Location & Size

The Talensi district was part of the Talensi-Nabdam district in the Upper East region. The separate Talensi district was created in 2012 with Tongo as the capital. It is bordered to the north by the Bolgatanga Municipality, to the south by the West and East Mamprusi districts (both in the Northern Region), to the west by Kassena-Nankana district, and to the east by the Bawku West and Nabdam districts. The district lies between latitude 10o15' and 10o60' North of the equator and longitude 0o31' and 1o05' West of the Greenwich meridian. It has a land area of 838.4 km2

The topography of the district is characterized by scattered rock-outcrops and upland slopes with relatively undulating lowlands with gentle slopes ranging from 10 to 50 gradient at the Tongo areas. The district’s soil is developed mainly from granite rocks, it is shallow and low in soil fertility, weak with low organic matter content, and predominantly coarse in texture.

Erosion is a problem in the district. Valley areas have soils ranging from sandy loams to salty clays. They have rich natural fertility but are more difficult to till and are prone to seasonal water logging and flooding. The main river in the district is the - White Volta and its tributaries.

Vegetation

The vegetation is Guinea Savannah woodland consisting of sparse short deciduous trees and a ground flora of grass. The most common economic trees are sheanuts, dawadawa, baobab and acacia.

Climate

The climate is tropical with two distinct seasons; a rainy season, which is erratic and runs from May to October, and a dry season that stretches from October to April. The mean annual rainfall for the district is 95mm and ranges between 88mm-110mm. The area experiences a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius in March and April and a minimum of 12 degrees Celsius in December.