Luena, Angola
Municipality and town in Moxico Province, Angola
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luena, formerly known as Luso, is a city and municipality in eastern Angola, administrative capital of Moxico Province. The municipality had a population of 356,880 in 2024.[1][2]
Luena
Luso | |
|---|---|
Municipality and town | |
   | |
  Luena Location in Angola | |
| Coordinates: 11.7918°S 19.9062°E | |
| Country |  Angola |
| Province | Moxico Province |
| Area | |
• Total | 8,248 km2 (3,185 sq mi) |
| Population (2024 Census) | |
• Total | 356,880 |
| • Density | 43.27/km2 (112.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
| Climate | Cwa |
History
The Angolan town is best known as the resting place of former UNITA rebel leader Jonas Savimbi, who was shot and killed by Angolan government troops on February 22, 2002. Later on January 3, 2008, Savimbi's tomb at Luena Main Cemetery was vandalised and four members of the youth wing of the MPLA were charged and arrested.[3]
Climate
Luena has a monsoonal humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) bordering on a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw).
| Climate data for Luena, Moxico Province (1940–1960) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.7 (90.9) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.0 (89.6) |
33.4 (92.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
33.5 (92.3) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.3 (93.7) |
34.0 (93.2) |
32.4 (90.3) |
35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.9 (80.4) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.1 (80.8) |
25.7 (78.3) |
26.2 (79.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
26.9 (80.4) |
27.5 (81.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.8 (71.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.6 (70.9) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
17.4 (63.3) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
20.8 (69.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.6 (61.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
16.3 (61.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
11.8 (53.2) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.7 (47.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
16.2 (61.2) |
16.4 (61.5) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
3.9 (39.0) |
3.1 (37.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
11.0 (51.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
11.5 (52.7) |
2.7 (36.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 226 (8.9) |
192 (7.6) |
198 (7.8) |
99 (3.9) |
6 (0.2) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.1) |
20 (0.8) |
90 (3.5) |
169 (6.7) |
217 (8.5) |
1,219 (48.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 22 | 20 | 23 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 23 | 138 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 77 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 57 | 47 | 42 | 39 | 44 | 61 | 74 | 77 | 62 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 130.2 | 130.0 | 142.6 | 192.0 | 263.5 | 270.0 | 285.2 | 269.7 | 213.0 | 176.7 | 135.0 | 124.0 | 2,331.9 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 6.4 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 7.1 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 6.4 |
| Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[4] | |||||||||||||
Religion
The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lwena. As of 2025, Bishop Martin Lasarte Topolanski, S.D.B. is the local ordinary here.
Transportation
Luena is serviced by Luena Airport on the north side of the town.
Luena Train Station (Estação Ferroviaria De Luena) is a stop on the Benguela railway central line connecting Luau with Lobito. The station was rebuilt and features a clock tower.
Sports
- Estádio Comandante Jones Kufuna Yembe - Mundunduleno (football stadium)
- Bravos do Maquis Football Club
