# Cuando Cubango Province

Cuando Cubango (Umbundu: Kwando Kubango Volupale) was a former province of Angola. It was divided into the provinces of Cuando and Cubango in 2024.
Cuando Cubango had an area of 199,049km$^2$ and a population of 534,002 in 2014. Menongue was the capital of the province.
The name of the province derives from that of the Cuando and Cubango rivers, which flow through the eastern and western edges of the province, respectively.

## History

Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, Cuando Cubango served as the location for the primary base camp of Angola's UNITA rebel movement, led by Jonas Savimbi. The rebel movement received support from the United States as part of the Cold War conflict against Angola's Marxist government, which was supported by the Soviet Union, Cuba and other communist states.
Savimbi and UNITA maintained a large and clandestine base camp in the Cubando Cubango town of Jamba. The camp was protected by anti-aircraft weapons and included an air strip, which was used for the delivery of military and other supplies, which typically arrived from neighboring Zaire. The Angolan Civil War ultimately became one of the most prominent conflicts of the Cold War, with both the United States and the Soviet Union depicting its outcome as important to the global balance of power.

## Geography

Cuando Cubango was traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. It was located in the extreme south-east of Angola. To the north and north-east it bordered Moxico Province, and in the west - the provinces of Huila and Cunene. In the south of Cuando Cubango it bordered Namibia, and to the east - Zambia.

## Municipalities

The province of Cuando Cubango contained nine municipalities (Portuguese: municípios):
* Calai
* Cuangar
* Cuchi
* Cuito Cuanavale
* Dirico
* Mavinga
* Menongue
* Nancova
* Rivungo

## Communes

The province of Cuando Cubango contained the following communes (Portuguese: comunas); sorted by their respective municipalities:
* Calai Municipality – Calai, Maué, Mavengue
* Cuangar Municipality – Caila (Bondo), Cuangar, Savate
* Cuchi Municipality – Chinguanja, Cuchi, Cutato (Kutato), Vissati
* Cuito Cuanavale Municipality – Baixo Longa, Cuito Cuanavale, Longa, Lupire (Lupiri)
* Dirico Municipality – Dirico, Mucusso, Xamavera
* Mavinga Municipality – Cunjamba Dima, Cutuile (Kutuile), Luengue, Mavinga
* Menongue Municipality – Caiundo (Kaiundo), Cueio-Betre, Menongue, Missombo
* Nancova Municipality – Nancova, Rito
* Rivungo Municipality – Chipundo, Jamba-Cueio, Luiana, Mainha Neriquinha, Rivungo

## Natural history

Considerable natural habitat previously existed within the province, although much of these areas has been destroyed during the period 1965 to 1991 during the foreign intervention years of the Angolan Civil War. In particular, the area was previously suitable habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog, Lycaon pictus, which is now deemed extirpated in the local area.

## List of governors of Cuando Cubango

| Name | Years in office |
| Mariano Garcia Puku | 1976–1979 |
| Zacarias Pinto | 1979–1982 |
| Manuel Francisco Tuta Batalha de Angola | 1982–1990 |
| Domingos Hungo SKS | 1990–1995 |
| Manuel Dala | 1995–1998 |
| José Kativa | 1998–1999 |
| Jorge Fernando Biwango | 1999–2002 |
| João Baptista Chindandi | 2003–2008 |
| Eusébio de Brito Teixeira | 2008–2012 |
| Francisco Higino Lopes Carneiro | 2012–2016 |
| Pedro Mutindi | 2017–2019 |
| Júlio Marcelino Vieira Bessa | 2019–2021 |
| José Martins | 2021–2024 |
Up to 1991, the official name was Provincial Commissioner