[NASA] Reaching the Precipice in Angola

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3. Reaching the Precipice in…

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June 19-20, 2025

In southwestern Angola, an expanse of coastal plains comes to an abrupt end at a natural barrier. The Huíla plateau

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above the lowlands to elevations of around

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(7,500 feet). The sharp transition results in dramatic landscapes and a sudden change from an arid environment to more-temperate climes.  

The serrated edge of the Huíla plateau zigzags through this image, which is a mosaic of scenes acquired on June 19 and 20, 2025, with the

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 (Operational Land Imager-2) and OLI on the

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and

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 satellites, respectively. Areas around the plateau’s edges appear green with vegetation. But the landscape tends to look much browner by late September, at the end of the region’s

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, during which almost no rain falls.  

This topography is part of the

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of southern Africa, a 5,000-kilometer-long feature running roughly parallel to the continent’s edge. From Angola, it extends south through Namibia, across

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, and then northeast into Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The image below, acquired with the 

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 (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the 

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 satellite, shows a longer segment of the escarpment in Angola.  

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June 20, 2025

Scientists believe the

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after the breakup of the supercontinent

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in the Jurassic *******. Since then, erosion has worn away at the continental margin such that the escarpment now sits 50 to 200 kilometers (30 to 120 miles) back from the coast.   

This Angolan section of the escarpment features dizzying, yet beautiful, landscapes.

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, a gouge eroded into the cliff line (below), is one of the most iconic with its well-framed view of the plains below. The precipice also presents a substantial obstacle to transportation. A stretch of the Namibe-Lubango Road overcomes this challenge with a series of scenic hairpin turns climbing to

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near the town of Leba.  

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March 11, 2014

Lubango, one of Angola’s

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, occupies a valley on the Huíla plateau. In addition to its remarkable natural surroundings, the city boasts a

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of cultures,

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, and a wide variety of locally produced foods.  

NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the 

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and VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS 

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, 

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, the 

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, and the 

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 (JPSS). 

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of Tundavala Gap ©

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. Story by Lindsey Doermann. 

References & Resources 

• African Leadership Magazine (2024, May 3)
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  . Accessed January 5, 2026. 
• The American Alpine Journal (2024)
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  . Accessed January 5, 2026. 
• Atlas Obscura (2025, August 18)
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  . Accessed January 5, 2026. 
• Clark, V.R., et al. (2011)
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  . Biodiversity and Conservation, 20, 2543–2561. 
• CNN (2023, November 27)
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  . Accessed January 5, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2017, March 13)
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  Accessed January 5, 2026. 
• NASA Earth Observatory (2013, December 14)
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  . Accessed January 5, 2026.

Downloads

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June 19-20, 2025

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June 20, 2025

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