Luanda

Luanda (pop. 1,400,000), capital and largest city of Angola. Located on the west coast of Africa, Luanda is a manufacturing center and port. Its industries include saw and textile mills, cement, printing, and food processing plants. Luanda was founded in 1576 by Portuguese settlers who built fortresses, churches, and public buildings patterned after European styles of architecture. After Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, most of the Portuguese left.