Iona National Park
Iona National Park (Parque Nacional do Iona in Portuguese) is a national park in Namibe Province of Angola. It is about 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the city of Namibe and, at 5,850 square miles (15,200 km2) sq. miles, the largest in the country. Before the independence of Angola and the Angolan Civil War, Iona was an "animal paradise, rich in big game". However, as is true for most Angolan national parks, illegal poaching and the destruction of infrastructure have caused considerable damage to the once rich park. The park is also known for unique flora and incredible rock formations.
Iona is Angola’s oldest and largest national park, it was proclaimed as a reserve in 1937 and upgraded to a national park in 1964 by the authorities of Portuguese Angola.
Notes
This park is to be included into the Iona - Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Conservation Area.
See also
External links
- World66.com profile of Iona National Park
- Washington Post article on tourism in Angola, especially on National parks.
Coordinates: 16°40′S 12°20′E / 16.667°S 12.333°E
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