Editing Essos (section)

===The Free Cities===
{{Main|Free Cities}}
{{See also|A Dance with Dragons-Map of the Free Cities|l1=Map of the Free Cities from A Dance with Dragons}}
The Free Cities are nine independent city-states located on the western coast of Essos. Seven of the cities are coastal ([[Braavos]], [[Myr]], [[Pentos]] and [[Volantis]]) or island ports ([[Lorath]], [[Lys]] and [[Tyrosh]]), lying on the narrow sea, whilst two others ([[Norvos]] and [[Qohor]]) are located inland. Except for Braavos, which was founded by refugee slaves, these cities are former colonies of the destroyed [[Valyrian Freehold]]; as such they retain elements of its culture. They are more developed and mercantile than the cities of Westeros, even [[King's Landing]]. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. The region of the Free Cities extends from the western coastline to the [[Forest of Qohor]] and the mighty [[Rhoyne|River Rhoyne]] in the east, which separate them from the Dothraki sea and the [[Kingdom of Sarnor]]. 

In the northwestern corner of this region, between [[Braavos]] and [[Pentos]], are the hills of [[Andalos]], the ancient homeland of the [[Andals]] and, according to legends, the source of the [[Faith of the Seven]]. In the southwest, the [[Disputed Lands]] are fought over by Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh.