EarthWatch: Mangroves Along Western Africa
Video Player
Video Versions
The smallest country in mainland Africa hugs its namesake river.
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach in collaboration with the NASA Earth Observatory: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
- Astronaut photograph ISS062-E-137053 acquired by Expedition 62 Crew of the International Space Station, provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center.
- Image of the Day story by Laura Phoebus, Jacobs, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147335/the-gambia
- Adaptation to ViewSpace by Claire Blome, Margaret W. Carruthers, and Dani Player
- Music from Music for Nonprofits
(SPEECH)
[GENTLE MUSIC]
(DESCRIPTION)
Text, Earth Watch, Exploring the blue planet by satellite. Earth Observatory. Earth Observatory dot nasa dot gov. Operational Land Imager, Landsat 8 satellite.
Mangroves along Western Africa.
On the western coast of Africa, The Gambia, Casamance, and Saloum Rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean. April 6, 2020.
From North to South, the Saloum River, Gambia River and Casamance River cut into the western side of Africa. The photo is turned so that North points to the right of the image. Text, The Gambia River flows approximately 1,100 kilometers, 700 miles from the southeast to the northwest. It marks the center of the smallest country in mainland Africa, The Gambia.
Lines appear on either side of the Gambia River.
Text, The dark green areas along the banks of these three rivers and in the estuaries are mostly mangroves, coastal forests that thrive in brackish waters.
Mangroves provide timber resources as well as storm and erosion protection for coastal communities.
Compare the landscape along either side of the Gambia River in this photograph from the International Space Station.
To the south of the river, left, the view is far greener. Southern Senegal and The Gambia have dense woodlands, savannas, and wetlands.
Senegal to the north and south of The Gambia.
Text, To the north of the river, right, the region appears much brighter due to the exposure of bare soil and a lack of visible vegetation.
To learn more, go to earth observatory dot nasa dot gov.