Skyrim takes place in the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel, on the planet Nirn. It is a cold and mountainous region traditionally divided into nine administrative sections called "holds," each governed by a jarl from a larger town. Major settlements include Solitude, Windhelm, Markarth, Riften, and Whiterun. The game is set about 200 years after the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, during the Fourth Era, specifically the year 4E 201

. The province of Skyrim is the homeland of the Nords, a human race, though other races also inhabit the region. The setting features a rugged landscape with wilderness, dungeons, caves, cities, towns, fortresses, and villages. Skyrim is part of the larger Empire of Tamriel, which has recently been weakened by a war with the Aldmeri Dominion

. In summary, Skyrim is set in the cold, mountainous northern province of Tamriel, known as Skyrim, on the planet Nirn, during the Fourth Era around the year 4E 201