In a 7 June 2000 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the press attaché at the Embassy of Angola in Ottawa stated that Terra Nova is a neighbourhood of Luanda, not a street. This was corroborated in correspondence sent on 8 June 2000 by an Information Officer with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Luanda, who added that while there is no street officially called Terra Nova, "people do not always use 'official' names, which have been known to change...at least a couple of times in the last thirty years, depending on the political winds."

While unsure about the specific political divisions in Luanda, the press attaché was able to confirm the following areas of the capital city: Maianga, Terra Nova, Casenda, Bairro Operario, Villa Alice, Cazenga, Kikolo, Samba, San Paolo, Miramar, Prenda, Rochapinto, Bairro Golf and Sambizanga (7 June 2000). The Information Officer at the WFP, who confirmed the above-mentioned areas and clarified the political divisions, stated that the province of Luanda has nine official districts, six of which are located within the city limits of Luanda. The nine districts are Kilamba Kiaxi, Sambizanga, Ingombotas, Rangel, Maianga, Cacuaco, Cazenga, Samba and Viana (8 June 2000). She further stated that given the increased number of displaced persons seeking refuge in the city of Luanda, the city would soon spill over into the remaining three provincial districts. Furthermore, she stated that while some neighbourhoods coincide with official districts, some do not. For example:

Maianga...is both a district and a well known neighborhood. But Miramar and Bairro Operario, are both neighborhoods in the district of Sambizanga. Miramar is one of the fanciest neighborhoods in town and Bairro Operario is lower middle class or upper blue collar working class. Most of Prenda, which once was a nice part of town, is now a slum within the district of Maianga, and so on.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Embassy of Angola, Ottawa. 7 June 2000. Telephone interview with the press attaché.

UN World Food Programme, Luanda, Angola. 8 June 2000. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an Information Officer.

The Europa World Year Book 1999. 1999.

IRB Databases

Internet sites including:

Lonely Planet

ReliefWeb

United Nations