Luanda

Luanda, also spelled Loanda, formerly São Paulo de Luanda, city, capital of Angola. Located on the Atlantic coast of northern Angola, it is the country’s largest city and one of its busiest seaports. Founded in 1576 by Paulo Dias de Novais and initially settled by the Portuguese, Luanda became the administrative center of the Portuguese colony of Angola in 1627 and was a major outlet for slave traffic to Brazil. The city is regarded as the capital of the Mbundu peoples, who have their roots in the surrounding area.

Luanda has a warm equable climate. The surrounding region fronts a tropical coastal plain that gives way to a tableland dissected and drained by the Cuanza River and other coastal streams. This city center museum is one of Luanda's most enlightening attractions. It was originally set up in the Fortaleza area in the 1930s but had to move as its collections became too large to accommodate. Nowadays, the halls and cabinets are jam-packed with Angolan fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects - giving a fascinating impression of the richness of the country's biodiversity. A particular attraction is the black sable antelope specimen, which you won't see anywhere else, but the colorful and beautiful animals on display.

Location: Luanda province, Angola

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