Angola's Coastal Proximity: Exploring Angola's La 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 has a coastline of 1,650 kilometres washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The country has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons and is known for its diverse landscapes, including a narrow coastal plain, rugged highlands, and vast interior plateau. With a total area of 1,246,700 square kilometres, Angola is the seventh-largest country in Africa and the 22nd largest in the world.

Angola's coastline

The coastal plain consists of alluvia, chalk, and sand, underlain by oil-bearing formations over the northern two-thirds. The coast is mostly flat, with occasional low cliffs and bluffs of red sandstone. There is only one deep inlet of the sea, the Great Fish Bay (or Baía dos Tigres). Lobito Bay, located further north, has sufficient water for large ships to unload close to the shore. The coastal lowland rises from the sea in a series of low terraces, ranging from about 16 miles (25 km) near Benguela to more than 93 miles (150 km) in the Cuanza River Valley, just south of the capital, Luanda.

The coastal region is rich in oil palms and mangroves, with dense forests in the northern part and dense thorn scrub in the south. The coast has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season in the north lasts from September to April, with a brief slackening in January or February, while in the south, it begins in November and lasts until February. The dry season is characterised by heavy morning mist. Temperatures tend to rise closer to the Atlantic Ocean, with the average annual temperature in Soyo, at the mouth of the Congo River, being about 79 °F (26 °C).

Angola's neighbours

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, shares its land borders with Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Namibia. The border stretches 3,336 miles in total. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest of Angola's bordering nations and is situated north of Angola. The border between the two countries is the longest of Angola's borders, spanning 1,644 miles in length. The border starts at the tripoint connecting the two countries and Zambia, extending west until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.

Zambia is another of Angola's bordering countries, situated east of Angola, with a border stretching 689 miles in length. South of Angola lies Namibia, with which it shares a land border that spans 886 miles in length. The tripoint connecting the two countries to Zambia represents the start of the border, from where it stretches west until it ends at the South Atlantic Ocean.

Angola also has an exclave province, the province of Cabinda, that borders the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Atlantic Ocean bounds the exclave to the west.

Angola's climate

Angola has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The country experiences high humidity and hot temperatures, with an average annual temperature of 27.6°C and over 1750 hours of sunshine per year. Angola's climate is heavily influenced by its location on the Atlantic coast of Southern Africa, with the Benguela Cold Current playing a significant role in shaping the weather patterns.

The rainy season in Angola typically lasts from October to May, with the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) controlling rainfall patterns. During this period, the country experiences high humidity and warm temperatures, with average temperatures ranging from 22°C to 23°C. The rainy season is characterised by heavy rainfall, particularly in the northern regions, with northeastern Angola receiving the highest amount of precipitation.

The dry season, known as "Cacimbo," occurs from June to September and brings cooler temperatures, with average readings between 18°C and 20°C. This period is often marked by a heavy morning mist, particularly in the coastal regions.

The climate varies across different regions of Angola. The north experiences a longer rainy season, typically lasting from September to April, with a brief lull in rainfall during January or February. In contrast, the south has a shorter rainy season, starting in November and ending in February. The north generally receives higher precipitation than the south, and rainfall tends to increase with altitude.

The coastal areas of Angola tend to have lower temperatures due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, while regions further inland experience higher temperatures. For example, the average annual temperature in Soyo, at the mouth of the Congo River, is approximately 26°C, while Huambo, located on the central plateau, has an average temperature of 19°C.

Angola's diverse landscape, including coastal lowlands, mountainous regions, and high inland plateaus, also contributes to local climate variations. The coastal plain, extending inland from 31 to 99 miles (50 to 160 km), has a semi-arid climate due to the influence of the Benguela Current, which reduces precipitation along the coast.

The highest point in Angola is Morro de Môco, at 2,620 meters, located in the central plateau region, which experiences cooler temperatures due to its elevation.

Overall, Angola's climate is characterised by warm to hot temperatures throughout the year, with bathing waters averaging 24°C. The northern region is the warmest and rainiest, while the southwestern region is the coolest. The best time for travelling to Angola to avoid the rainy season is from July to August.

Angola's terrain

Angola has three principal natural regions: the coastal lowland, characterised by low plains and terraces; hills and mountains, rising inland from the coast into a great escarpment; and an area of high plains, called the high plateau (planalto), which extends eastward from the escarpment.

Coastal Lowlands

The coastal lowlands rise from the sea in a series of low terraces. This region varies in width from about 25 kilometres near Benguela to more than 150 kilometres in the Cuanza River Valley just south of Angola's capital, Luanda. The Atlantic Ocean's cold, northward-flowing Benguela Current substantially reduces precipitation along the coast, making the region relatively arid or nearly so south of Benguela (where it forms the northern extension of the Namib Desert), and quite dry even in its northern reaches. Given this pattern of precipitation, the far south is marked by sand dunes, which give way to dry scrub along the middle coast. Portions of the northern coastal plain are covered by thick brush.

Hills and Mountains

The belt of hills and mountains parallels the coast at distances ranging from 20 kilometres to 100 kilometres inland. The Cuanza River divides the zone into two parts. The northern part rises gradually from the coastal zone to an average elevation of 500 metres, with crests as high as 1,000 to 1,800 metres. South of the Cuanza River, the hills rise sharply from the coastal lowlands and form a high escarpment, extending from a point east of Luanda and running south through Namibia. The escarpment reaches 2,400 metres at its highest point, southeast of the town of Sumbe, and is steepest in the far south in the Serra da Chela mountain range.

High Plateau

The high plateau lies to the east of the hills and mountains and dominates Angola's terrain. The surface of the plateau is typically flat or rolling, but parts of the Benguela Plateau and the Humpata Highland area of the Huíla Plateau in the south reach heights of 2,500 metres and more. The Malanje Plateau to the north rarely exceeds 1,000 metres in height. The Benguela Plateau and the coastal area in the immediate environs of Benguela and Lobito, the Bié Plateau, the Malanje Plateau, and a small section of the Huíla Plateau near the town of Lubango have long been among the most densely settled areas in Angola.

Angola's natural resources

Angola is a country located in southwestern Africa, with a landscape that includes a semidesert Atlantic littoral, a sparsely populated rainforest interior, rugged highlands in the south, and the Cabinda exclave in the north. Angola has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. Here is an overview of Angola's natural resources:

Petroleum and Natural Gas

Angola is one of the largest exporters of petroleum in sub-Saharan Africa, with vast reserves of petroleum and natural gas concentrated in the maritime zones off the Cabinda exclave and the Congo River estuary. Angola's crude oil production is largely offshore, with some onshore production near Soyo and Luanda. The country is a member of OPEC and produces about 1.55 million barrels of oil per day. The quality of the crude oil is generally good, with a low sulfur content.

Diamonds

Angola has large reserves of diamonds, with alluvial diamonds occurring widely over the northeastern quarter of the country and several kimberlite pipe formations. Angola's modern diamond mining industry dates back to the colonial period in 1912 when significant deposits were found in the country's northeastern edge near the Lunda region.

Iron Ore and Other Minerals

Angola possesses large reserves of iron ore in the southwestern part of the country, although they are of low grade. Other minerals known to exist in commercial quantities include copper, manganese, gold, phosphates, uranium, feldspar, platinum, and tin.

Arable Land and Agriculture

Angola has some of Africa's most fertile soils, and its climate is highly conducive to agriculture. In the past, Angola was nearly agriculturally self-sufficient, and the sector has been a focus of economic reform. Today, some of the main crops grown in Angola include coffee, bananas, and cassava. About two-thirds of Angolans rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, and livestock is also an important natural resource, with cattle, pigs, and goats being commonly kept.

Forests and Wildlife

Forests cover approximately 18.4% of Angola's total area, with the Maiombe forest in Cabinda being a significant forest area. Angola's wildlife includes leopards, lions, hyenas, elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and various species of antelope and birds.

Water Resources and Hydroelectric Power

Angola has one of the largest hydroelectric potentials in Africa, with most of its electricity coming from dams on rivers such as the Cuanza, Cunene, Catumbela, and Dande.

Fishing

Fishing is an important economic sector in Angola, dating back to the colonial period. Angola allows foreign nations to fish within its territorial waters, and it has invested in revitalizing the fishing industry.

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