ABSTRACT
But this number is probably made up by Ovimbundu emigrants to other colon ies and to the Union of South Africa.'1'
There are no recent estimates of the populations of the various groups of Ovimbundu. Magyar in 1859 however gave figures which are of some in terest. (2) He estimated the total Ovimbundu (“ Kimbanda”) population at 1,880,000, but points out that this number includes 300,000 from tribes which, though culturally resembling the Ovimbundu, are not linguistically related to them (Kissama, Mupinda, Mussumbe, Lusseke, Munyemba and Massongo). Another 300,000 are from tribes which Magyar includes as “Kimbanda” speaking, but which are not generally reckoned as Ovimbundu today. (Nganda, Esele, Humbi, Lupolo, Hako and Kakingi.) This would leave 1,280,000, a figure remarkably near to the present estimate. The following are his figures for the separate groups:-
There are no recent estimates of tribal density. The 1940 Census^ 3) gives density in the Provinces as :-
P H Y S IC A L E N V IR O N M E N T *^
The homeland of the Ovimbundu corresponds closely with the highest part of the Benguella Highland, i.e. the area lying between 11° and 15° South Latitude, and meridians 14° and 18° E. Altitude in this region is everywhere over 4,000 feet, and the western ridges rise as high as 9,000 feet, forming the highest north-western portion of the ancient South African sub-continental plateau. To the east, elevation drops gradually from the Kwanza valley towards the Kasai and Zambesi rivers. To the west, descent is irregular - in places almost precipitous - to the coastal plain. This plain and the stretch of higher country (below 3,200 feet) which separates it from the Highland proper, form an arid and sparsely-populated region which is a northerly extension of the Kalahari, Namieb and Qmaheke deserts. (1) Childs, op.cit., p .9. (2) Magyar, 1859, pp.125, 239, 361 etc. (3) Qüoted by Sarmento, 1948. (4) This figure is of little significance since Bie Province includes large
