Huambo, Angola
Region: Huambo
Geographic Coordinates: -12.776700, 15.734700
Temperature Range: 15.0°C to 25.0°C (59°F to 77°F)
Climate: Seasonal.
Population: 665564
Language: Portuguese
Huambo is a city situated in the central highlands of Angola, And it has a population of around 800, 000 people. Portuguese colonizers founded it in the early 20th century, And during colonial times, It served as an essential agricultural center. Nowadays, Huambo is one of the most extensive cities in Angola and acts as a vital transportation hub for the area. The city has an abundant cultural heritage and hosts several museums and art galleries that showcase traditional Angolan art forms like mask-making, Pottery, And weaving.
The Huambo Provincial Museum stands out because of its collection of artifacts from pre-colonial times through to modern-day Angola. Huambo also boasts numerous historic landmarks worth visiting. The Christ the King statue sits on top of a hill overlooking the town and offers breathtaking views of Huambo’s skyline. Additionally, Gustave Eiffel himself built an Eiffel Tower replica in 1902 that still stands tall today. Concerning its economy, Agriculture (especially coffee production), Mining (diamonds), And textiles manufacturing are among Huambo’s primary industries. Thanks to increased investment from both domestic and foreign sources over recent years, The city has experienced significant growth.
Despite being severely affected by decades-long civil war which ended in 2002 following peace agreements signed between government forces led by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ MPLA party against UNITA rebels led by Jonas Savimbi who was killed on February 22nd , 2002, Huambo has made remarkable strides towards rebuilding its infrastructure since then. In conclusion, Huambo is an attractive destination for tourists looking to explore this fascinating region at any time of year due to its unique blend of history, Culture, Natural beauty, And economic opportunity!
- Christ the King Statue
- Huambo Cathedral
- Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Tundavala Gap
- Bimbe Fort
- Kalandula Falls
- National Museum of Archaeology
- Municipal Market
- Serra da Chela Mountain Range
- Railway Museum
- Agriculture
- Coffee production
- Maize production
- Bean production
- Mining
- Diamond extraction
- Iron ore extraction
- Construction
- Infrastructure development projects
- Retail trade
- Shopping center development
- Transportation and logistics
- Central location within Angola’s road network
- The Battle of Huambo: This occurred during the Angolan Civil War in 1992 when government forces fought against UNITA rebels for control of the city.
- Jonas Savimbi: He was the leader of UNITA, a rebel group that fought against the Angolan government during the civil war. He was killed near Huambo in 2002.
- Agostinho Neto: A prominent Angolan politician who served as the country’s first president from 1975 until his death in 1979. He was born in Icolo e Bengo, which is near Huambo.
- The Portuguese colonial period: In 1912, Portuguese colonizers founded Huambo as Nova Lisboa (New Lisbon), and it became an essential center for agriculture and mining.
- The Bantu migration: Various Bantu-speaking tribes inhabited Huambo before colonization and migrated to this region over several centuries.
- The railway connection between Benguela and Lobito: This railway line connects Luanda to Zambia via Benguela City, Lobito City, Cubal River Bridge, Ganda Village, Kwanza River Bridge and finally to Kolwezi Congo DR
- Augusto Comte Matias Cardoso – A famous footballer who played for Recreativo do Libolo
- Huambo Railway Station
- Museu Regional de Huambo
- Cine Kalunga
- Monumento do Cristo Rei
- Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Monte Serrat
- Parque Nacional da Kissama (located outside of Huambo, but worth a visit)
- Galeria Tchiluanda Arte Contemporânea
- Casa das Artes
- Centro Cultural Casa dos Artistas
- Biblioteca Provincial de Huambo
- Petro de Huambo is a football club located in Huambo that was established in 1979. The team has won numerous regional championships and has competed in the Angolan National Championship.
- CD Ferroviário do Huambo is another football club based in Huambo that was founded in 1980. The team has also won many regional championships and competes at the national level.
- Académica do Lobito is a football club from Lobito that, despite not being based in Huambo, has a strong presence in the province due to its participation at the national level.
- Desportivo da Chela is a basketball team situated in Lubango but also participates at the provincial level with teams from Huambo.
- Atlético Olímpico Petróleos de Luanda (AOPL) is a basketball team from Luanda that frequently competes against local teams during provincial tournaments despite not originating from Huambo.
Overall, sports have played an essential role within Angola’s provinces such as Huambo by promoting unity and community development through these local clubs’ participation across various levels of competition across different sports disciplines such as football and basketball among others.
- Huambo International Trade Fair – This is an annual event that takes place in October to promote trade and investment opportunities in the region.
- Festa da Cidade – This is a celebration of the city’s founding anniversary, usually held on August 21st.
- Festival Internacional de Música do Planalto – This is an international music festival featuring local and international artists held annually in July.
- Carnaval de Huambo – The carnival is celebrated annually before Lent begins (usually February or March) with parades, music and dance performances.
- Festival Nacional da Canção Popular – A national song competition that takes place annually featuring popular Angolan musicians competing for prizes.
- Festa do Milho e da Cerveja- A beer and corn festival celebrated every year in June where visitors can enjoy traditional food made from corn while drinking local beer.
- Feira Agropecuária e Comercial de Huambo- An agricultural fair showcasing livestock exhibitions, farm machinery demonstrations as well as selling products from the region’s farmers held every year in September.
Note: Due to COVID-19 pandemic some of these events may be canceled or postponed until further notice.
- Muamba de Galinha – a traditional Angolan chicken stew made with palm oil and vegetables.
- Calulu – a dish made with dried fish or meat cooked with cassava leaves and served with rice.
- Mufete – a seafood platter consisting of grilled lobster, shrimp, and crab served with rice.
- Churrasqueira do Relâmpago – a popular restaurant known for its grilled meats and seafood dishes.
- Restaurante O Cais – another restaurant that serves traditional Angolan cuisine such as muamba de galinha and calulu.
- Casa dos Sabores – a cozy restaurant that offers both Angolan and Portuguese dishes including mufete.
Note: It is always recommended to check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip abroad due to the current pandemic situation around the world.
- Parque da Chiva is a public park that features walking trails, playgrounds, and sports facilities.
- Jardim Botânico is a botanical garden that boasts diverse plant species and picnic areas.
- Parque Nacional da Cangandala is a national park that offers hiking trails and opportunities for wildlife viewing.
- Estádio dos Kurikutelas serves as a stadium for soccer matches and other sporting events.
- Complexo Desportivo da Nossa Senhora do Monte is a sports complex with tennis courts, basketball courts, and soccer fields available for use.
- Praia Artificial de Huambo provides an artificial beach area where visitors can swim or sunbathe.
- Museu Regional de Huambo showcases the history of the area through regional exhibits in the museum.
- Lagoa dos Elefantes is a lake where visitors can go fishing or rent paddle boats to enjoy their time on the water.
- Campo Militar do Huambo opens its doors to the public on certain occasions as it functions as a military camp otherwise.
- Parque Infantil is perfect for children who are looking to play on swings, slides etc.
