Images
June 1, 2026 - Angola
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The stunning colors of Southwestern Angola shine in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on May 28, 2026.
Sitting along the southwestern coast of Africa, Angola is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Democratic Republic of Congo to the north and northeast, Zambia to the east, and Namibia to the south. The country’s landscape ranges from super-arid desert to savanna to lush rainforest, creating various habitats that supports rich biodiversity.
Highlights seen in this image include the tan sands of the Namib Desert along the southeastern coast. The portion of the Namib in Angola is just the northern tip of the entire Namib, which continues southward along the coast of Namibia. Angola’s portion is protected as the Iona National Park. First declared a protected are in 1937, the region was home to black rhino, elephant, giraffe and other iconic species. Unfortunately, longstanding conflict in the region saw the extirpation of those species although zebra, oryx, springbok, cheetah, and leopard remained. In recent years, with the end of severe conflict, the giraffe has been reintroduced and the numbers of other species are beginning to rebound.
Bicauri National Park is another important protected area in Angola, and it can be seen to the northeast of Iona National Park on the Huila Plateau. The landscape is primarily sandy hills and shrub thicket in a tropical semi-desert climate. Once a hunting reserve, the park was established in 1964. It is traditionally the home of many large mammal species, but populations of these also suffered during the civil war. Since 2002, there has been a redoubled effort to protect iconic species such as black buffalos, antelope, and elephant.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/28/2026
Resolutions:
1km (108.9 KB), 500m (324.9 KB), 250m (606.1 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The stunning colors of Southwestern Angola shine in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on May 28, 2026.
Sitting along the southwestern coast of Africa, Angola is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Democratic Republic of Congo to the north and northeast, Zambia to the east, and Namibia to the south. The country’s landscape ranges from super-arid desert to savanna to lush rainforest, creating various habitats that supports rich biodiversity.
Highlights seen in this image include the tan sands of the Namib Desert along the southeastern coast. The portion of the Namib in Angola is just the northern tip of the entire Namib, which continues southward along the coast of Namibia. Angola’s portion is protected as the Iona National Park. First declared a protected are in 1937, the region was home to black rhino, elephant, giraffe and other iconic species. Unfortunately, longstanding conflict in the region saw the extirpation of those species although zebra, oryx, springbok, cheetah, and leopard remained. In recent years, with the end of severe conflict, the giraffe has been reintroduced and the numbers of other species are beginning to rebound.
Bicauri National Park is another important protected area in Angola, and it can be seen to the northeast of Iona National Park on the Huila Plateau. The landscape is primarily sandy hills and shrub thicket in a tropical semi-desert climate. Once a hunting reserve, the park was established in 1964. It is traditionally the home of many large mammal species, but populations of these also suffered during the civil war. Since 2002, there has been a redoubled effort to protect iconic species such as black buffalos, antelope, and elephant.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/28/2026
Resolutions:
1km (108.9 KB), 500m (324.9 KB), 250m (606.1 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
