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Númenor was the kingdom of the Dúnedain, located on an island in the Great Sea, between Middle-earth and Aman. The land was brought up from the sea as a gift to Men. It was also called Elenna ("Starwards") because the Dúnedain were led to it by the star of Eärendil, and because the island was in the shape of a five-pointed star. At the center of the island was a mountain named Meneltarma, which the Dúnedain used as a temple to Ilúvatar. The largest city and capital of Númenor was Armenelos.

Númenor had only two rivers: Siril which began at Meneltarma and ended in a small delta near the city of Nindamos , and the NunduinëNunduin is a location in J. Tolkien's fictional universe. It was the main western river of the island of Numenor, kingdom of the Dunedain during the Second Age. Its name is Quenya for "West River". The source of the Nunduine began in the hills west of Men, which reached the sea in the Bay of EldannaBay of Eldanna is a fictional location in J. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe. It was the westernmost and largest bay on the island of Numenor, between the arms of Andustar and Hyarnustar. Its chief port was the haven Eldalonde. Middle-earth bodies of wate near the haven EldalondëEldalond is a fictional location in J. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe. It was a seaport on the western coast of Numenor where the river Nunduine empties into the Bay of Eldanna. Its name is Quenya for "Elf-haven". During the Second Age Eldalonde was the.

The Númenóreans were forbidden by the ValarTolkien's fantasy universe, Middle-earth, the Valar are the Powers of Arda who live on the Western continent of Aman. The Valar were the fourteen powerful spirits of the race of the Ainur who entered Arda after its creation to give order to the world and from sailing so far westward that Númenor was no longer visible, for fear that they would come upon the Undying LandsIn the fictional writings of J. Tolkien, the Undying Lands are a realm inhabited by immortal beings. It includes the continent of Aman and the island of Tol Eressea. The treacherous Sauron deceived Ar-Pharazon, last king of Numenor, into thinking the rule, to which Men could not come. Over time the Númenóreans came to resent the Ban of the Valar and to rebel against their authority, seeking the everlasting life that they believed was begrudged them. They tried to compensate this by going eastward and colonizing large parts of Middle-earth, first in a friendly way, but later as tyrants. Few (the "Faithful") remained loyal to the Valar and friendly to the Elves.

In the year 3255 of the Second Age, the 25th king, Ar-Pharazôn, sailed to Middle-earth. Seeing the might of Númenor, Sauron agreed to be the king's captive, and he was brought back to Númenor. Sauron soon became an advisor to the King and promised the Númenóreans eternal life if they worshipped Melkor. With Sauron as his advisor, Ar-Pharazôn had a 500 foot tall temple to Melkor erected, in which he offered human sacrifices to Melkor.

During this time, the white tree Nimloth the Fair, whose fate was said to be tied to the line of kings, was chopped down and burned as a sacrifice to Melkor. Isildur rescued a fruit of the tree which became the White Tree of Gondor, preserving the ancient line of trees.

Prompted by Sauron and fearing death and old age, Ar-Pharazôn built a great armada and set sail into the west to make war upon the Valar and seize the Undying Lands. Sauron remained behind. In the year 3319 of the Second Age, Ar-Pharazôn landed on Aman and marched to the city of Valimar. Manwë, chief of the angelic Valar, called upon Ilúvatar, who broke and changed the world, taking Aman and Tol Eressëa from the world forever, changing the world's shape from flat to round, sinking Númenor and killing its inhabitants, including Sauron who was thereby robbed of his ability to assume fair and charming forms.

After its fall Númenor was called Atalantë, meaning "the Downfallen", in the Quenya language. (The similarity with Atlantis is obvious, although Tolkien described his invention of the name as a happy accident when he realised that the Quenya root meaning "fallen" could be incorporated into a name referring to Númenor.) Other names after the Downfall include Mar-nu-Falmar ("Land under the Waves") and Akallabêth ("the Downfallen" in Adûnaic).

The story of the rise and downfall of Númenor is told in the Akallabêth.

Notes:

• The cartoon series Ulysses 31 includes a character called Numinor, whose name may be derivative of Númenor.

• C. S. Lewis's novel That Hideous Strength makes reference to "Numinor [sic] and the True West", which Lewis credits as a then-unpublished creation of J. R. R. Tolkien. This is one of many examples of cross-overs between the novels of Lewis and Tolkien, both of whom were members of The Inklings, a literary discussion group at Oxford University.

See also: List of rulers of Númenor