Where does the Simarillion take place?

[noVus]

Except for a few slight mentions, none of the Simarillion takes place in what we know of "Middle Earth" from the Lord of the Rings volumes. It takes place instead, in West and East Beleriand, which was a part of Middle Earth.

www.douglas.eckhart.btinternet.co.uk/maps-beleriand-02.jpg

All of this was sunk under the waves due to the evil acts of Numenoreans against the Valar. They broke the express command of the Valar, and Manwe, and paid the price. Eowyn briefly discusses this in the extended version of "The Two Towers" in a dream she had "of a large wave".

What was left? Look to the extreme east of the map. There you will see Ered Luin, or "The Blue Mountains". That which marks the west[/b] of Middle Earth by the time of The Lord of the Rings.

[noVus]

Then "Arda" is mentioned. What's an "Arda"? Arda, means the Earth. Tolkien explained that "Middle Earth" corresponds to all of Europe. The Shire, approximately the middle of England. Minas Tirith is around Venice, and Mordor would "lay outside" of Europe proper, and be comprised of Asia Minor. This map isn't entirely accurate, but gives you a good idea.

So in actuality, "Arda" is much larger than what we see in the movies, or in any of the books:

www.tolkiens.net/bilder/kart/resten1a.jpg