The Latakia Governorate borders Turkey to the north, Tartous to the south, Hama and Idlib to the east and the Mediterranean sea to the west. Although the western part of the governorate consists mainly of coastal plains, the eastern parts are mountainous, with the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range running north to south, parallel to the coastal plains. Its highest peak, Nabi Yunis, is 1562 meters (5,125 ft) tall with the average elevation only about 1200 meters. The western areas of the governorate catch moisture-laden winds from the Mediterranean Sea and are thus more fertile and more heavily populated than the eastern slopes.