Geography of Somalia
 
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| Region | Horn of Africa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 5°35′39″N 47°13′09″E / 5.5941182°N 47.2192383°E |
| Area | Ranked 44th |
| • Total | 637,657 km2 (246,201 sq mi) |
| • Land | 98.38% |
| • Water | 1.62% |
| Coastline | 3,025 km (1,880 mi) |
| Borders |
Total land borders: Djibouti:58 km (36 mi) 2,340 km (1,450 mi)  Ethiopia:1,600 km (990 mi)  Kenya:682 km (424 mi) |
| Highest point |
Shimbiris 2,460 m (8,070.9 ft) |
| Lowest point |
Indian Ocean 0 m (0.0 ft) |
| Longest river |
Shebelle River 1,130 km (702.1 mi) |
Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. With a land area of 637,657 square kilometers, Somalia's terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands. Its coastline is more than 3,333 kilometers in length, the longest of mainland Africa and the Middle East.
In the far north, the rugged east-west ranges of the Ogo Mountains lie at varying distances from the Gulf of Aden coast. Hot conditions prevail year-round, along with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall. Geology suggests the presence of valuable mineral deposits.
Due to Somalia's proximity to the equator, there is not much seasonal variation in its climate. However, there are some very unpredictable rainfalls that occur sometimes. Hot conditions prevail year-round along with monsoon (periodic seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation) winds and irregular rainfall. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 30 to 40 °C (86 to 104 °F), except at higher elevations and along the eastern seaboard, where the effects of a cold offshore current can be felt. In Mogadishu, for instance, average afternoon highs range from 28 °C (82 °F) to 32 °C (90 °F) in April. Some of the highest mean annual temperatures in the world have been recorded in the country; Berbera on the northwestern coast has an afternoon high that averages more than 38 °C (100 °F) from June through September. Nationally, mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15 to 30 °C (59 to 86 °F). The greatest range in climate occurs in northern Somalia, where temperatures sometimes surpass 45 °C (113 °F) in July on the littoral plains and drop below the freezing point during December in the highlands. In this region, relative humidity ranges from about 40 percent in the mid-afternoon to 85 percent at night, changing somewhat according to the season.
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