http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2662The African country of Angola has diverse topography, ranging from flat Atlantic coastal plain to the interior highland plateau, which exhibits a highly dendritic river drainage pattern. This MODIS image from May 11, 2001 shows there is clearly more vegetation on the northern portions of the coastal plain than the southern. The vegetation fades rapidly south of the city of Benguela, about a third of the way down from the top of the image. South of the city, the coastal area is under the influence of the cool waters of the Benguela Current, an area of cold water upwelling along the south west coast of Africa. The cooler water produces less evaporation and subsequent rainfall, which makes the vegetation less lush.
