Basically, a playable race in the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI. Elvaan have the highest Strength stat of all the playable races, and have the second highest HP pool, second only to the Galka. They also have the highest Mind stat.
Elvaan make excellent Paladins, and excel in pretty much any other melee orientated role. While their high Mind stat may suggest that they would make excellent White Mages, they are let down by an extremely low MP pool.
That's the Wikipedia part dealt with.
The most striking thing about the Elvaan is, despite what their name might suggest, their complete difference from the Western concept of Elves. Elves in Western culture are nimble, slight of build and more in touch with nature than technology. The Elvaan on the other hand are tall ( really tall), are immensely strong and adore architecture. The only characteristic the two share are their pointed ears.
One must remember however, that Final Fantasy XI is a wholly Japanese developed game, and so the Elvaan are based on the Japanese version of Elves. In Japan, Elves are freaking huge. They are composed mostly of limbs, much like a reverse Mr Man. Naturally however, to ofset their strange (read: nightmarish) build, Elvaan are arguably the most attractive of the male player races, heavily resembling Bishounen anime characters.
Yes, I play an Elvaan. x.x