Uíge (pronunciation: ; ) is one of the eighteen Provinces of Angola, located in the northwestern part of the country. Its capital city is of the same name.

History

During the Middle Ages, the Uíge Province was the heartland of the Kongo Kingdom. The Bakongo North and South of the Kongo river were all part of this Kingdom, a centralized monarchy which for given periods of time also dominated part of the Ambundu further to the South. The kings lived in the city of M'banza-Kongo which had a population of about 50,000 in the 16th century. Knowledge of metallurgy among the Bakongo was renowned; their king was even called the "Blacksmith King". Their reign was first strengthened by the arrival of Portuguese priests who lived at the king's court and taught religion as well as literacy; the interaction with the Portuguese stronghold of Luanda was rather marginal for a long time. Things changed when the Portuguese started to conquer and occupy the hinterland in the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century, the Kongo kingdom still existed on paper and the court in M'banza-Kongo was maintained, but had lost any effective power. Now thought to be under control, there were 374 cases with 88% deaths. According to the United Nations, it was, at the time, the world's worst epidemic of any kind of hemorrhagic fever.

Geography

Uíge Province is located in northwestern Angola. It is bounded on the north by the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the west by the Zadi River, east by the Beu river and on the south by Beu town.

Municipalities

The province of Uíge contains sixteen municipalities ():

  • Alto Cauale
  • Ambuila
  • Bembe
  • Buengas
  • Bungo
  • Damba
  • Maquela do Zombo (Zombo)
  • Milunga (formerly Macocola)
  • Mucaba
  • Negage
  • Puri
  • Quimbele
  • Quitexe
  • Sanza Pombo
  • Songo
  • Uíge

Communes

The province of Uíge contains the following communes (), sorted by their respective municipalities:

  • Alto Cauale Municipality: - Bengo, Caiongo, Cangola
  • Ambuila Municipality: – Nova Ambuíla, Quipedro
  • Bembe Municipality: – Bembe, Lucunga (Lucanga), Mabaia
  • Buengas Municipality: – Buengas, Cuilo-Camboso, Nova Esperança
  • Bungo Municipality: – Bungo
  • Damba Municipality: – Camatambo, Damba, Lêmboa, Mabanza Sosso (Nsosso), Petecusso
  • Maquela do Zombo Municipality: – Beu, Cuilo-Futa, Maquela do Zombo (Zombo), Quibocolo, Sacandica
  • Milunga Municipality: – Macocola, Macolo, Massau, Santa Cruz de Milunga
  • Mucaba Municipality: – Mucaba, Uando
  • Negage Municipality: – Dimuca, Negage, Quisseque
  • Puri Municipality: – Puri
  • Quimbele Municipality: – Alto Zaza, Cuango, Icoca, Quimbele
  • Quitexe Municipality: – Aldeia Viçosa, Cambamba, Quitexe, Vista Alegre
  • Sanza Pombo Municipality: – Alfândega, Cuilo Pombo, Sanza Pombo, Uamba
  • Songo Municipality: – Kivuenga (Quivuenga), Songo
  • Uíge Municipality: – Uíge

Demographics

Uíge has a population 1,426,354. The Movoviao –Tetelo-Bembe copper exploration project is located in the province at the border with the Congo Republic. The project has been taken up under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2008 between Hansa Resources Limited of Canada and Angala Petroleum Services (S.A.R.L). Under this MOU, the Movio copper mine, which was operational between 1937 and 1961 as an open pit and underground mine, is being revived, in addition to the Bembe and Tetelco deposits. Several other minerals, such as cobalt, gold, lead, manganese, silver, vanadium, and zinc, have also been found in this region.

Landmarks

Some of the important monuments in the province are the tomb of Mekabango, and the tomb of king M’Bianda-N Gunga, ruler of the resistance movement.

São José church built in the 18th century is also located near Encope rock outcrop. A fort constructed in the 20th century is also located next to the church.

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Official website of province governor
  • Information on this province at the Angolan ministry for territorial administration (archived by the Wayback Machine 5 December 2013)
  • Information on this province at Info Angola (archived by the Wayback Machine 20 October 2016)
  • Province geographical info at geoview.info