Luanda is the capital of which country. Virtual trip to Luanda - the capital of Angola Which country is the capital of Luanda

Luanda is the capital of Angola and one of the largest cities in the country. Luanda is located on the Atlantic coast. Population: 2 825 311 people (2012). Time zone: UTC + 1. Coordinates: 8 ° 50'00 ″ S sh. 13 ° 14'00 ″ east d

History of Luanda

In the 17th-19th centuries Luanda was a major center of the slave trade. About three million blacks were taken out through the port. In the twentieth century, the city became the center of the national liberation movement for the country's independence.

In 1961, civil war broke out in Luanda. In 1975 Angola gained independence. It was decided to simplify the name of the capital, so the name of São Paulo de Luanda was shortened to Luanda.

Luanda today

Luanda is a port city. Almost all goods available in the capital are imported. There is an international airport on the territory of the capital. Transportation by the city is provided by buses and taxis.

Luanda Map

Luanda landmarks

The Upper Luanda is home to the Parliament, the Cathedral, the President's and Bishop's Palace.

The city's attractions include local beaches. Belash, Mussulu, Korimba, Ile are especially popular.

Literature lovers will undoubtedly be delighted by the collections of books collected in the National and Municipal Libraries.

Luanda has several interesting markets: Rocky Santeiro and Benfica, specializing in African art.

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Luanda lies on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, at the confluence of the Kwanza River, in the northwest of Angola. Beyond the urban area, grassy and bushy savannahs begin - a world of wild nature, where elephants, lions, leopards, zebras, antelopes, monkeys live in their natural environment. Despite active opposition to poaching by government organizations, the number of wild fauna is declining.

City `s history

Luanda has a history of over 400 years. Before the arrival of the European colonialists, there was no permanent settlement on the territory of the modern city, only temporary settlements of nomadic pastoralists.
The city of Luanda was founded in 1575 by the Portuguese traveler and the first captain-governor of Portuguese Angola, Paulo Dias de Novais (circa 1510 - 1589). He also gave the name to the new city - São Paulo da Assumpcio de Luanda. The name combined the name of Dias de Novais himself and the word "Luanda", which the aborigines used to designate the location of the settlement. "Luanda" in the languages ​​of local tribes meant the name of the cowrie shell, which was collected on the island opposite the new city and which from ancient times until the beginning of the 20th century. served as the local currency.
Immediately after the founding of the city, the Portuguese began to build a fortress: on a rocky promontory, they erected forts, one of which - San Miguel - is the best preserved to this day and was turned into the Museum of the Armed Forces of Angola.
At first, a hundred families of settlers and four hundred soldiers of the garrison of the fort settled in the city. Luanda quickly became a staging ground for Portuguese colonial expansion in southern Africa.
In 1641, the Portuguese authorities were forced to cede Luanda to the Dutch, who renamed it Fort Aardenburg, but seven years later the Portuguese reclaimed the city.
For three centuries (from 1550 to 1836) Luanda was the largest center of the slave trade in southern Africa, and about 3 million Africans were exported to Brazil through it. In addition, the future capital of Angola until the 19th century. remained the largest base of Portuguese expansion in the region.
In Luanda, the influence of the Brazilians was so strong that informally the city could be called a colony of Brazil, which itself was a Portuguese colony and gained independence only in 1822.
In 1836, the slave trade in Luanda was banned, but the city did not suffer economic collapse. In 1844, a seaport was opened here, and the export of palm and nut oil, valuable species of wood, coffee, cotton and cocoa was gradually established. The city began to produce flour, tobacco, corned beef.
The colonial war of Portugal (1961-1974), provoked by the national liberation movement in the African colonies, practically did not affect Luanda. After the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974, when a bloodless military coup took place in Portugal, Angola gained independence, after which a long civil war began in the country. The development of the city practically stopped, the port froze. Most of the white Portuguese left the city.
After the end of the civil war in 2002, Luanda's economy began to skyrocket through the oil and diamond trade.
Today Luanda is developing through the efforts of people who have amassed a fortune through the diamond and oil trade.
Modern Luanda is not only the administrative center of Angola. As a result of centuries of conversion of the local population to Catholicism, Luanda became the Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Angola.
In terms of economic indicators, Luanda is far from poor. The region's natural resources provide a reliable income: Luanda exports diamonds, oil and fish. Food remains the main import item: in Luanda, almost all food products are imported.
The local industry processes agricultural products, produces soft drinks, tobacco and building materials.
In terms of plan, Luanda is divided into two parts: Baja de Luanda (lower city) - on the flat bank of a wide bay, protected from the surf by a sand bar (there is a port and business district), and Cidada Alta (upper city) - on a high terrace , where the seat of the government is located, the palaces of the archbishop and the former governor-general, old residential quarters with buildings in the Portuguese colonial style. Since the 1950s. Luanda expands in a semicircle inland. The city center is lined with the homes of the well-to-do townspeople, the suburbs - which in Luanda are called "muskeches" - are a chaotic squatter.
Currently, the city is actively being built up with new buildings belonging to the "new Angolans" - those who managed to get rich on the trade of natural resources: oil (produced on the coastal shelf near Luanda) and diamonds.
In 2008, Luanda was named the most expensive city in the world, surpassing even Tokyo, which has firmly held the title of the most expensive city in the world for many years. The reason is that in Luanda the prices for goods and services are incredibly high, and the infrastructure is still not put in order after thirty years of civil war. Most of the inhabitants of the outskirts of Luanda can hardly make ends meet.
Luanda has been hit hard by recent military conflicts. Nevertheless, some colonial-style buildings and mosaic sidewalks have survived here.

Population

Although much in the city still reminds of the civil war, in Luanda, living conditions are comparatively more favorable than in the rest of Angola, so the number of the local population has grown significantly in recent years. The modern inhabitants of the capital are mainly representatives of the Bantu peoples, but in communication with each other they use Portuguese, which has remained the state language in Angola and is gradually replacing other languages. Young people in Luanda speak primarily Portuguese.
Luanda has preserved traditions of musical culture and dance, which clearly have a connection with the musical traditions of Brazil and the Caribbean islands. The Carnival of Victory and folklore contests are very popular in the city.

general information

Location: Southwest Africa.

Capital and largest city of the Republic of Angola, the administrative center of the province of Luanda.

Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu languages ​​(Kimbundu, Umbundu, Kikongo).

Ethnic composition: orimbundu, mbanda, bakongo, lunda, chokwe, ngantuela, kuanyama, Europeans, mestizo.

Religions: Catholicism, Protestant (Baptist, Methodist and Congregational), Animism.
Currency unit: kwanza.
The most important airport: Luanda-Cuatro de Fevereiro International Airport.

Numbers

Population: 2,825,311 (agglomeration - more than 5 million) (2012).
Population density: 25,002.8 people / km 2 (agglomerations - 2068 people / km 2).

Poverty rate: 53%

Height above level: 6 m.

Climate and weather

Average January temperature: + 25.5 ° C.

Average temperature in July: + 21 ° C.

Average annual rainfall: 323 mm.
Rainy season: March - April.
Relative humidity: 78,5%.

Economy

Administrative, commercial, industrial and transport center of Angola.

Minerals: oil and diamonds.

Industry: oil refining, food, tobacco, textile, construction materials production.

Sea port.

Fishing.
Services sector: tourist, transport, trade.

sights

Curious facts

In the building of Fort San Miguel, the Museum of the Armed Forces of Angola was opened, the decision to create which was made back in 1975, after the country gained independence.
In the halls of the museum there are tanks, airplanes and other weapons that were used during the war of independence.

Fort San Francisco do Pinedo in Luanda, built in 1765-1766, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Luanda artisans traditionally make ceremonial masks, figurines from various materials (ivory, stone, bronze, ceramics, wood), as well as dishes (straw, clay, wooden dishes, jugs, plates, vases).

The Peace Monument in Luanda is a pretty battered infantry fighting vehicle with a huge white dove of peace attached to it.

The word "Luanda" also means "tribute", "tax", "tax". The indigenous inhabitants of the Luandian lands paid tribute to the local leaders with the same cowrie shells.

The mausoleum of the first President of Angola, Antonio Agostinho Neto (1922-1979), resembles a rocket ready for launch and mounted on a tomb with a hexagonal roof. The mausoleum is located on the ocean coast. Work on preparing the body for stay in the Angolan mausoleum was carried out in the laboratory at the Moscow mausoleum for three months.
In 1992, at the request of the family of the deceased, the president's remains were buried, and the construction of the mausoleum was never completed.

Luanda has preserved the old Angolan tradition of making mushimbu - wind instruments from huge sea shells.

The Republic of Angola is a country in southwestern Africa. The capital is Luanda. This city is ranked third in the world for the number of people who speak Portuguese. The first two places are occupied by the South American cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The capital of Angola is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

Luanda is over four hundred years old. The year of its foundation is 1575. The founder of the city is the Portuguese Paulo Dias de Novais, who named it in São Paulo da Assumpcio de Luanda. Translated as "cowrie shell". It was the local currency of Angola until the early twentieth century.

In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Portuguese ceded Luanda to Holland, but after 7 years the city returned to Portugal. From the 16th to the early 19th century, the capital of Algeria was considered one of the centers of the slave trade in South Africa.

What is the capital of Angola

Towards the middle of the nineteenth century, the slave trade was prohibited, but the city's economy did not suffer, as a seaport was soon established here, which was used for export. Exported:

• Palm oil
• peanut butter
• coffee beans
• cotton
• cocoa

In 1974, Portugal underwent a change of government through a bloodless coup. After the change of the Portuguese government, Angola, whose capital has invariably remained Luanda, became an independent country. However, immediately after gaining independence, a terrible civil war began in the country, which dragged on for many years. The development of Luanda ceased, the port ceased to function. Many Portuguese left the country.

Luanda- the capital of Angola, the largest city in the country. Luanda is one of the largest African cities with a population of 4.5 million.

Luanda is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, it is one of the major ports on the Atlantic coast of Africa.

The city is located in the Southern Hemisphere, 900 km south of the equator.

Map

sights

There are many attractions in Luanda; it is an interesting city.

Former residence of the Portuguese Governor General Is a luxurious palace located in the center of the Angolan capital. It is always open to visitors, here you can get acquainted with the interior of the palace. The interior has been preserved since the Portuguese colonization.

Mausoleum of Augustinho Neto - one of the leaders of the uprising for the independence of Angola is buried here.

Football stadium - accommodates 60 thousand spectators, football in the capital of Angola is the most popular sport.

Fortress-fort of San Miguel - it houses the historical museum, which was discussed above in this article. Here Luanda was founded by the Portuguese.

National Library - one of the places of cultural recreation for residents of the capital of Angola.

Luanda Center- built up with one-storey houses in a typical Portuguese colonial style. There are many medieval narrow streets, many shops, cafes, restaurants, and there are always a lot of tourists here.

Museums

There are many interesting museums in Luanda.

Historical Museum - located on the territory of the fortress of San Miguel, the place where the Portuguese founded their colony. The museum details the history of Angola and the struggle of the Angolan people for independence from Portuguese oppression. There are many interesting historical photographs and documents.

Angola Armed Forces Museum - tells visitors about the main periods of the formation and development of the Angolan army. Shown here are the weapons that the Angolan army has.

Slavery museum- an interesting museum, the expositions of which are devoted to the slave trade on the African continent.

Natural History Museum - talks about the geological structure of the territory of Angola, about the minerals that are mined in the country.

Anthropological museum - tells about the history of the settlement of the territory of Angola by ancient people.

Story

The capital of Angola was founded by the Portuguese conquistador Paulo Dias de Novais in 1575. The city was named São Paulo de Luanda. The city bore this name until 1975, until it received its modern name - Luanda.

In 1641, the city and the entire territory of modern Angola were captured by the Dutch, but their reign was short-lived - only 7 years. In 1648, the Portuguese took control of São Paulo de Luanda.

Sao Paulo de Luanda became the largest center for the black slave trade in Africa during the Portuguese colonization. The slave trade lasted from the 17th to the 19th century, during this period 3 million black slaves were exported from Africa through the port of Luanda.

In the 20th century, a national liberation movement for independence from Portugal unfolded in Luanda.

In 1961, a civil war began, which ended in 1974 with the granting of independence to Angola by Portugal. Luanda becomes the capital of the newly independent state.

The new government of Angola embarked on a course of building communism, and, since 1978, the territory of Angola, including Luanda, has been repeatedly attacked by South Africa, where at that time the policy of apartheid was pursued. The country was run by the UNITA separatist group.

In 1991, an agreement on a ceasefire and a peaceful settlement of the conflict was signed between the government of Angola and the UNITA group.

Luanda is today one of the most expensive capitals in the world, and in 2008 the capital of Angola ranked first in the world for the cost of living.

Monuments

Luanda's most famous monument is the Peace Monument. This is a sculptural composition consisting of a plywood dove and a real infantry fighting vehicle.

Religious buildings

There are many ancient churches in Luanda:

- the Jesuit church;

- Temple of the Carmelites;

- Church of the Virgin Mary of Nazareth;

- Church of Nossa Senhora do Cabo;

- Cathedral;

- Church of Nossa Senhora de Nazare;

- Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo;

- Church of Nossa Senhora de Remedios;

- Church of Mercy;

- the church of Jesus.

All churches in Luanda are Catholic.

Parks

Kissama Park is located 70 km from Luanda - this is a park that consists of an untouched rainforest.

Railway stations

Luanda has a train station and a passenger service. By train from the capital of Angola, you can reach the city of Malange, which is located in the center of Angola.

Climate

Luanda has a tropical climate. There are no changes of seasons, summer reigns all year round. You can swim in the Atlantic Ocean in the Luanda region all the time throughout the year. A distinctive feature of Luanda's climate is low humidity. It rains a little here.