Province of Bié

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Province of Bié
Namibia Sambia Republik Kongo Demokratische Republik Kongo Botswana Provinz Cabinda Provinz Zaire Provinz Luanda Provinz Uíge Provinz Bengo Provinz Cuanza Norte Provinz Cuanza Sul Provinz Malanje Provinz Lunda Norte Provinz Lunda Sul Provinz Moxico Provinz Huambo Provinz Benguela Provinz Bié Provinz Namibe Provinz Huíla Provinz Cunene Provinz Cuando Cubangolocation
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Basic data
Country Angola
Capital Kuito
surface 70,314 km²
Residents 1,455,255 (2014 census)
density 21 inhabitants per km²
ISO 3166-2 AO-BIE
Website www.bie.gov.ao ( Portuguese )
politics
Governador Pereira Alfredo
Political party MPLA

Coordinates: 12 ° 22 ′  S , 17 ° 4 ′  E

Bié is a province in the geographical center of the African state Angola with 1.7 million inhabitants (as of 2019).

Geography and geology

The province is located in the highlands of Bié , where many of the country's most important rivers, such as the Cuanza , have their source . It has mineral deposits such as quartz , magnetite , hematite , diamonds and gold .

population

The 2014 census showed a population of around 1.46 million. The estimate for 2019 is 1.7 million. The majority of the population belongs to the Ovimbundu ethnic group . This is where the former liberation movement and current political party UNITA have their original roots. Its founder and long-time leader, Jonas Savimbi , came from this province. The current UNITA President Isaías Samakuva comes from the city of Kunje in Bié.

history

In 1560 the first Portuguese, Father Gonçalo da Silveira, reached Bié. In 1772 Portugal appointed the first “Capitão-mor” for Bié. In 1890 the people of Bié, led by King Dunduma, rebelled against the colonial power. On November 1, 1890, the first battle between the two groups took place, which ended three weeks later with the capture of the rebel capital Ecovongo and the arrest of the king. Dunduma was exiled to Mozambique and replaced by Soba Kapoco. On May 1, 1922, the district of Bié was created. During the civil war in Angola , the province was devastated, particularly in Kuito. Bié is considered the most damaged province of the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Reconstruction has been increasing since around 2005. The Benguela Railway is now also crossing the province again.

politics

The population continues to distance itself from the MPLA government; in the elections in August 2012, UNITA received 36% of the vote - the highest it has achieved in any province.

administration

The province of Bié has an area of ​​70,314 km² and an estimated population of around 1.5 million inhabitants (as of 2014), after around one million in 1988.

The capital of the province is Kuito , which bore the Portuguese place name Silva Porto under the colonial administration .

The following districts ( Municípios ) are in the province of Bié:

Web links

Commons : Province of Bié  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bié - the province angop.ao , accessed on June 15 of 2019.
  2. ↑ Population statistics citypopulation.de , accessed on June 15, 2019.
  3. ↑ Bié - the province angop.ao , accessed on June 15 of 2019.
  4. ↑ Bié portalsaofrancisco.com.br , accessed June 15, 2019.
  5. ↑ a b Article of December 26, 2006 at www.angonoticias.com, accessed March 15, 2014
  6. ^ Angola: Administrative division (provinces and municipalities) - population figures, charts and map. Retrieved March 1, 2018 .
  7. ↑ 1988 US government statistics , accessed March 15, 2014