Named after the eponymous river which runs through the area, Togdheer is one of the administrative regions of the self-declared republic of Somaliland. The capital of Burao is also one of Somaliland's largest cities and a major trading post for the surrounding towns and provinces.
The far south-east reaches of Togdheer region are claimed by Puntland, the autonomous region of Somalia. However, this is hardly likely to affect travellers with the Somaliland government in full control of the area.
There are highways leading in from Berbera and Hargeisa in Woqooyi Galbeed. There is also a road from Lascanood in Sool. All of these highways meet at Burao.
The area due south of Burao is a huge grass savannah which draws a wide range of animals. While the local fauna was hunted to near-extinction during the Civil War of the 1980s, the animal population is now making a comeback. Animals that roam the region include kudu, wild boars, zebras, Somali wild asses, warthogs, antelopes, Somali sheep, wild goats, camels, lions and leopards, along with numerous species of birds.