Angoche

Province

Angoche is a city in Mozambique. In the Portuguese colonial period, the city was named António Enes until 1976.

Geography

Angoche is located in the district of Angoche ( Nampula province ), on the coast of Mozambique. Outside the city there are several small islands, including the island of the same name Angoche.

Population

Angoche has 84 356 inhabitants ( 2009 estimate ). They spoke Ekoti, a Makua language, which is borrowed from the Swahili of the 15th century and is also spoken on the nearby island of Koti.

History

Angoche is one of the oldest towns in Mozambique. At least since the 15th century it was an important trading center and became Muslim because of its importance in the gold and ivory trade to the Sultanate. After the Portuguese established a trading post in Quelimane 1544 Angoche lost its importance as a regional port to the south located city. Nevertheless Angoche maintained close contacts with the Ilha de Moçambique. In the 19th century Angoche transformed into a center of the slave trade, and remained so until 1860.

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