately four years after the end of the Second War, the human brothers, Greydon and Silverlaine visited Gadgetzan in Tanaris.Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 38
===Third War===
As the Third War started, Kalimdor was still considered a mere legend among most humans, with people such as the Kirin Tor ambassador to King Terenas' court not believing in its existence.The Warning (WC3 Human) A few heeded Medivh's warning however and traveled west, such as Thrall's new Horde and Jaina Proudmoore's expedition.
==Landmass==
Kalimdor also refers to the massive continent that composed Azeroth before the Great Sundering.
==Geography==
Kalimdor has a huge variety of both animal and plant life. Within this continent, you will find almost every land type; from the ice cold plains of Winterspring in the north, to the hot desert of Tanaris in the south. The mystical woods of Ashenvale, the dry, rocky Thousand Needles, the tropical, lush jungle of Feralas — this continent has it all. 
To the north the landscape is primarily coated in thick alpine woodland, typical in areas such as Ashenvale. Central Kalimdor, home to the horde, is far more rugged and barren, save for the safety of Mulgore. In the south, desert areas dominate the terrain; however, nestled between these bleak landscapes are realms of beauty and wonder such as the thriving tropical regions of Feralas and Un'Goro Crater.
===Regions===
Kalimdor has been shown to be divided into three great regions or continents:
* Northern Kalimdor
* Central Kalimdor
* Southern Kalimdor
Kalimdor is further divided into the following regions:
*Azuremyst Isles
** Azuremyst Isle (1 - 30)
** Bloodmyst Isle (1 - 30)
* Durotar (1 - 30)
*Moonglade (1 - 30)
* Mulgore (1 - 30)
* Teldrassil (1 - 30, Destroyed)
* Azshara (5 - 30)
*The Barrens
** Northern Barrens (5 - 30)
**Southern Barrens (10 - 30)
* Darkshore (5 - 30)
*Ashenvale (7 - 30)
*Desolace (10 - 30)
*Stonetalon Mountains (10 - 30)
*Ahn'Qiraj: The Fallen Kingdom (15 - 30)
*Dustwallow Marsh (15 - 30)
*Felwood (15 - 30)
*Feralas (15 - 30)
*Silithus (15 - 30)
*Tanaris (15 - 30)
*Thousand Needles (15 - 30)
*Un'Goro Crater (15 - 30)
*Winterspring (15 - 30)
*Mount Hyjal (30 - 35)
*Uldum (30 - 35)
==Capital cities==
===Alliance===
* Darnassus in Teldrassil, Northern Kalimdor
* Exodar in Azuremyst Isle, Northern Kalimdor
===Horde===
* Orgrimmar in Durotar, Central Kalimdor
* Thunder Bluff in Mulgore, Central Kalimdor
* Bilgewater Harbor in Azshara, Northern Kalimdor
* Darkspear Isle (Echo Isles) in Durotar, Central Kalimdor
===Neutral===
* Timbermaw Hold in Felwood, Northern Kalimdor
* Gadgetzan in Tanaris, Southern Kalimdor
* Zul'Farrak in Tanaris, Southern Kalimdor
* Caverns of Time in Tanaris, Southern Kalimdor
* Ramkahen in Uldum, Southern Kalimdor
==Dungeons==
===Northern Kalimdor===
* 
* 
===Central Kalimdor===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
===Southern Kalimdor===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Ahn'Qiraj
** 
** 
* Skywall
** 
** 
===Caverns of Time===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
==Battlegrounds==
* Warsong Gulch - Ashenvale (Alliance), The Barrens (Horde)
==Arenas==
* Ring of Valor - Orgrimmar (Removed)
* Tol'Viron Arena - Uldum
==Playable races==
===Alliance===
*Night elves
* Draenei
===Horde===
*Orcs
*Trolls
*Tauren
* Goblins
* Mag'har orcs
==In the RPG==
After the surviving Highborne were exiled by the night elves from Kalimdor, kaldorei druids wove a powerful spell to close their borders within an eternal mist. There they remained for thousands of years, hidden by the mist and by the swirling seas of the Maelstrom.Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 23
Another version is that following the birth of the World Tree Nordrassil, Malfurion Stormrage gathered all the druids into a conclave, where they underwent a great slumber, sending their spirits into the Emerald Dream. A great barrier of mist grew around Kalimdor, to prevent eyes even in Azeroth from finding the second Well of Eternity.Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 124
Kalimdoran is a language common to many natives of the continent.
==Notes and trivia==
*230 before the First War, a strong earthquake hit Kalimdor as a result of Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan summoning Ragnaros at the end of the War of the Three Hammers.Shaman prologue
*Aegwynn and Tabetha are known individuals to have traveled to Kalimdor prior to the Third War, like the ogres.
*Kalimdor (in-game) is roughly 25,246 yards or 23 kilometers in length. This makes it 0.0028% the length of .Movement#Traversing_Azeroth
*Kalimdor's name was originally concepted as Calendore.:File:ABE - Lordaeron and Khaz Modan map.jpg
==Gallery==
;In-game maps
WorldMap-Kalimdor-Classic-alpha.jpg|Classic alpha
WorldMap-Kalimdor-Classic-alpha2.jpg|Classic alpha
VZ-Kalimdor-old.jpg|Classic release
VZ-Kalimdor-old1.jpg|The Burning Crusade release
VZ-Kalimdor-old2.jpg|Cataclysm release
VZ-Kalimdor.jpg|Patch 8.1.0
TaxiMap1 Classic.png|Classic Flight Map
TaxiMap1 TBC.png|The Burning Crusade Flight Map
TaxiMap1.png|Patch 3.1.0 Flight Map
TaxiMap1 Cataclysm.png|Cataclysm Flight Map
AdventureMap-Kalimdor.jpg|Patch 8.1.0 flight map
AdventureMap-KalimdorDetail.jpg|Patch 8.1.0 flight map (zoomed in)
Classic Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during World of Warcraft.
The Burning Crusade Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during The Burning Crusade.
Wrath of the Lich King 3.3 Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during Wrath of the Lich King.
Cataclysm Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during Cataclysm.
Mists of Pandaria Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during Mists of Pandaria.
Warlords of Draenor Kalimdor loading screen.jpg|Loading screen during Warlords of Draenor.
;Other
Warcraft III - Azeroth.jpg|Map of Azeroth from Warcraft III.
Kalimdor early layout.jpg|Early World of Warcraft layout.
Kalimdor2.JPG|Map of Kalimdor from pre-release World of Warcraft.
Northern Kalimdor.jpg|Northern Kalimdor in the World of Warcraft manual.
Southernkalimdor.JPG|Southern Kalimdor in the World of Warcraft manual.
WoWCE - Kalimdor.jpg|Very early concept art.
7.3 artwork Turalyon Alleria.jpg|Kalimdor on the left of key art for patch 7.3.0.
File:Exploring Azeroth Kalimdor - Map.jpg|From Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor.
;RPG books
Northkalimdor.JPG
Centralkalim.JPG
Southernkalim.JPG
KalimdorWRPG.JPG|Kalimdor in Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game
Topographyworldmap.jpg|Atlas Map
AzerothWRPG.jpg|Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Map
WarcraftWOWRPGworldmap.jpg|World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Map
;Fan art
Kalimdor-old-topography.jpg|Topographical map of Kalimdor before Cataclysm.
KalimdorCompositeMap.jpg|Fan-made composite map by Subthermal
==See also==
*Maps
==References==
==External links==
 
Category:Regions
Category:Lands of Mystery
fr:Kalimdor
es:Kalimdor