Kilamba

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Kilamba is largely empty.

Nova Cidade de Kilamba (Kilamba New City) is a large housing development 30 km (18 miles) from Luanda, the capital city of Angola. It is being built by the China International Trust and Investment Corporation and is largely empty.

Kilamba was designed to accommodate 500,000 people and includes 750 eight-storey apartment blocks, over 100 commercial premises and a dozen schools. The cost is reported as US$3.5 billion, financed by a Chinese credit line and repaid by the Angolan government with oil.

As of July 2012, the buildings were largely complete but still unoccupied.[1] Only 220 apartments had been sold out of the first release of 2,800. Sales have been slow because of the difficulty in obtaining mortgage loans. One school is in operation, but children are bussed in from other areas as there are none living nearby. The government plans to use some of the residential blocks as social housing.

Although Kilamba contributes to meeting the election pledge made by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos in 2008 to build a million new homes in four years, Angola does not have a large middle class able to buy such homes.

However, despite the slow start, new legislation signed into law by dos Santos has resulted in a massive boom in demand.[2][3] As of September 2013 the current population is 40,000 residents and continuing to grow. Officials expect the population to reach 70,000 by January 2014.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Louise Redvers (2 July 2012). "Footage shows African 'ghost town'". BBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2012. 
  2. ↑ Sandle, Adam. "Kilamba: New Initiatives Create Massive Demand". CNN iReport. Retrieved 12 April 2013. 
  3. ↑ Hammer, Derek. "Kilamba, from 0 to 200,000 inhabitants in 3 years". Merinews. Retrieved 12 April 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Kilamba City Flats Sold Out". ANGOP (Angencia Angola Press). 4 September 2013. 

External links

Coordinates: 9°00′S 13°16′E / 9.000°S 13.267°E / -9.000; 13.267

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