The Known World Map
The full world of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire — from Westeros and Essos to Sothoryos, Ulthos, Asshai, and the farthest edges of the map
The known world in Game of Thrones is far larger than Westeros alone. It includes Westeros, Essos, Sothoryos, and Ulthos, along with remote regions such as the Lands of Always Winter, the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai, and ancient centers like Valyria, Yi Ti, Qarth, and Asshai. Most of the HBO series takes place in Westeros and western Essos, but the lore spans a much wider world with vast unexplored territories and civilizations.
How Big Is the Known World?
The world of A Song of Ice and Fire extends far beyond the familiar castles, cities, and battlefields shown in the HBO series.
The known world map is one of the most fascinating parts of George R. R. Martin’s worldbuilding. While many viewers think of Westeros as the whole setting, it is actually just one western continent in a much wider and older world.
To the east lies Essos, much larger than Westeros and home to the Free Cities, Slaver’s Bay, Qarth, Yi Ti, Asshai, and the ruins of Old Valyria. Far to the south is Sothoryos, a dangerous jungle continent known more for rumor than reliable history. Even further away sits Ulthos, a mysterious land barely described in canonical lore.
The far north stretches into the Lands of Always Winter, where the White Walkers are said to originate. In the far east, beyond civilization’s edge, lie the Shadow Lands and Asshai-by-the-Shadow — some of the darkest and most enigmatic places in the entire map.
This page is designed as the main subpage for the complete known world, helping readers move from high-level world geography into deeper regional pages for Westeros, Essos, and the remote outer map.
The Essential Regions of the Known World
These are the primary lands, continents, and world zones that define the geography of Game of Thrones.
Westeros
The western continent of castles, kingdoms, and the Iron ThroneThe main setting of Game of Thrones, stretching from the Wall in the north to Dorne in the south. Home to Winterfell, King’s Landing, the Riverlands, the Vale, the Reach, and more.
Explore Westeros Map →Essos
The vast eastern land of empires, trade cities, and ancient mysteryMuch larger than Westeros, Essos contains Braavos, Pentos, Volantis, Slaver’s Bay, Qarth, Yi Ti, Asshai, and the ruins of Valyria — the lost heart of dragonlord civilization.
Explore Essos Map →Valyria
The ruined center of the greatest empire in world historyOnce the seat of dragonlords and unmatched magical power, Valyria was destroyed in the Doom. Its ruins remain one of the most haunted and feared places in the known world.
Explore Valyria →Asshai & the Shadow Lands
The darkest and most mysterious zone on the eastern edge of the mapA place of shadowbinders, ancient magic, and ominous lore. Asshai is more rumor than home to most readers, yet it sits at the edge of some of the world’s oldest mysteries.
Explore Asshai →Sothoryos
A jungle continent feared for disease, beasts, and ruinsSothoryos is immense, poorly mapped, and notoriously lethal to explorers. Most knowledge of it comes through fragments, sailor lore, ruined colonies, and incomplete accounts.
Explore Sothoryos →Ulthos
A distant southern-eastern land barely described in canonUlthos remains one of the least explained parts of the entire world map. Its inclusion hints that even the “known world” is still only partially understood by maesters and travelers.
Explore Ulthos →Browse the Known World by Region
Move deeper from continents into the specific world zones, cities, ruins, and legendary frontier lands.
Known World Regions at a Glance
A quick-reference breakdown of the major continents and macro-regions across the wider world map.
| Region | Type | Position on World Map | Best Known For | Story Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westeros | Continent | Far west | The Seven Kingdoms, the Wall, King’s Landing | Primary HBO setting |
| Essos | Continent | East of Westeros | Free Cities, Slaver’s Bay, Qarth, Yi Ti, Asshai | Major lore and Daenerys arc |
| Valyria | Former empire / ruined region | South-central Essos | Dragonlords, Doom of Valyria, ancient magic | Core historical anchor |
| Asshai | City / edge-region | Far east | Shadowbinders, dark magic, ancient mystery | Heavy lore significance |
| Shadow Lands | Macro-region | East beyond Asshai | Dark legend, forbidden lands | Worldbuilding mystery |
| Sothoryos | Continent | South of Essos | Jungles, ruins, disease, failed colonies | Peripheral but important lore |
| Ulthos | Continent / landmass | Far southeast | Scarcity of information, barely mapped canon | Deep lore curiosity |
| Lands of Always Winter | Polar region | Far north | White Walker origin lore | Mythic northern frontier |
Known World Map FAQs
The most common questions readers have when moving beyond Westeros into the full world map.
What is the known world in Game of Thrones?
How many continents are in the known world?
Is Westeros the whole world in Game of Thrones?
What lies east of Essos?
What lies south of the main story world?
See the Whole Story at World Scale
From the frozen north to the edge of shadow, every war, prophecy, and dynasty sits inside a much larger map. Start with the known world, then dive into each continent one region at a time.
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