Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait.
The island's central mountains include several peaks over 3,000 meters in elevation. The highest is Mount Agung, standing at 10,328 ft. (3,148 m) An active volcano known as the "Mother Mountain," it last erupted in 1963, and lava flows devastated numerous villages, killing 1,500 people.
Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector. South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is grown.
The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle.
Dozens of (very small) rivers drain the island. The longest river, the Ayung, flows approximately 75 km.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand.