Physical Features

The physical features of the Yilo Krobo Municipality is made up of natural environment namely climate, vegetation, relief and drainage, location and size, the social and cultural environment in which the people live. The physical features are therefore essential elements or factors affecting the socio-economic development of the Municipality.

Location and size

The Municipality shares common boundaries with Lower and Upper Manya Krobo Districts to the North and East respectively. To the South, the Municipality shares boundary with Dangme West and Akwapim North Districts. In addition, the Municipality shares boundaries with New Juaben and East Akim in the south-west. The Municipality also shares its western boundary with Fanteakwa District. It lies approximately between latitude 60.00’N and 00.30’N and between longitude 00.30’W and 10 .00’W. The Municipality covers an estimated area of about 805 square kilometres, constituting 4.2 percent of the total area of the Eastern Region. The Municipal Capital, Somanya is approximately 45 km from Koforidua and 50 km from Accra, the nation’s capital.

Climate

The Yilo Krobo Municipality is within the dry equatorial climatic zone which experiences substantial amount of precipitation. This is characterized by a bi-modal rainy season, which reaches its maximum during the two peak periods of May - June and September - October. The annual rainfall is between 750 mm in the southeast and 1600 mm on the slopes of the Akwapim ranges in the northwest. Temperature ranges between a minimum of 24.90 C and a maximum of 29.90 C. A relative humidity of 60-93 percent is a characteristic of the Municipality.

Vegetation

The Municipality lies within the semi-deciduous rain forest and the coastal savanna zone of the country. There is the dry semi-deciduous (fire zone) which stretches from the Municipality to the lower part of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality. Tree types that are widespread in the Municipality include palm, mango, nim, ceiba and acassia. The coastal savanna zone in the south-eastern part forms part of the Accra plains.

Relief and Drainage

The Municipality is predominantly mountainous. The Akwapim Ranges stretch into the Municipality from southwest to northeast across the Municipality. With its accompanying deep valleys, it provides an undulating landscape. The low lands are in the south-eastern part of the Municipality. The rocks forming the ranges are called the Akwapim Togo Ranges. On the average, the height of the highlands in the Municipality ranges between 300 and 500 metres above sea level. There is a scarp rising up to 600 metres, which forms the boundary with the New Juaben Municipality.