Cuanza Sul Province


Cuanza Sul Province is a province of Angola. It has an area of and a population of 1,881,873. Sumbe is the capital of the province.

History

The province was badly affected during the Angolan Civil War. A large number of civilians were killed in the clashes between National Union for the Total Independence of Angola and Angolan Armed Forces. Coffee plantations and fields were destroyed. Frequent attacks forced people to leave their municipalities. UNITA had opened its central front in the province. Around 116,000 displaced people were living in camps. The majority of them were from the rural areas and the densely populated plateau regions. On 17 December 2000, the UNITA combatants killed 31 FAA soldiers and looted vehicles, arms and about 20,000 litres of diesel in Quibala. In April 2001 they attacked FAA outposts and captured firearms.
Landmines laid during the civil war are still present and contracts to clear them were given to different organisations. They are still present in several areas. The province has a high density of landmines. In 2008 the province's Maria Restino Manuel was declared the Internet winner of Miss Landmine 2008. She had secured 29% of the online votes.

Geography

Municipalities in this province include Amboim, Cassongue, Conda, Ebo, Libolo, Mussende, Porto Amboim, Quibala, Quilenda, Seles, Sumbe and Waku-Kungo. Don founded the province in 1769 as Novo Redondo. Kibalas, N'goias, Musseles, Mussumbas and Bailundos are the major ethnic groups in the province. The Kimbundu language is most commonly used. Umbundu is also spoken. Bengo Province and Cuanza Norte Province are located to its north. Malanje and Bie Provinces are located to its east, while Huambo and Benguela provinces border it in south. The province's coastline on the Atlantic Ocean is in length. Cuanza Sul city lies on the southern bank of the Cuanza River.

Administration

The province's governor is Eusébio de Brito Teixeira. António da Gama Lopes Teixeira, Mateus Alves Morais de Brito and Maria de Lourdes Sousa Abambres Veiga are deputy governors for Technical and infrastructure Services, Economic Sector Area and Political and Social Sector Area respectively.

Economy and education

Coffee, cotton, fruits, rice and tobacco are the major agricultural products. The province has large deposits of alluvial and eluvial diamonds and Gypsum. Sumbe and Porto Amboim are major fish processing centres.
The Independent University of Angola is located in the province's capital and has emerged as the most important educational centre in the province. Established in August 2003 it offers courses in agronomy, veterinary science and forestry.

List of Governors of Cuanza Sul

NameYears in office
Manuel da Cruz Gaspar * 1975–1977
Luís Doukui Paulo de Castro * 1977–1979
Armando Fandano Ndembo * 1979–1982
Francisco José Ramos da Cruz * 1982–1992
Aurélio Segunda 1992–1994
Francisco José Ramos da Cruz 1994–1999
Francisco Higino Lopes Carneiro 1999–2002
Serafim Maria do Prado 2002–2012
Eusébio de Brito Teixeira 2012–2019
Job Pedro Castelo Capapinha 2019–

*