Coastal forests of eastern Africa
Encyclopedia
The Coastal forests of eastern Africa is a tropical moist forest
region along the east coast of Africa. The region was designated a biodiversity hotspot
by Conservation International
.
The forests extend in al narrow band along the coast of the Indian Ocean
, from southern Somalia
in the north, through coastal Kenya
and Tanzania
to the mouth of the Limpopo River
in southern Mozambique
.
The World Wildlife Fund divides the coastal forests into two ecoregions: the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, which extends from southern Somalia through coastal Kenya to southern Tanzania, and includes the islands of Zanzibar
and Pemba, and the Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic
, which extends from southern Tanzania along the Mozambique coast to the mouth of the Limpopo.
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
region along the east coast of Africa. The region was designated a biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
by Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
.
The forests extend in al narrow band along the coast of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, from southern Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in the north, through coastal Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
to the mouth of the Limpopo River
Limpopo River
The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. It is around long, with a drainage basin in size. Its mean annual discharge is 170 m³/s at its mouth...
in southern Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
.
The World Wildlife Fund divides the coastal forests into two ecoregions: the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, which extends from southern Somalia through coastal Kenya to southern Tanzania, and includes the islands of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
and Pemba, and the Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic
Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic
Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic is the southern variation of Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic.The ecoregion which runs from the Lukuledi river in Tanzania almost the whole way to the mouth of the Limpopo river, supports habitats of forest, savanna and swamps...
, which extends from southern Tanzania along the Mozambique coast to the mouth of the Limpopo.
External links
- Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania (Tanzania Forest Conservation Group)
- Coastal forests of eastern Africa (Conservation International)
- Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic (World Wildlife Fund)
- Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic (World Wildlife Fund)
- African Wild Dog Conservancy's Biodiversity Hotspots Page