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March 14, 2026 - West Africa
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The United Nations defines West Africa (also known as Western Africa) as the land occupied by 16 countries. These include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The region, which is the most western section of Africa, is demographically and economically one of the fastest growing areas on the African continent.
On March 11, 2026, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of West Africa.
The tan area in the far north is the Sahara Desert. Just south of the desert is the region known as the Sahel, which is a transition zone between desert and savannah. The countries captured in this image are, from north to south, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea.
The Atlantic Ocean carries a mirror-like shine, called “sunglint”. Sunglint is an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views it. The direct reflection creates a bright shine that can create dramatic images. In this case, sunglint not only highlights the waters of the Atlantic but it also creates a stunning contrast between the gleaming rivers and bays of coastal West Africa, especially near the Bissagos Islands off of Guinea-Bissau.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 3/11/2026
Resolutions:
1km (254.6 KB), 500m (627.7 KB), 250m (885 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The United Nations defines West Africa (also known as Western Africa) as the land occupied by 16 countries. These include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The region, which is the most western section of Africa, is demographically and economically one of the fastest growing areas on the African continent.
On March 11, 2026, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of West Africa.
The tan area in the far north is the Sahara Desert. Just south of the desert is the region known as the Sahel, which is a transition zone between desert and savannah. The countries captured in this image are, from north to south, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea.
The Atlantic Ocean carries a mirror-like shine, called “sunglint”. Sunglint is an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views it. The direct reflection creates a bright shine that can create dramatic images. In this case, sunglint not only highlights the waters of the Atlantic but it also creates a stunning contrast between the gleaming rivers and bays of coastal West Africa, especially near the Bissagos Islands off of Guinea-Bissau.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 3/11/2026
Resolutions:
1km (254.6 KB), 500m (627.7 KB), 250m (885 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
