The topography of the land is generally undulating with summits averaging 155m (500ft). There is a good network of rivers and streams. Notable among them are the Ashire and Manse rivers. The volumes of these rivers and streams reduce considerably during dry seasons. Most of the streams dry out completely in dry seasons when they are mostly needed especially for domestic and consumption purposes.

The network of rivers and streams coupled with the heavy rainfall pattern make road construction difficult and expensive. Three main geological soil formations identified in the district are: Upper Birimian, Lower Birimian and Granites. The granite deposits in the district make most parts of it rich in minerals like gold. Two main agricultural soil groups identified in the District are forest ochrosol-oxysols found in the northern parts and oxysols in the southern parts.

 Large enclaves of clay deposits are also available for exploitation and could be used for the brick and tile industry. The district falls within the rainfall belt of the country. Average annual rainfall ranges between 1400 mm to 1730 mm. Occasional extremes may reach 211 mm. There are two main rainfall regimes. The first one starts from March and ends in July and the second starts from September to early part of December. Temperatures are generally high in most parts of the year ranging from 240C – 290C (750F – 830F). The maximum temperatures are experienced in March and the coolest month is August.

The interplay of heavy rainfall and soil types manifest itself in a thick vegetation cover. The semi-deciduous forest covers the northern part of the district, while the tropical rain forest is to the south where rainfall is heaviest. In between is the transitional zone. The district has four forest reserves covering a total of 212.62 sq km.

These are the Opon-Manse, Bowie, Tonton and Angoben forest reserves. The forest reserves provide a natural habitat for animal species such as antelopes, deer and elephants. It is also a habitat for birds and snails. The reserves also provide source of herbs and trees of high medicinal value to the inhabitants. Tree species such as Sapele, Odum, Mahogany, Wawa and others can be found in these forests. Other parts of the forest zone inhabit large tracks of bamboo that could be exploited for socioeconomic growth and development.