14/02/2024
đź“ŤSouth Africa
An astronaut on the International Space Station took this photo of Saldanha Bay and Langebaan Lagoon in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The Bay supports local communities through the export of goods and mineral resources, including 96% of South Africa’s iron ore.
Langebaan Lagoon, one of the few lagoons along South Africa’s coastline, is a shallow tidal estuary with no river flowing into it. The floor of the lagoon is a sand flat with tidal channels, visible as darker green meandering strands.
The color of the landscape indicates various types of land use. Much of the lighter-toned areas in the upper half of the image are agricultural fields where farmers grow crops such as corn, wheat, and olives. Townscapes such as Saldanha and Langebaan also appear light brown and gray. Darker surfaces in the lower part of the image indicate semi-desert shrubby vegetation. This natural vegetation has become reestablished within the West Coast National Park.
https://go.nasa.gov/489SfxH
