Namaqualand

Namaqualand in South Africa is known as the "gem of the Northern Cape." Portions of this area were turned into a national park in 1999, to preserve the abundant wildlife and brilliant wildflowers native to the area.

Image date: 1 August 2000

Part of the US Geological Survey's "Earth as Art" collection of images taken by the Landsat 7 satellite.

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have collected from space information about Earth’s continents and coastal areas, enabling scientists to study many aspects of the planet and to evaluate changes caused by both natural processes and human practices. This image was created by visualizing both visible-light and infrared data in colors visible to the human eye; band combinations and colors were chosen to optimize their dramatic appearance.

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey [source has higher resolution version]

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