The town played an important role during the Angolan Civil War, as both Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA) and government forces attempted to seize and hold the city.

[8] The Cuango originates in the highlands of Alto Chicapa in the Angolan province of Lunda Sul, and flows south–north-west, crossing the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and joining the Kasai River near the town of Bandundo.

[9] Navigability is mostly achieved in the lower reaches of the river, spanning a length of 307 kilometres (191 mi) from its mouth to the Kingushi rapids.

Partial navigation is also possible in the middle stretches of the river between Kingushi and the Franz Josef waterfalls over a distance of about 300 kilometres (190 mi).

[11][12] The main economic activity and revenue to the Angolan State is derived by extraction of diamonds from the valley.

[3] Under the mining license held by Soiadale de Desenvolvimento Mineiro (SDM), the areas of production is on the Tazua and Ginge River diversions on the Cuango.