South of the realms of Gondor and Mordor were the wild barbarian lands of Harad.

Harad, means 'South' in Elvish, and was also called the Sunlands, Sutherland and Haradwaith. Its people were called the Haradrim or the Southrons.

During Sauron's many wars, the brown-skinned men of Near-Harad and the black-skinned men of Far-Harad often came to fight for the Ring Lord against the Dúnedain.

The land itself was vast and hot with great deserts and forests strechting far into the uncharted lands in the south of Middle-Earth. It was divided into numerous warrior kingdoms: some were primarily foot soldiers, others cavalry, and still were mounted on the backs of the tusked Mûmakil, the giant ancestors of the elephants.
Encyclopedia entry originally written by High_King_Of_Gondor