What is the setting of A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan?

The setting in the story takes place in a fictional land in which people are capable of magic. There are creatures that are fictional as well. Many aspects of the book are easily understood, such as the concepts of kings and queens and travel by horses. There are also concepts that the author has to spend time explaining, such as the cultures and why some actions are not acceptable, and the basic ideas behind channeling.