Benguela Current

The Benguela Current is the cold eastern boundary current of the South Atlantic, flowing equatorward along the southwest coast of Africa as the eastern limb of the South Atlantic subtropical gyre. Equatorward wind stress drives offshore Ekman transport, producing one of the most productive coastal upwelling systems on Earth, with cold, nutrient-rich water raised to the surface. The current’s northern edge meets warm Angola Current water at the Angola-Benguela Front. It is fed in part by Agulhas leakage from the Indian Ocean, which influences South Atlantic heat and salt budgets.