Cabinda is a provincial administrative division located in the western part of the African continent and belongs to Angola. But what sets this region apart from other places is that it is an "enclave" of Angola, that is, it is surrounded by other countries.
To understand why Cabinda became an enclave, we first need to understand what an enclave is. An enclave is a place where a territory is completely or partially surrounded by other countries. In international law, there are no clear regulations and ways to deal with such special geographical situations, so they often give rise to some controversies.
So why did Cabinda become an enclave? It has to do with historical colonial expansion. At the end of the 19th century, Portugal began to colonize large swaths of Africa, including present-day Angola. At that time, Cabinda was still a no-man's land, inhabited by a group of people from the Congo.
In 1891, a Portuguese merchant named Domingo Ferrer arrived here and established a stronghold here called "Cabinda". Shortly thereafter, he applied to the Portuguese government for the area to be included in his jurisdiction. However, at that time, the Portuguese government did not take the importance of this place seriously and simply listed it as a "terra nullius".
Over time, the natural resources of the Cabinda region have been exploited, especially the discovery of petroleum resources, which has increased its value. And the surrounding countries are beginning to pay attention to the interests of the area and claim sovereignty over it. Chief among them are countries such as Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique.
Faced with these challenges, the Portuguese government has been forced to re-examine its attitude towards Cabinda. In order to avoid further strife, they decided to separate the enclave into a special administrative unit, now known as the province of Cabinda.
Cabinda's status as an enclave in Angola is largely due to Portugal's historical neglect of the region and the competing interests of neighboring countries. This special geographical location makes Cabinda a unique sight on the world map. However, despite this, Cabinda, as part of Angola, still faces many challenges, such as economic backwardness and inadequate infrastructure, which also reminds us that we need to pay more attention to and help those who are on the margins.