The Pride Lands

The **Pride Lands** is the main location of *The Lion King* franchise. It is an African Savannah currently under the reign of King Simba and Queen Nala.

## Background

The Pride Lands is a large kingdom inhabited by numerous species of animals, epitomizing the abundance of life that originally existed in Africa. Lions are the highest-ranking animals in the kingdom—hence its name. Pride Rock, a colossal rock formation, serves as the residence of the king and his pride.

The most well-respected and noteworthy king to have ever ruled was King Mufasa. By Mufasa and his queen, Sarabi, came their only cub, Simba. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, was notoriously envious of his elder and sought to usurp the throne through means of regicide. Scar had succeeded in killing Mufasa and placed the blame on Simba, who was subsequently banished from the pride as punishment for his "crimes". Years later, Simba would learn the truth of his father's death and returned to Pride Rock to reclaim his throne. Scar was overthrown, and the kingdom has since been ruled by Simba; his heir being his eldest cub, Kiara. The reigning monarch of the Pride Lands is ably assisted by their majordomo (currently Zazu, a hornbill) and their Royal Mjuzi (currently Rafiki, a mandrill).

The land is governed under the philosophy that is the "Circle of Life"—the belief that all life plays a vital role in the ecosystem, a system that must maintain balance to prevent catastrophic consequences. Hyenas have commonly been known to disregard the Circle of Life by over-eating and over-hunting, leading to their banishment to the Elephant Graveyard. Other animals that similarly disregard nature are subject to banishment in the Outlands.

## Places of Interest

Several locations in the Pride Lands are featured in various parts of the film or play a part in the plot.

* **Pride Rock** - A giant rock formation that is home to the pride of lions that rule the Pride Lands. Animals will gather here periodically for the presentation of a future ruler. It serves as the center of rule for the pride of lions.
* **Water Hole** - A hot spot, many animals gather here. In *The Lion King*, Simba and Nala come here in attempt to lose Zazu among the different animals.
* **Elephant Graveyard** - Home of the hyenas where the sun never shines, it is littered with elephant remains. It also has numerous geysers which go off periodically. Technically, this area is beyond the borders of the Pride Lands even though it is surrounded by the Pride Lands.
* **Gorge** - A deep canyon located at the edge of the pride lands. Notably, this is where a wildebeest stampede was Scar's plan to kill both Mufasa and Simba.
* **Mount Kilimanjaro** - The highest mountain in Africa. A herd of elephants and other animals can be seen walking past it during the "Circle of Life" sequence at the beginning of the original film.
* **Rafiki's Ancient Tree** - Home of Rafiki. The sides of the tree are littered with paintings of various lions, including Simba, Kiara and Kovu. Given its size, it can be assumed that the tree is ancient. The tree was recreated in detail and is the icon of Disney's Animal Kingdom.
* **Urembo Meadows** - A large expanse of meadow filled with sweet-smelling yellow flowers and lush green trees. A few trails weave through it, and rocks of various sizes are scattered about. After floodwaters sweep through the area, a section of higher ground is all that remains, with pieces breaking off frequently.
* **Mbali Fields** - A lush grazing ground on the edge of the Pride Lands. The land is flat with a few areas of foliage and rocks, bordered by a range of small mountains.
* **Lake Matope** - The area is a large, muddy lake with an acacia tree looming over it. Several rocks are nearby on the outskirts of the water.
* **Maji Baridi Falls** - A tall waterfall with high, rocky cliffs on either side. A tall, curving tree sprouts from a ledge on one of these cliffs.
* **Mapema Rock** - It is a large rock that juts out into the water. Its edges are smooth, and it is colored a light brownish gray.
* **Hakuna Matata Falls** - The home of Timon and Pumbaa and their adoptive nephew Bunga. It is a dense jungle area with a large waterfall that leads to a river. The area is also filled with trees and ferns.
* **Big Springs** - It is the home of Basi's Pod.

## Trivia

* The Pride Lands has a history of going bare once during the reign of every new ruler. A drought happens during Mohatu's reign, Uru and Ahadi's reign, Mufasa's reign (in the comics), Scar's reign (which was worse), and Simba's reign.
* In some countries, instead of calling it the Pride Lands, it's called *the Land of Sun*.
* Customization discs in the *Disney Infinity* series allow the Toy Box to resemble the Pride Lands.
* The Pride Lands has two known neighboring lands: the Outlands and the Back Lands.