Clariv existed as a world within the Clariv system. It was situated in the Back Spiral region of the Tion Hegemony sector, itself a part of the Tion Cluster located in the Slice area of the Outer Rim Territories. This world was positioned along the Tion Trade Route hyperlane, nestled between the Erediss and Rudrig systems.
The Clariv Shipyards, a bustling center of commerce, were located on Clariv, and a significant amount of their business catered to interests from the neighboring Keldrath and Pakuuni sectors. Some years preceding 2 ABY, Milacass, a bounty hunter, suffered injuries in an explosion at these shipyards. Due to Clariv's support for the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire launched a violent subjugation of the planet when they discovered this allegiance shortly before the Battle of Yavin.
The Clariv Shipyards were initially mentioned in Alliance Intelligence Reports, a 1995 sourcebook created for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, marking the introduction of Clariv's name. Clariv was first identified as a distinct planet in the December 7, 2009 StarWars.com Hyperspace article titled "Xim Week: The History of Xim and the Tion Cluster" by Jason Fry. The reference book The Essential Atlas, released on August 18, 2009, situated the Clariv system, and consequently Clariv, within grid square S-6.