Angola

Angola is a coastal country in south-western Africa, covering a wide range of landscapes, including the semi-desert Atlantic coast bordering Namibia's 'skeleton coast', the sparsely populated rainforest interior, the rugged southern highlands, the northern Cabinda exclave, and the densely populated towns and cities of the northern coast and the north-central river valleys. Angola is a biodiverse country, home to 2000 species of plants and animals, hundreds of which are indigenous to the country. Until the end of the 19th century, parts of Angola were covered by dense rainforest, especially the northern part of the Cabinda exclave, the western edge of the Malanje plateau, the north-western corner of the Bié plateau and along some of the north-eastern rivers. Much of this forest has been largely reduced by agriculture and logging and today much of Angola's territory is covered by various savannas. The fauna is typical of the African savannas. Carnivores include leopards, lions and hyenas, while herbivores are mainly elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests and various antelopes and monkeys. Angola is rich in bird species and has a wide variety of reptiles, including crocodiles. Among the many insects are mosquitoes and tsetse flies, both serious pests that carry diseases. There are about a dozen national parks and nature reserves, notably Iona National Park in the south-eastern corner of the country and Quicama National Park south of Luanda, but control of hunting has largely disappeared with the spread of civil war. The Giant Sable Antelope in the south are particularly endangered. Other endangered populations include the gorillas and chimpanzees of the Maiombe Forest, the Black Rhinoceros and the Angolan Giraffe. Marine life is particularly abundant along the southern coast, as the cold Benguela Current provides nutrients for many temperate aquatic species.