The southernmost region of Eriador, Enedwaith was situated betwen the Rivers Greyflood and Isen. Its earliest inhabitants were the ancestors of the Dunlendings of Dunland, a race of men unrelated to the men of Númenor.

The southern part of Enedwaith was at one time heavily forested, but by SA 800, the men of Númenor began harvesting these forests, as well as the forests of Minhiriath, for their shipbuilding industry. To aid in this harvesting they established two cities in Enedwaith, the haven of Lond Daer at the mouth of the Greyflood, and Tharbad where the North-South Road (The Greenway) bridged the river. Little of the forests survived this harvesting.

Lond Daer was abandoned after the destruction of Númenor but Tharbad survived until it was destroyed by the Floods of TA 2912.

When the Dúnedain established the Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor, Enedwaith was not claimed by either kingdom but was jointly administered by the two. At this time its inhabitants were referred as the "middle folk"; and this gave the region its name, Enedwaith, which translates as "Land Of The Middle-Folk".

At the time of the War of the Ring very few forests remained in Enedwaith and only Dunland was still inhabited by men.