Cabinda Province

Cabinda Province is a territory in northern Angola that sits along the Atlantic coast, separated from the rest of the country by land belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The coastline runs westward, while dense forests and smaller settlements mark the interior, which rolls through hilly terrain.

The territory formed from three kingdoms that came under Portuguese protection through a treaty signed in the late 19th century. After Angola gained independence, the province remained part of the new state despite being geographically separated from the rest of the country.

The name comes from the historical kingdom that once ruled this territory before colonial times, and its influence remains visible in place names and local speech patterns. Many residents speak Kikongo alongside Portuguese, and villages host ceremonies that recall the customs of the old kingdoms.

Most visitors fly into the capital and use roads from there to reach beaches and other spots across the region. The best time to travel is outside the rainy season, when roads become more passable and the coast dries out.

Large sections of the coast lie close to offshore platforms that extract crude oil and are often visible from the shore. This activity shapes the economic life of the province and makes it one of the most important production areas in the country.