Size: Land area 637,540 square kilometers coastline 3,025 kilometers sovereignty claimed over territorial waters up to 200 nautical miles.

Topography: Flat plateau surfaces and plains predominate principal exception rugged east-west ranges in far north that include Shimbir Berris, highest point at 2,407 meters.

Climate and Hydrology: Continuously hot except at higher elevations in north two wet seasons bring erratic rainfall, largely April to June and October and November, averaging under 500 millimeters in much of the country droughts frequent only Jubba River in somewhat wetter southwest has permanent water flow. Shabeelle River, also in southwest, flows about seven months of year.