Also called Anadûnê (Adûnaic word meaning 'Westernesse'), Andor (meaning 'Land of Gift'), Elenna (said to mean 'Starwards'), Mar-nu-Falmar (meaning 'whelmed in the waves' - used after the Downfall), Númenórë, Yôzâyan and Westernesse.

At the end of the First Age, the Men who had fought alongside the Elves against Morgoth were rewarded by the Valar. An island called Númenor was raised for them in the western sea so that these people, called the Dúnedain, might have a land of their own. In the language of the Dúnedain the island was called Westernesse.

The island itself resembled a 5-pointed star with a high mountain at its centre called Meneltarma, Pillar of the Heavens. The mountain was a sacred monument to Ilúvatar.

The land of Númenor was ruled successfully by many generations of Kings and Queens (the first being Elros, brother of Elrond) and the people were wise because they had learnt much from the Eldar.

However, in the Second Age, Sauron rose again, and started corrupting their rulers. In the end, the King Ar-Pharazôn turned to worshipping Morgoth openly. However, some of the Númenorians remained uncorrupted and fled back to Middle-earth. These included Elendil, and his sons Isildur and Anarion.

In SA 3319 Ar-Pharazôn sent a fleet against the Valar to the Undying Lands. This resulted in the destruction of Númenor, with the island being pulled down into the Sea. Those who fled Númenor created the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor on Middle-earth, but the glory of Númenor was never seen again. People still talk about it lying on the bottom of the Sea and called it Akallabêth, or Atalante.
Encyclopedia entry originally written by emmysuze