Do you live on the coast of Angola and want an adventure in the interior? We suggest a trip that will show you a very different Angola, let's go to the city of Menongue, the capital of the Cuando Cubango province.
Menongue is a city and municipality in Angola, the capital of the Cuando-Cubango province in the southern part of the country.
According to population projections for 2018, it has a population of 361,446 inhabitants and a territorial area of 23,565 km², making it the most populous municipality in the province.
During Portuguese rule, it was called "Serpa Pinto" until it changed its name in 1975. Its previous name was intended to honor the military officer and explorer Alexandre Alberto da Rocha de Serpa Pinto.
The town was founded by the Portuguese between November 1884 and February 1885, in an effort to quickly establish a presence in the area due to the colonial partition of Angola defined by the Berlin Conference, which dictated that the division of the continent depended on the effective occupation of territories by European countries.
There was a risk of Cuando-Cubango being occupied by the English, which led the Portuguese Empire to quickly send the military officer Alexandre Alberto da Rocha de Serpa Pinto to establish an administrative post on the banks of the Cuebe River.
With the first creation of the Cubango district in 1920, the village of Forte Muene Vunongue was elevated to a town with the name Serpa Pinto. In 1961, on the date of the district's re-creation, the town was elevated to a city with the name Serpa Pinto.
After independence, the settlement became known as Menongue.
It is bordered to the north by the municipality of Chitembo, to the east by the municipalities of Cuito Cuanavale and Nancova, to the south by the municipality of Cuangar, and to the west by the municipalities of Cuanhama, Cuvelai, and Cuchi.
The municipality is comprised of the seat commune, equivalent to the city of Menongue, and the communes of Caiundo, Cueio-Betre, and Missombo.
Menongue is a city and municipality in Angola, the capital of the Cuando-Cubango province in the southern part of the country.
According to population projections for 2018, prepared by the National Institute of Statistics, it has a population of 361,446 inhabitants and a territorial area of 23,565 km², making it the most populous municipality in the province.
Area: 199 049 km²
Municipality(ies): Calai, Cuangar, Cuchi, Cuito Cuanavale, Dirico, Mavinga, Menongue, Nancova, and Rivungo
Population:601,454 inhabitants (2018)
It is advisable to stay for 2 to 5 days in order to make the most of your stay.
There are several ways to get there.
There are several accommodation options in the city of Menongue, from guesthouses, residencials to hotels. All of them will provide you with a different experience, but we highlight:
It's hard to run out of things to do in the province, as there are several reference tourist spots where your adventurous spirit can take you.
Whether it's a walk through the city or an adventure exploring some of the natural wonders, we highlight some of the historical tourist spots in the province:
What to eat?
The typical dishes are: corn pudding (this is a local version of the typical Angolan funge, a flour that becomes paste-like when cooked), dried meat and game, dried fish...
Cuito Cuanavale - It is a village and municipality in the Cuando-Cubango province, Angola.
Cuando Cubango, Angola
It has an area of 35,610 km² and a population of about 65,000 inhabitants. It is bordered to the north by the municipality of Luchazes, to the east by the municipality of Mavinga, to the south by the municipality of Nancova, and to the west by the municipalities of Menongue and Chitembo. The municipality consists of the communes of Cuito Cuanavale, Longa, Lupire, and Baixo Longa.
History
Some of the bloodiest clashes of the Angolan civil war took place in this municipality. On one side, the MPLA's armed forces (FAPLA), backed by the Cuban army, fought against the armed forces of UNITA (FALA), supported by the South African army. Thousands of fighters from both sides died. At the end of the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, both UNITA and the MPLA declared victory. The biggest consequence of this conflict was the withdrawal of Cuban and South African forces from Angolan territory, and the subsequent independence of Namibia. continue reading
Sendje Catholic Mission - Cuchi - In 1953, as a result of the development of the Portuguese Province, the Congregation accepted the challenge of launching missions in Angola. Six missionaries were sent from Porto to Cuchi that year, and they began establishing missions there. In a few years, the missionary zeal of those men had spread the Redemptorist charism throughout Angola, and new missionaries were sent every year to accompany them. continue reading
Menongue e a província do Cuando Cubango são um dos locais ainda pouco explorados em Angola