Cubango Province
{{Short description|Province of Angola}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Cubango
| native_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Province
| image_skyline = The Road to Work.jpg
| image_caption = Road near Longa in 2017
| image_map = Cubango in Angola (2024).svg
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|15|S|18|E|type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Angola}}
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 5 September 2024
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = Menongue
| leader_party = MPLA
| leader_title = Governor
| leader_name = José Martins
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
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| elevation_max_m =
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| population_total = 435583
| population_footnotes = {{cite web |last=Brinkhoff |first=Thomas |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/angola/communes/admin/ |title=Angola: Communes |website=City Population |date=14 November 2019 |access-date=30 December 2024}}
| population_as_of = May 2014
| pop_est_as_of =
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| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| timezone1 = WAT
| utc_offset1 = +1
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}}
Cubango is a province of Angola. It was created on 5 September 2024 from the western part of Cuando Cubango Province. Its capital is Menongue.{{cite news |url=https://mpla.ao/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Lei14.24de5deSetembro.pdf |title=Lei n.° 14/24 de 5 de Setembro |date=5 September 2024 |issue=171 |pages=9800–10505 |newspaper=Diário da República |publisher=Government of Angola |accessdate=30 December 2024}}
Geography and climate
Cubango borders the Angolan provinces of Cunene to the west, Huíla to the northwest, Bié to the north, Moxico to the northeast, and Cuando to the east. It also borders the Namibian regions of Kavango East, Kavango West, and Ohangwena to the southeast, south, and southwest respectively. The province is drained by the Cubango River, which forms most of the province's border with Namibia, and its tributary the Cuito River forms much of the province's border with Cuando.
The northern part of Cubango belongs to the dry miombo woodlands ecoregion, while the south falls in the Zambezian Baikiaea woodlands ecoregion.{{cite web |url=https://www.oneearth.org/bioregions/greater-african-subequatorial-savannas-mixed-woodlands-at11/ |title=Greater African Subequatorial Savannas & Mixed Woodlands Bioregion (AT11) |publisher=One Earth |access-date=30 December 2024}}
Cubango's climate varies from tropical in the north to semi-arid in the south. Annual rainfall ranges from {{cvt|1200|mm|in}} in the north to {{cvt|600|mm|in}} in the south.{{cite web |url=https://www.aipex.gov.ao/PortalAIPEX/#!/angola/cuando%20cubango |title=Cuando Cubango |language=pt |publisher=AIPEX |accessdate=30 December 2024}}
History
Since at least 2016, there have been proposals to divide Cuando Cubango, formerly Angola's second largest province by area, into two smaller provinces.{{cite web |url=https://novojornal.co.ao/politica/interior/kuando-kubango-e-moxico-podem-ser-alvo-de-divisao-politico-administrativa-9193.html |title=Kuando Kubango e Moxico podem ser alvo de divisão politico-administrativa |language=pt |date=1 April 2016 |publisher=Novo Jornal |accessdate=30 December 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://kesongo.com/divisao-politico-administrativa-cria-mais-cinco-provincias/ |title=Divisão Político-Administrativa cria mais cinco províncias |language=pt |date=29 April 2022 |publisher=Kesongo |accessdate=30 December 2024}} On 14 August 2024, Angola's National Assembly approved a law to create three new provinces, including the division of Cuando Cubango into the provinces of Cuando and Cubango. This law went into effect with its publication in the official gazette of Angola on 5 September 2024.
Administration
Cubango is divided into the eleven municipalities of Caiundo, Calai, Chinguanja, Cuangar, Cuchi, Cutato, Longa, Mavengue, Menongue, Nancova, and Savate. Caiundo is further subdivided into the communes of Caiundo and Jamba Cueio; Cutato is subdivided into the communes of Cutato and Vissati; Longa is subdivided into the communes of Baixo Longa and Longa; Mavengue is subdivided into the communes of Maué and Mavengue; and Nancova is subdivided into the communes of Nancova and Rito.
The first governor of Cubango is José Martins, who was appointed in December 2024 after having been the last governor of Cuando Cubango.{{cite web |url=https://www.angop.ao/noticias/sociedade/governador-jose-martins-apresentado-a-populacao-do-cubango/ |title=Governador José Martins apresentado à populaçaõ do Cubango |language=pt |date=28 December 2024 |publisher=ANGOP |accessdate=30 December 2024}}
Demographics
The former communes that now make up the territory of Cubango reported a combined population of 435,583 in the 2014 Angolan census. A variety of languages are spoken in Cubango, with Nganguela being the most common.{{cite web |url=http://info-angola.ao/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=12&Itemid=1260 |title=Cuando Cubango |language=pt |website=Info-Angola |access-date=30 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031130608/http://info-angola.ao/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=12&Itemid=1260 |archive-date=31 October 2016}}
Economy and infrastructure
The main agricultural activity in Cubango is cattle, goat and sheep farming. An iron mine at Cutato began operations in 2021, and is run by a public–private partnership between state-owned Ferrangoland and the Brazilian company Modulax.{{cite web |last=Moilwe |first=Keletso |url=https://energycapitalpower.com/biggest-mines-in-angola-by-production/ |title=Biggest Mines in Angola by Production |date=13 May 2022 |publisher=Energy Capital & Power |accessdate=31 December 2024}} Ore from the mine is transported to the port of Namibe in Moçâmedes via the Moçâmedes Railway, which runs near the site and terminates at Menongue.{{cite web |url=https://www.cscangola.ao/mineracao?lang=en |title=Mining |year=2021 |publisher=Companhia Siderúrgica do Cuchi |accessdate=31 December 2024}}
As of 2024, Menongue Airport has regularly scheduled service on TAAG Angola Airlines to Luanda and Cuíto.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/DT |title=TAAG routes and airport map |website=FlightsFrom |accessdate=31 December 2024}} Roads in the province south of Caiundo have been in poor condition since the end of the Angolan Civil War.{{cite web |url=https://dw.angonet.org/wp-content/uploads/KKubango-Vulnerability-Assessment-Report-June-2004.pdf |title=AVALIAÇÃO DA VULNERABILIDADE DA POPULAÇÃO À INSEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR |publisher=Grupo Provincial de Análise de Vulnerabilidade, Kuando Kubango |date=May 2004 |accessdate=31 December 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ioverlander.com/places/88403-rough-road-south-of-caiundo |title=Rough Road south of Caiundo – Warning |website=iOverlander |date=8 August 2024 |accessdate=31 December 2024}}