GEOGRAPHY


Angola is located on the West Coast of Africa (Southern Region). It makes the northern and northeastern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville, Zambia to the east, south and west with Namibia is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean.

It covers an area of 1,246,700 km2, and is divided into 18 provinces, with its capital Luanda. It is the seventh largest country in Africa by its surface.

Despite being located in a subtropical area, Angola has a climate that is not characterized by this condition, because the confluence of factors such as the cold Benguela current along the southern part of the Coast and relief inside: The influence of the desert of Namibe.

Thus, the climate in Angola is characterized by two seasons, to the rain, from October to April, and Cacimbo, from May to August, with more drought and lower temperatures.

Moreover, while the Coast has high rates of rainfall, which will decrease from north to south, and the 800 meters to 50 meters, with average annual temperatures above 23 ° C. The area of the interior can be divided into three areas:

North with large rainfall and high temperatures, the Central Plateau with a dry season and average temperatures of around 19 ° C; South with very wide temperature ranges due to the proximity of the Kalahari desert and the influence of tropical air masses.

With a coastline of 1,650 kms, where torrential rivers flow into estuaries depositing sediment dragged wide areas of plateaux, was formed many islands, bays and sandbanks, which are located excellent beaches. Stress is the rivers Kwanza, Kubango, Cunene and Cassai. The Zambezi River is a small incursion in Angola before coming to Zambia.

The climatic characteristics led to a diversity in vegetation cover, providing habitats and own a wide variety of animals. In Cabinda, the north, find the dense forest and the wet Maiombe, rich in timber, and where gorillas. The southern basin of Zaire and Kwanza, and Kuango Kuito, tributaries of the River Cassai, dominates the forest and savannah. In planáltica area is open to the forest vegetation and wildlife characteristics. Further south is the desert of Namibe where you can find a plant species, unique in the world, the Welwistchia Mirabilis.

Among the species of wildlife, to highlight the Palanca Negra, which is rare animal in the province of Malanje. There are also the elephant, lion, the pacaça, the leopard, zebra, impala, giraffe, deer, hyena, among others, spread over several parks.

Angola is also rich in natural beauty that give spectacular scenery from which the rock formations, numerous waterfalls, especially for those of Kalandula (Malanje), ponds and rivers. The country is rich in mineral resources and its underground houses many important minerals for world trade as oil, diamonds, natural gas, iron, copper and gold.