Angola's Atlantic Ocean Border: Exploring The Coastline

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country located on the west coast of Southern Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north-east, the Republic of the Congo to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Angola's coastline along the Atlantic Ocean is approximately 1,650 kilometres long.

Angola's neighbours

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, shares its land borders with Namibia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo.

Namibia

Angola's southern neighbour, Namibia, shares an 886-mile border with the country. The border between the two countries was first determined through various treaties when they were both under colonial rule. The Kavango and Cunene Rivers serve as natural boundaries between the two nations.

Zambia

Zambia borders Angola to the east, with a 689-mile border that was also established during the Scramble for Africa in the 19th century. The border has several official crossing points, including the Caripande-Chavuma border post, which is popular with tourists visiting Chavuma Falls.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the largest of Angola's neighbours and is located to the north-east of the country. The border between the two countries is Angola's longest at 1,644 miles. The border starts at a tripoint connecting the two countries to Zambia and extends west to the Atlantic Ocean. The border is porous and experiences thousands of illegal crossings each year, with cheap Angolan products being smuggled into the DRC.

Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo shares a short land border with Angola's exclave province of Cabinda, which is sandwiched between the DRC and the Republic of the Congo.

The Atlantic Ocean to the west

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is located on the western coast of Southern Africa, with a coastline stretching 1,650 kilometres long. The country is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and northeast. Angola also shares a border with the Republic of the Congo in the north, via its exclave province, Cabinda.

The western coastline of Angola is characterised by a narrow coastal plain, which rises abruptly to a vast interior plateau. The coastal plain varies in width, from approximately 125 miles in the area south of Luanda, to about 15 miles near Benguela. The coastal region is marked by low plains and terraces, stretching from Namibia to Luanda. The Atlantic Ocean's northward-flowing Benguela Current significantly reduces precipitation along the coast, making the region relatively arid. The coast is mostly flat, with the exception of some low cliffs and bluffs of red sandstone. There is only one deep inlet of the sea, known as Great Fish Bay, or Baía dos Tigres.

The approach to the great central plateau of Africa is marked by the west-central highlands, a series of escarpments and cuestas parallel to the coast. The Cuanza River, the largest river entirely within Angola, divides the mountain zone into two parts. The northern part rises gradually from the coastal zone to an average elevation of 500 metres, with peaks as high as 1,000 to 1,800 metres. The highest point in Angola is Morro de Moco, at 2,620 metres, located near the city of Huambo.

Angola has vast natural resources, including oil, diamonds, iron ore, copper, and gold. The country's economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, largely driven by the oil sector. Angola's cultural heritage reflects centuries of Portuguese influence, with the predominance of the Portuguese language and the Catholic Church, alongside a variety of indigenous customs and traditions.

Angola's exclave, Cabinda

Historically, Cabinda was an autonomous kingdom and a Portuguese protectorate, completely separate from Angola, which was then known as Portuguese West Africa. However, over time, Portugal merged Cabinda and Angola into a single colony. In 1975, with the end of the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal, the country withdrew from its African colonies, and Cabinda became part of the newly independent Republic of Angola.

Despite being physically and culturally distinct from the rest of the country, Cabinda remains an integral part of Angola today. This is mainly due to the region's vast oil reserves, which were discovered in 1967 and now account for around 60% of Angola's oil production. The province also produces hardwoods, coffee, cacao, rubber, and palm oil products.

The status of Cabinda as part of Angola has been disputed by several political organisations and independence movements, including the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC). FLEC has waged a secessionist struggle against the Angolan government since the country's independence, arguing that Cabinda should be an independent country based on original treaties. The group has carried out guerrilla attacks and kidnapped foreign oil workers to draw attention to their cause.

While the Angolan Civil War largely ended in 2002, an armed struggle persists in Cabinda, with some factions proclaiming an independent Republic of Cabinda, which has not been recognised by any other nation. The Angolan government has maintained tight control over the region due to its economic importance, leading to accusations of human rights abuses and persecution by human rights groups.

Angola's landscape

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is the seventh-largest country in Africa and the twenty-second largest in the world. Angola's landscape is diverse, ranging from arid coastal lowlands to rugged highlands and dense rainforests.

The country can be divided into four principal natural regions: the coastal lowland, the hills and mountains, the high inland plains, and the rainforest in the north and in the Cabinda exclave.

The coastal lowland is sparsely watered and somewhat sterile, extending inland from the Atlantic Ocean for a distance varying from 50 to 160 km. The region is characterised by low plains and terraces, with occasional low cliffs and bluffs of red sandstone. The coastal plain rises abruptly to the east in a series of escarpments, forming a belt of hills and mountains parallel to the coast.

Slightly inland from the coast, a belt of hills and mountains rises, with elevations ranging from 910 to 1,830 metres. This region is characterised by green hills and mountains, with the highest peak being Mount Moco at 2,620 metres.

Further inland lies a large area of high inland plains, called the high plateau or "planalto". This region is dominated by dry savanna and rolling terrain, with altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 metres. The high plateau is home to important rivers, such as the Zambezi, the Congo, and the Cuanza, which provide water for irrigation and the potential for hydroelectric power.

The northern part of the country, including the Cabinda exclave, is characterised by dense rainforests. This region receives high rainfall and is home to a diverse array of plant and animal life.

Angola's climate

Angola is located on the west-central coast of Southern Africa and is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north and northeast, the Republic of the Congo to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country experiences a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons.

Rainy Season

Angola's rainy season lasts from October to May and is characterised as hot and humid. The Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) controls rainfall, bringing precipitation to the country as it migrates southward from the equator in October. The rains coincide with the warmest months of the year, with average temperatures ranging from 22-23°C. The rainy season may last longer in the north, sometimes up to seven months from September to April, with a brief lull in January or February.

Dry Season

The dry season, known as "Cacimbo," occurs from June to September and is the coolest time of the year, with average temperatures between 18-20°C. The dry season is often characterised by heavy morning mist.

Climate Zones

Angola has four principal natural regions with distinct climates:

• The arid coastal lowland, stretching from Namibia to Luanda, is characterised by low plains and terraces.
• The green hills and mountains rise inland from the coast, forming a great escarpment.
• A large area of high inland plains of dry savanna, called the high plateau (planalto), extends eastward and southeast from the escarpment.
• Rainforest covers the north and the Cabinda exclave.

Temperature and Precipitation

Temperature and precipitation also vary with altitude and distance from the equator. In general, temperatures fall as you move away from the equator, gain altitude, and move closer to the Atlantic Ocean. For example, the average annual temperature in Soyo, at the mouth of the Congo River, is about 26°C, while Huambo, located on the temperate central plateau, has an average annual temperature of under 16°C.

Extreme Weather

The coldest months are typically July and August, during the middle of the dry season, when frost may form at higher altitudes. The hottest temperature recorded in Angola was 35.6°C in April 2016 in Luanda.

Natural Disasters

Angola has experienced droughts and food crises, such as in 2016 when a drought caused the worst food crisis in Southern Africa in 25 years, affecting 1.4 million people. The country is also susceptible to flooding due to locally heavy rainfall on the plateau.

Frequently asked questions