BENGUELLA (Sao Felipe de Benguella)  , a town of Portuguese West Africa, capital of Benguella district, on a bay of the same name, in 12° 33' S., 13° 25' E . Benguella was founded in 1617 by the Portuguese under Manoel Cerveira Pereira . It was long the centre of an important trade, especially in slaves to Brazil and Cuba, but has now greatly declined . The anchorage, about a mile from the town, in 4 to 6 fathoms, is nothing but an open road-stead . Besides the churches of S . Felipe and S . Antonio, the hospital, and the fortress, there are only a few stone-built houses . The white population numbers about 1500 . A short way beyond Benguella is Bahia Tarta, where salt is manufactured and sulphur excavated . About 20 M. north of Benguella is Lobito Bay, a natural harbour chosen (1903) as the starting-point of a railway to Katanga . At Lobito steamers can come close inshore and discharge cargo direct . Lobito is connected with Benguella by a railway which passes about midway through Katumbella, a town at the mouth of the river of the same name, and the sea terminus of an ancient route from the heart of Central Africa through Bihe .

Old Benguella is a small town about 120 M. north of Lobito Bay .