Luanda << loo AHN duh >> is the capital and largest city of Angola and the country’s chief industrial center and port. It lies on the west coast of Africa, along the Atlantic Ocean. Luanda has a population of about 3 million. Its industrial facilities include foundries; sawmills; textile mills; and cement, printing, and food-processing plants. An airport and a railroad serve the city.
The Portuguese established a colony in Angola in 1575 and founded Luanda in 1576. The city became the main center of Portuguese settlement in Angola. The Portuguese built many impressive European-style structures in Luanda, including a fortress, churches, libraries, business and government buildings, and apartment buildings. Run-down areas called shantytowns lie outside the city.
Angola gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. Civil war broke out after Angola became independent, and most of the Portuguese left.
