Parque Nacional do Iona

Angola

Iona National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional do Iona) is the largest and oldest national park in Angola. It is situated in the Southwestern corner of the country, in Namibe Province. It is roughly bound by the Atlantic Ocean to the West, an escarpment to the East that marks the beginning of the i

nterior plateau, the Curoca River to the North, and the Cunene River to the South. It is about 200 kilometres (120 mi) south of the city of Namibe and covers 5,850 square miles (15,200 km2) sq. miles. The topography of Iona is characterised by shifting dunes, vast plains, and rough mountains and cliffs. Rainfall varies from about 100 mm on the coast to 300 mm or more on the eastern border. The Curoca River is intermittent but has lagoons, while the Cunene is permanent and has marshy areas at its mouth. Iona was proclaimed as a reserve in 1937 and upgraded in 1964 to a national park named after Iona, a commune located within it. It is the oldest protected area in Angola. However, as is true for most Angolan parks, the Angolan Civil War greatly disrupted the area. Poaching and the destruction of infrastructure caused considerable damage to the once rich park. Starting around 2009, a number...

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