Luanda Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Luanda
Capital city
Top: Agostinho Neto Memorial; National Assembly of Angola; Sonangol HQ; middle: view of Luanda; bottom: Bay of Luanda; Bank of Angola HQ.
Luanda Location in Angola Show map of Angola Luanda Location in Africa Show map of Africa
Country	Angola
Province	Luanda
Founded	1576
Area
• Capital city	116 km² (45 sq mi)
• Metro	1,876 km² (724 sq mi)
Elevation	6 m (20 ft)
Population (2020)
• Capital city	2,571,861
• Density	22,170/km² (57,420/sq mi)
• Metro	8,330,000
• Metro density	4,440/km² (11,500/sq mi)
	2019
Time zone	+1
HDI (2019)	0.697 Medium

Luanda is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport, and also the capital of the Luanda Province. Luanda and its metropolitan area is the most populous Portuguese-speaking capital city in the world and the most populous Lusophone city outside Brazil, with over 8.3 million inhabitants in 2020 (a third of Angola's population).

Among the oldest colonial cities of Africa, it was founded in January 1576 as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais. The city served as the centre of the slave trade to Brazil before its prohibition. At the start of the Angolan Civil War in 1975, most of the white Portuguese left as refugees, principally for Portugal. Luanda's population increased greatly from refugees fleeing the war, but its infrastructure was inadequate to handle the increase. This also caused the exacerbation of slums, or musseques, around Luanda. The city is undergoing a major reconstruction, with many large developments taking place that will alter its cityscape significantly.

The industries present in the city include the processing of agricultural products, beverage production, textile, cement, new car assembly plants, construction materials, plastics, metallurgy, cigarettes and shoes. The city is also notable as an economic centre for oil, and a refinery is located in the city. Luanda has been considered one of the most expensive cities in the world for expatriates. The inhabitants of Luanda are mostly members of the ethnic group of the Ambundu, but in recent times there has been an increase of the number of the Bakongo and the Ovimbundu. There exists a European population, consisting mainly of Portuguese. Luanda was the main host city for the matches of the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

Images for kids

São Miguel Fortress, founded in 1576 by Paulo Dias de Novais, today hosts the Armed Forces Museum.
Depiction of São Paulo da Assumpção de Luanda, 1755.
Portuguese Armed Forces marching in Luanda during the Portuguese Colonial Wars (1961–74).
President José Eduardo dos Santos with President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff at the Presidential Palace in 2011.
Luanda is experiencing widespread urban renewal and redevelopment in the 21st century, backed largely by profits from oil & diamond industries.
The National Assembly of Angola.
Aerial view of the City of Luanda and the Ilha de Luanda.
View of the Bay of Luanda.
Beach cabanas on Ilha de Luanda.
Miradouro da Lua in Samba district.
Luanda Cathedral was built in 1628.
N. Sra. da Nazaré Church, b. 1664.
Statue of Ana de Sousa.
National Museum of Anthropology.
National Museum of Slavery.
Cidade Financeira de Luanda.
High rises in downtown Luanda.
Marginal promenade along the bay.
Tower on Rua Kwame Nkrumah.
The Port of Luanda administration.
Luanda International Airport.
The Port of Luanda is one of the busiest ports in Africa.
Mutu-ya Kevela Prep. School.
Agostinho Neto University.
Estádio 11 de Novembro.

Luanda facts for kids

Images for kids

See also