Cuíto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cuíto
Silva Porto
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Municipality
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 Cuíto
Location in Angola
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| Country |  Angola |
| Province | Bié Province |
| Founded | 1750 |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 1,560 km2 (600 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,695 m (5,561 ft) |
| Population
(2014 Census)
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| • Municipality | 450,881 |
| • Density | 289.0/km2 (748.6/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 355,423 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
| Area code(s) | (+244) 48 |
| Climate | Cwb |
Cuíto, once known as Silva Porto, is a city and a municipality in central Angola. It is the capital city of Bié Province. In 2014, the municipality had a population of 450,881 people. Cuíto was expected to be one of Africa's fastest-growing cities between 2020 and 2025.
Contents
History of Cuíto
The city of Cuíto is located in the historic center of the Ovimbundu kingdom. The ruler of the Ovimbundu people was named Viye. He and his wife, Cahanda, built the city. Later, the Portuguese named the Bié Province after ruler Viye.
Early Days and Trade
The Ovimbundu people were known for trading captives from nearby tribes. They sold these captives to European slave traders. This made the area important for the slave trade and attracted colonists. The Portuguese officially "founded" the city in 1750. They later renamed it Silva Porto, after António da Silva Porto. He built his home, embala Belmonte, in the area.
Portuguese Settlers and the Railway
The pleasant weather in the Bié Province attracted many Portuguese settlers. Many made their homes in Silva Porto in the early 1900s. This was when the Benguela Railway connected the city to the coast.
Times of Conflict
Cuíto has a history of conflict. It began with the African slave trade and fighting between tribes. Later, in the 1960s, the Portuguese used Silva Porto as a training center. They trained Black Portuguese Army soldiers there. These soldiers were sent to northern Portuguese Angola to fight nationalist groups during the Portuguese Colonial War.
After Angola became independent from Portugal in 1975, Cuíto faced its hardest times. On January 6, 1993, during the Angolan Civil War, a group called UNITA surrounded the city. This siege lasted for over nine months. More than 30,000 people died from the war and from starvation. No one could enter or leave the city for those nine months. The city was heavily damaged. Eventually, UNITA was forced out of Cuíto. They tried to capture the city again in 1998, using large artillery and tanks.
Cuíto's Climate
The city is located on the eastern side of the Bie Plateau. Because it is high up, the climate is cooler than usual for a tropical place. The average temperature each year is about 18 °C (64 °F).
Weather Patterns
The coolest time of year is from May to August, when there is almost no rain. September and October are the hottest months, with a little rain. Heavy rain falls during the main rainy season, which is from November to April.
| Climate data for Cuíto | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
30 (86) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
31 (88) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25 (77) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
26 (79) |
28 (82) |
26 (79) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
25 (77) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19 (66) |
19 (66) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
20 (68) |
19 (66) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
18 (64) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
13 (55) |
10 (50) |
6 (43) |
7 (45) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
12 (54) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3 (37) |
7 (45) |
5 (41) |
0 (32) |
−1 (30) |
−5 (23) |
0 (32) |
0 (32) |
3 (37) |
6 (43) |
6 (43) |
5 (41) |
−5 (23) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 193 (7.6) |
196 (7.7) |
203 (8.0) |
76 (3.0) |
10 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
3 (0.1) |
23 (0.9) |
109 (4.3) |
193 (7.6) |
221 (8.7) |
1,227 (48.3) |
| Source: weatherbase.com | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Cuíto
Cuíto is connected by the Benguela railway. This railway once linked the inland parts of Angola to the coast. The train station for Cuíto is a few kilometers north of the city. The railway has been repaired in recent years. You can also fly directly to Cuíto from Luanda, landing at the Joaquim Kapango Airport.
See also
In Spanish: Cuíto para niños
- Railway stations in Angola
