The ecoregion includes a belt of coastal dunes, 10 to 15 km wide, along the Indian Ocean coast, extending from north of Hobyo to south of Mogadishu.

Mogadishu, Somalia's capital and largest city, is located on the coast in the southern part of the ecoregion.

Dense evergreen thickets are found near the coast, where coastal breezes provide humidity but keep the plants low.

These gorges support a distinct bushland plant community of Buxus hildebrandtii, Maytenus undata, Vepris eugeniifolia, Dirachma somalensis, and Lopriorea ruspolii.

[2] The silver dik-dik (Madoqua piacentinii) and Somali golden mole (Chlorotalpa tytonis) are endemic to the ecoregion.