 The area, located on the northern foothills of the Ligurian-Piedmontese Apennines and at the entrance of the Stura valley leading to the Turchino pass, is hilly, tending to mountainous heading south, with plains where agriculture is practiced and where the industries have established their factories near the main connections.The city lies on the confluence of the Stura of Ovada torrent into the Orba river, at an altitude of 186 meters above sea level.The fauna includes badgers, dormice, deer, wild boar, martens, squirrels, hares, partridges, foxes and weasels.