Cuando Cubango (Umbundu: Kwando Kubango Volupale) was a former province of Angola. It was divided into the provinces of Cuando and Cubango in 2024.
Cuando Cubango had an area of 199,049km2 and a population of 534,002 in 2014. Menongue was the capital of the province.
The name of the province derives from that of the Cuando and Cubango rivers, which flow through the eastern and western edges of the province, respectively.
History
Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, Cuando Cubango served as the location for the primary base camp of Angola's UNITA rebel movement, led by Jonas Savimbi. The rebel movement received support from the United States as part of the Cold War conflict against Angola's Marxist government, which was supported by the Soviet Union, Cuba and other communist states.
Savimbi and UNITA maintained a large and clandestine base camp in the Cubando Cubango town of Jamba. The camp was protected by anti-aircraft weapons and included an air strip, which was used for the delivery of military and other supplies, which typically arrived from neighboring Zaire. The Angolan Civil War ultimately became one of the most prominent conflicts of the Cold War, with both the United States and the Soviet Union depicting its outcome as important to the global balance of power.
Geography Cuando Cubango was traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. It was located in the extreme southeast of Angola. To the north and northeast it bordered Moxico Province, and in the west, the provinces of Huila and Cunene. In the south of Cuando Cubango it bordered Namibia, and to the east, Zambia.
Municipalities The province of Cuando Cubango contained nine municipalities ():
Calai Cuangar Cuchi Cuito Cuanavale Dirico Mavinga Menongue Nancova Rivungo
Communes The province of Cuando Cubango contained the following communes (), sorted by their respective municipalities:
Calai Municipality – Calai, Maué, Mavengue Cuangar Municipality – Caila (Bondo), Cuangar, Savate Cuchi Municipality – Chinguanja, Cuchi, Cutato (Kutato), Vissati Cuito Cuanavale Municipality – Baixo Longa, Cuito Cuanavale, Longa, Lupire (Lupiri) Dirico Municipality – Dirico, Mucusso, Xamavera Mavinga Municipality – Cunjamba Dima, Cutuile (Kutuile), Luengue, Mavinga Menongue Municipality – Caiundo (Kaiundo), Cueio-Betre, Menongue, Missombo Nancova Municipality – Nancova, Rito Rivungo Municipality – Chipundo, Jamba-Cueio, Luiana, Mainha Neriquinha, Rivungo
Natural history Considerable natural habitat previously existed within the province, although much of these areas has been destroyed during the period 1965 to 1991 during the foreign intervention years of the Angolan Civil War.John Frederick Walker. 2004Edward George. 2005 In particular, the area was previously suitable habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog, Lycaon pictus, which is now deemed extirpated in the local area.C. Michael Hogan. 2009
List of governors of Cuando Cubango
Name Years in office Mariano Garcia Puku1976–1979 Zacarias Pinto1979–1982 Manuel Francisco Tuta Batalha de Angola1982–1990 Domingos Hungo SKS1990–1995 Manuel Dala 1995–1998 José Kativa 1998–1999 Jorge Fernando Biwango 1999–2002 João Baptista Chindandi 2003–2008 Eusébio de Brito Teixeira 2008–2012 Francisco Higino Lopes CarneiroGoverno do Cuando Cubango 2012–2016 Pedro Mutindi 2017–2019Júlio Marcelino Vieira Bessa2019–2021José Martins2021–2024
References Citations
Bibliography , 9780415350150 354 pages C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Painted Hunting Dog: Lycaon pictus, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
External links Official website of province governor Information on this province at the Angolan ministry for territorial administration Information on this province at Info Angola United States government population statistics from 1988 angola.org.uk