Equestria (D)

*For this place's counterpart in the Order and Chaos Saga, see Equestria (O&C).*
*For this place's counterpart in the Shining Sparkle Saga, see Equestria (SS).*

Equestria is the main setting of the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Equestria is inhabited by magical ponies and other talking creatures, such as griffons and dragons. Other animals and creatures also live in Equestria. Equestria is co-ruled by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who reside in a palace in the city of Canterlot.

## Characteristics

This land is essently inhabitanted by ponies and, unlike the Crystal Empire, it doesn't have any barriers against evil creatures.

## Places of Interest

Equestria features many locations such as Ponyville, Canterlot, the Crystal Empire, and many more. These locations' exact affiliation with Equestria is usually not explored.

### Ponyville

Ponyville is a small town that is the main setting of the series and the home of the main characters. Ponyville was founded by Earth ponies, but it is currently inhabited by Pegasi and unicorns as well.

### Canterlot

Canterlot is the capital of Equestria and home to the royal palace of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It was also the home of Twilight Sparkle and Spike prior to their relocation to Ponyville. Canterlot is where large events such as the Grand Galloping Gala take place. The name is a reference to Camelot, the home to King Arthur and his "Knights of The Round Table" as well as being a play on the word "canter," which is a three-beat gait possessed by all horses that is faster than a trot but slower than a gallop.

### Cloudsdale

Cloudsdale is a city in the sky where the Best Young Flyer competition takes place and where Equestria's weather is made. Only Pegasi live and work there, since non-Pegasus ponies cannot stand on clouds. It is also the former hometown of both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The name is a reference to the Clydesdale, a breed of draft horses. The Weather Factory is located there.

### Everfree Forest

The Everfree Forest is located outside of Ponyville. The ponies say the forest is not natural and it doesn't work like the rest of Equestria, since plants grow by themselves, animals care for themselves, and the weather changes without the help of ponies. Zecora's hut is located in the forest and it is also home to some strange creatures, including ursas, timberwolves and parasprites. The Three of Harmony is found far into the forest, in a gorge located near the Castle of the Two Sisters.

### Manehattan

Manehattan is a large city located in Equestria. It is the hometown of Babs Seed and Applejack's Aunt and Uncle Orange. The name is a play on Manhattan Island, a section of New York City.

### White Tail Woods

The site for the Running of the Leaves, where the ponies run through the forest to shake the leaves off the trees. The name of the woods is possibly inspired by the white-tailed deer.

### Froggy Bottom Bog

As the name suggests, it is a swampland consisting of mangroves and bubbling swamp water. Fluttershy relocates some frogs to the bog because of overpopulation. When Pinkie Pie gets an ominous premonition, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Spike and Pinkie Pie venture to the bog to make sure Fluttershy is okay. They come upon a hydra who chases them to a chasm which they cross in order to escape.

### Appleloosa

It is the hometown of Applejack's cousin Braeburn. It is a mostly arid location with a large orchard of apple trees. The name of the town comes from the Appaloosa breed of horse. The Buffalo lands have their own chief and their denizens have a territorial battle with the newly arrived Equestrian settlers of Appleloosa.

### Ghastly Gorge

A gorge filled with perils, such as a windy cave, bramble bushes and quarray eels. Rainbow Dash held a contest to see who would be her pet there.

### Dodge Junction

Dodge Junction is an old-western town. Like Appleloosa, the town consists mostly of desert but capable of growing cherry trees. The town's name is a reference to Dodge City, Kansas, a town famous in the United States for its role in the wild frontier of the Old West.

### Winsome Falls

Winsome Falls are composed of multiple rainbow-colored waterfalls. This is the camping destination for Applejack, Apple Bloom, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo.

### Rainbow Falls

An Equestrian village. Like Winsome Falls, it mostly consists of rainbow-colored waterfalls, but also has a handful of dwellings. The village holds an annual Traders Exchange.

### Fillydelphia

Fillydelphia is a largely modern. Its name is a play on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city is also present on the official map.

### Las Pegasus

Las Pegasus is a Equestrian city. The name is a play on Las Vegas.

### Baltimare

Baltimare is an Equestrian city. The name is a play on the real life city called Baltimore.

### Smokey Mountains

A chain of mountains located in Equestria.

### Hoofington

Hoofington is a village mentioned by Trixie as the site of her alleged battle with an ursa; her story implies the town is near the Everfree Forest. The suffix -ington is derived from old English for "town". The name is quite similar to that of a political news website, The Huffington Post, and many cities named Huntington, the biggest being Huntington, New York.

### Trottingham

Trottingham is Pipsqueak's previous residence. It is probably a portmanteau of 'Nottingham', an English city, and 'trot', a jogging speed for horses.

### Saddle Arabia

Princess Celestia arrives in Ponyville with two representatives from this region. The name is a play on the real life desert region kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

### Mustangia

Mentioned by Ms. Peachbottom. She tells Shining Armor that she is "just an ordinary wild mustang from Mustangia". The name 'Mustangia' is a play on the word 'mustang', a breed of wild horses.

### Maretania

The "caverns of Maretania" are said to be a place explored by Star Swirl the Bearded. The name is a play on Mauritania.

### Maretonia

A region of Equestria that has a duke and a duchess.

## Festivities

The Summer Sun Celebration was created after Celestia had defeated Nightmare Moon. It is celebrated in the summer solstice, where the day last more than the night.

The Grand Galloping Gala is an annual royal ball held to celebrate the completion of Canterlot after Equestria was founded.

The Hearth's Warming Eve celebrates the unification of the three pony tribes and the foundation of Equestria.

Nightmare Night is the counterpart of Halloween, where ponies disguise themselves, sometimes with scary customs, and the foals go ask for treats.

Hearts and Hooves Day is the counterpart of Valentine's Day, where couples spend the day together and show their love for each other.

## Access

Equestria is located in the south of the Crystal Empire.

## History

Before Equestria's foundation, each of the three tribes, the Pegasi, the unicorns, and the Earth ponies, cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare. In those troubled times, as now, the Pegasi were the stewards of the weather, but they demanded something in return: food that could only be grown by the Earth Ponies. The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night. And so, mistrust between the tribes festered, until one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? It was a mysterious blizzard that overtook the land, and toppled the tribes' precarious peace.

The blizzard led to famine, at which the three tribal leaders eventually agreed to meet for a summit and decide what to do about the snow, but this only devolved into arguing and blaming each other. The leaders of each tribe then decided to journey to a new land. They all arrived at the same place, and soon began fighting over it, and the blizzard quickly followed. "And so the paradise that the ponies had found was soon lost, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow and hard feelings." Eventually, the leaders' assistants find out windigos are causing the storm by feeding off of hate. The assistants' friendship creates the magical Fire of Friendship which does away with the windigos and the snowstorm.

The three leaders then decide to join forces and found a country shared by all three tribes, and name it Equestria.

At some point, Discord ruled over Equestria, keeping it in a state of unrest and unhappiness. Seeing how miserable life was for Earth ponies, unicorns, and Pegasi alike, Celestia and Luna discovered the Elements of Harmony and rose up against Discord, turning him to stone.

After Sombra's defeat, seeing their subjects, the ponies, playing in the day but "shunning" the night and slept through it made Luna grow bitter, eventually refusing to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. Her bitterness transformed her into a "wicked mare of darkness", Nightmare Moon. Celestia reluctantly harnessed the power of the Elements of Harmony and banished her in the moon, taking responsibility for both sun and moon, maintaining harmony in Equestria. This change when Twilight and her friends are able to return Luna to her original self.

## Appearances

The Rise of Sombra

Legends:

* Y - Appear and have an active role
* N - Do not appear and is not mentioned directly by the characters.
* B - Appear, but have a passive role or its appearance is implicit
* M - Mentioned directly by the characters.