Luanda is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, it is the country's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Among the oldest colonial cities of Africa, Luanda was founded in January 1576 as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais.
16th–18th centuries
1530s – "Portuguese establish a slave-trading station." 1575 – Church built on Ilha de Luanda. 1576 São Paulo da Assumpção de Loanda founded by Portuguese Paulo Dias de Novais. Fortress of São Miguel built. 1605 – Settlement recognized as a city. 1618 – Fortaleza São Pedro da Barra built. 1623 – Jesuit college founded. 1634 – Fortress of São Miguel rebuilt. 1641 – Capture of Luanda by Dutch. 1648 – Returned to being a Portuguese possession. 1679 – Cathedral of Luanda built. 1684 – Bishop's seat relocated to Luanda from São Salvador. 1764 – Arquivo Historico de Angola organized. 1766 – Fortress of São Francisco do Penedo rebuilt. 1769 – Aula de Geometria e Fortificacao (educational institution) founded. 1781 – Population: 9,755. 1796 – Population: 7,204.
19th century 1816 – Population: 4,689. 1836 – Slave trade declared illegal. 1844 Port opens to foreign shipping. Population: 5,605. 1850 – Population: 12,565. 1865 – Banco Nacional Ultramarino branch opens. 1873 – Biblioteca Municipal established. 1881 – O Echo de Angola begins publication. 1889 – Luanda Railway and aqueduct begin operating. 1896 – Palácio de Ferro (iron palace) assembled.
20th century
1908 – Voz de Angola newspaper begins publication. 1910 – Population: 15,000 (approximate). 1913 – Angolan League founded in Luanda. 1923 – A Provincia de Angola newspaper begins publication. 1930 – Diario de Luanda newspaper begins publication. 1940 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda established. Population: 61,028. 1942 – Liceu Salvador Correia de Sa (school) built. 1950 – Population: 141,647. 1951 – Mensagem literary magazine begins publication. 1954 – General Craveiro Lopes Airport inaugurated. 1956 Museu Nacional de História Natural de Angola (Natural History Museum of Angola) built. People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola headquartered in Luanda. 1958 – Petroleum refinery built by Fina Petroleos de Angola. 1960 – Population: 224,540. 1962 – Estudos Gerais Universitários de Angola founded. 1964 – (cinema) built. 1969 – National Library of Angola founded. 1970 – Population: 475,328 urban agglomeration. 1975 June: Angolan Civil War begins. 11 November: City becomes part of independent Republic of Angola. União dos Escritores Angolano (writer's union) established. Televisao Publica de Angola headquartered in city. 1976 Museu Nacional de Antropologia (National Anthropology Museum) and Grupo Desportivo Interclube football club founded. National Bank of Angola headquartered in city. 1978 – Angola Red Cross and Cinemateca Nacional de Angola headquartered in city. 1979 University of Angola established. 17 September: Funeral of Agostinho Neto. 1980 – Empresa de Electricidade de Luanda (electricity company), Atlético Petróleos de Luanda football club, and National Centre for Historical Documentation and Research established. 1981 – August–September: Central African Games held in city. 1985 – City joins the newly formed . 1988 – Elinga Theater established. 1989 – October: International Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa meets in Luanda. (Includes chronology) 1991 – October: UNITA headquarters relocated to Luanda from Jamba. 1992 Luanda Antena Comercial (radio) begins broadcasting. 30 October-1 November: Three Day War. 1993 – Population: 1,822,407 (urban agglomeration). 1997 Jornal do Rangel newspaper begins publication. National Museum of Slavery founded. 1999 Catholic University of Angola and Cha de Caxinde publishing firm founded. January: UNITA-R congress held in city. 2000 – Population: 2,591,000 (urban agglomeration).
21st century
2001 – Boa Vista shantytown residents evicted. 2003 – Estádio Joaquim Dinis built. 2005 – Population: 3,533,000 (urban agglomeration). 2006 – African Diamond Producers Association headquartered in city. 2007 Feira Internacional de Luanda (international fair) established. January: Flooding. Edificio GES, Edificio Sonangol, and Torres Atlantico towers built. 2008 – Construction of Angola International Airport begins. 2009 Estádio 11 de Novembro opens. Luanda International Jazz Festival begins. March: Catholic pope visits city; stampede at Estádio dos Coqueiros. Francisca Espírito Santo becomes governor of Luanda Province (approximate date). 2010 Luanda Railway resumes operating. Edificio Zimbo Tower built. 2011 Intercontinental Hotel built. Jose Maria dos Santos becomes governor of Luanda Province (approximate date). Population: 5,068,000. 2012 Angola Sovereign Wealth Fund headquartered in city. Political protest. Kilamba housing development built near city. 2013 – 1 January: Stampede at Estádio da Cidadela. 2014 – Graciano Francisco Domingos becomes governor of Luanda Province (approximate date). 2018 – Population: 2,487,444 (estimate, urban agglomeration). 2021 – Lusophony Games to be held in Luanda.
See also Luanda history History of Luanda (in Portuguese) List of newspapers in Luanda List of colonial governors of Angola, headquartered in Luanda (until 1975) Timeline of Benguela
References
This article incorporates information from the Portuguese Wikipedia.
Bibliography
Published in 19th century
Published in 20th century
(Includes Luanda)
Published in 21st century 2000s
(review in H-Luso-Africa)
2010s
(Includes articles about Luanda)
External links
(Bibliography of open access articles) (Images, etc.) (Images, etc.) (Bibliography) (Bibliography) (Bibliography)