Liberia is widest between Buchanan and Nimba with a maximum breadth of 280km. An even coastline of 570km, characterized by powerful surf, rocky cliffs and lagoons, makes access from the Atlantic Ocean difficult, except at the modern ports. The flat coastal plain, which is 15-55km wide, consists of forest and savannah. The northern highlands contain Liberia's greatest elevations, which include the Nimba mountains, reaching 1,752m above sea-level, and the Wologisi range, reaching 1,381m. The descent from the higher to the lower belts of the highlands is characterized by rapids and waterfalls.
Average temperatures are more extreme in the interior than at the coast.
Monrovia has an annual average of 26 degrees C, with absolute limits at 33 degrees C and 14 degrees C respectively. At Tappita, tempeatures may rise to 44 degrees C in March and fall to 9 degrees C during cool harmattan nights in December or January. The water flow varies considerably and may reach over 100,000 cubic feet per second at the Mt Coffee gauge of the St Paul river in August or decrease to 2,000 cfs during the dry season in March. Plant and animal life Liberia has year-round evergreen vegetation. Other trees of value are rubber, cocoa, coffee, and the raffia palm.