Mordor is the dark land in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth ruled by Sauron. Located east of Gondor, it is surrounded by mountain ranges and dominated by volcanic Mount Doom, where the One Ring was forged and can be destroyed.
Mordor becomes the central destination of Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee after the Fellowship breaks apart. Their mission is to carry the Ring into the land and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom. Sauron uses Mordor as a military base, and the land includes the fortress of Barad-dûr and the watchtower of Cirith Ungol.
Mordor is sometimes confused with Gondor because the two realms face one another across the frontier and share much of the same military history. Rohan is another allied kingdom west of Gondor, while Beleriand belongs primarily to the older First Age stories. Mordor’s name and geography are especially important in The Lord of the Rings.