Linyi lies in southeast Shandong Province as part of the Luzhong mountainous region. The landscape is varied with flat plains, rolling hills, and rugged mountains crisscrossed by rivers. Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Jiangsu Province to the south, Zaozhuang and Jining to the west, and Tai'an, Zibo, and Weifang to the north.
The climate is pleasant year-round with distinct seasons, abundant sunlight, and plentiful rainfall. Linyi is considered a major birthplace of Chinese civilization.