Moçâmedes

Moçâmedes, city and port, southwestern Angola. It was founded in the mid-19th century and settled primarily by Portuguese settlers, some fleeing from the unrest in Portugal’s former colony of Brazil. Located on an arid coastal strip from which rises the steep Huíla escarpment, Moçâmedes was cut off from the Angolan interior until construction of the Moçâmedes Railway was begun in 1905 to Serpa Pinto (now Menongue), 470 miles (755 km) east. Though the interior developed, the port, which was dependent on fishing, had little activity until the discovery of iron ore at Cassinga (Kassinga) and the completion of a 56-mile (90-km) rail spur from Dongo to the mines in 1967. The port’s harbour has subsequently been enlarged over the years and is one of the country’s busiest port facilities. The railway was unable to function on a regular basis during Angola’s civil war (1975–2002) and sustained damage during the lengthy conflict. In the years following the end of the war, sections of the railway were repaired and reopened for use. Moçâmedes is also served by an airport. Houses and administrative buildings are crowded together along a low cliff running inland, with commercial buildings on the open bay shore below. Pop. (2014 est.) 255,000.