The homeland of the
Ovimbundu is located in west-central Angola. This includes the Bie Plateau,
central highlands, and the coastal strip to the west of these highlands. The
plateau is were the majority of their agriculture takes place with crops such
as corn, rice, coffee, peanuts, sugarcane, and beans. Along the coastal regions
is where mainly fishing takes place. The plateau and the areas surrounding it
are great places for agriculture because several major rivers originate from
the plateau. These rivers provide an adequate water supply for irrigation for
crops. These rivers include the Cunene River, the Kuanza River, the Kwango
River, and the Zambezi River. Most of these rivers flow west and end up at the
Atlantic Ocean but the Cunene flows south before turning west towards the
Atlantic. The climate in this area is also cool enough and receives enough
rainfall that agriculture thrives. This is why nearly half of the rural
population resides along the plateau.
The
Ovimbundu inhabit an area where the climate usually alternates between rainy or
dry. The dry, cooler season extends from June to later in September and the
rainy season takes place from October to April or May. Rainfall greatly
determines the climate and decreases rapidly from north to south. The Bie
Plateau receives about fifty-seven inches of rain per year. The climate also
varies from the coast to the central plateau. It is a much cooler climate along
the coastal line of Angola because of the Benguela Current, which brings about
fog, low clouds, and mist. However, regions across the highlands and the inner
plateau can become cooler due to their altitude.
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