Luanda, Angola

Bay of Luanda, Luanda, Angola
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bay_of_Luanda.jpg
Author: Paulo César Santos
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Luanda is the capital, chief seaport and biggest city in Angola. Formerly known as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, it was founded in 1575 and has a population of 5 million people. The city is also the capital of Luanda Province.

Luanda was founded by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais on 25 January 1576. The city today bears remains of its Portuguese past, particular the early fortresses. There were three built - Fortaleza São Pedro da Barra in 1618, Fortaleza de São Miguel in 1634 and Forte de São Francisco do Penedo in 1756. Of these, Fortaleza de São Miguel is the best preserved.

City of Luanda, Angola
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luanda_feb09_ost07.jpg
Author: Lars Rohwer
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Until the independence of Angola in 1975, the majority of Luanda's population were of Portuguese extraction. However the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and the Angolan Civil War of 1975-2002 saw a change in demographics for the city, as most of the ethnic Portuguese in the city left the country, mostly for Portugal and some for South Africa. For a number of years, the city was faced with a shortage of skilled workers. At the same time, it received an influx of refugees from the rural areas what swelled its population of unskilled labor. Slums appeared all around Luanda to house these squatters.

The end of the civil war in 2002, along with oil revenue, has translated in a building boom for Luanda and an improvement in public infrastructure. This is most apparent to those who visit the city regularly since 2002. Public transportation also improves with the recontruction of railway lines and the opening of a new international airport, scheduled for 2011.

Fortaleza de São Miguel, Luanda
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luanda-SMiguelFort2.jpg
Author: Erik Cleves Kristensen
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Visiting Luanda

TAAG Angola Airlines is the national carrier of Angola. It offer flights to 15 domestic destinations as well as a number of cities in Africa including Johannesburg and Kinshasa.

Places of Interest in Luanda

Augostinho Neto Mausoleum
Mausoleum to the first President of Angola who was instrumental in fighting for the country's independence. The obelisk-shaped structure is a local landmark.
Fortaleza de São Miguel
Fortress built in 1575. It served as the administrative center for the Portuguese colonial forces, developing into a self-contained city if its own right.
Fortaleza de São Pedro da Barra
17th century fortress that was used as a defence fort as well as a detention center for slaves.
Igreja da Nazare
Church built in 1664 renowned for its Italian rose marble altar.
Igreja Nossa Senhora do Pópulo (Igreja da Sé)
Originally the cathedral of Luanda, this is also the first Anglican church in the city.
National Museum of Natural History
Museum showcasing the local wildlife from birds to mammals, fish, crustaceans and insects.
National Museum of Slavery
Housed in Capa de Casa Grande, the detention center for slaves enroute to the Americas, mostly Brazil, the museum exhibits photos and items related to the days of slavery.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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