How This Central African City Became the World’s Most Expensive

How This Central African City Became the World’s Most Expensive

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Writing by Sam Denby and Tristan Purdy
Editing by Alexander Williard
Animation led by Josh Sherrington
Sound by Graham Haerther
Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster

References
[1] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/06/01/extreme-city-specter 
[2] https://library.fes.de/libalt/journals/swetsfulltext/11733907.pdf 
[3] https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep30954.6.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aba96b30914cbcfe6a94c15a339cb1606&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=
[4] https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/etd/ucb/text/Cardoso_berkeley_0028E_15509.pdf
[5] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?end=2005&most_recent_value_desc=true&start=1961&view=chart
[6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2008/9/6/timeline-angolan-elections
[7] http://www.afrol.com/articles/22889
[8] https://bradtangolaupdate.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/luanda-new-5-star-hotel-opens/
[9] https://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/01/11/angola.host.cup.nations/index.html
[10] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18646243
[11] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-21184854
[12] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-angola-president-idUSKCN0WD13H
[13] https://web.archive.org/web/20170216103334/http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-06-03-all-in-the-family-angola-president-picks-eldest-daughter-to-head-state-oil-firm-western-firms-scramble-for-contract

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35 Responses

  1. The Sly Fox says:

    Botswana is one of the most stable African nations despite having large diamond mines. It would be cool to see a video on them and why they were able to create a functioning government and keep it going compared to neighboring African nations

    • Ed Johnson says:

      @jay kj if anything mixing different people should be considered a bonus as you know they are constantly moaning at us for not being diverse enough huh?

    • rev.c.russell says:

      @Ed Johnson Diversity is always a cost, it can be used to prevent common-mode failures, but still is a cost that has to be managed.

    • jay kj says:

      @Ed Johnson Jeez I’ve already addressed this in another reply.

      The only reason I brought that up was to contrast against how western media repeatedly sings high praise of Botswana being the fastest growing economy on the continent. There are still youtube videos being made today that try to sell this point.

    • Ed Johnson says:

      @rev.c.russell but I was told diversity is our greatest strength

    • Ed Johnson says:

      @jay kj how can you be a super power with a population of 2 million and a nation that’s 85% deserts

  2. Fuchbuchet says:

    As an Angolan I appreciate this video. The damage done by corrupt politicians is still a very big concern as most of the people still lack the bare necessities. Good work, you got me subscribed

    • Never Lookback12 says:

      One question how do ordinary Angolans manage to survive if it’s a very expensive country.

    • Ralph Winfield says:

      I live in Maine, United States of America. There are about one hundred Angolan refugees in Portland. From what or whom are they seeking refuge?

    • Doc Ouchï says:

      As a “Brazi”leiro eu também achei o vídeo legal, this solves the mystery why ninguém vai pra lá kkkk, não é pra nós, não sei pra quem é o país… só pra ricos e pra pessoas aí … mas entendo os latinos stayed out there making ruckus, i get they got trust problems …

    • MrCaseHarts says:

      @Bo Peep I did, but its a lot closer than current angola.

  3. J T says:

    Great video. This topic is present everywhere. The corrupt concentration of a countries’ wealth and resources is a sad constant and must be fought continuously. Plenty of people would not act so insanely selfishly, to the detriment of others. But far too many would and get themselves into positions that allow it. An unending struggle; and a worthwhile one.

    • grantcivyt says:

      @lllordllloyd I disagree that you can’t have a competitive market for a nation’s oil. First, let’s recognize the problem of calling it a “nation’s oil.” The oil belongs to specific people. If you presuppose that it belongs to “all people,” then you’re presupposing socialism.

      But let’s set that aside for a moment. Oil is energy and you have a great deal of competition in energy markets. Telecommunications is a similar story. Phone lines compete with cable lines and cellular networks and satellite providers. If you allow markets to function, they will deliver far better results than government control of resources.

    • lllordllloyd says:

      @grantcivyt You just can’t really have a competitive market for, say, a nation’s oil or its telecommunications network.

      For eggs, cars, sock, absolutely.

      I am not saying you’re wrong, more that there is not really an answer in one economic system vs another, at this level. The nations that best distribute their resource wealth tend to design quite specific structures to do it, structures offensive to capitalism but not entirely socialist.

      It could be a future video.

    • cinnamonstar808 says:

      White Supremacy takes no Ls
      The reason why they do not like ​👌🏽💅🏾​​💄Ms Dos Santos is simple 1 reason. SHE MADE Portugal Angola’s 🇦🇴 newest colony.

    • grantcivyt says:

      @lllordllloyd If you read my first comment, it says the opposite of what you’re suggesting. If you give people power, they will abuse it. The best arrangement is a competitive market that allows new companies to replace the old and consumers to decide what they prefer.

      Your choice of government is much, much more limited.

    • ForMeToKnow 1 says:

      @J T It might be but I think we are doomed. Fewer and fewer people are going into the hard subjects that would improve things and things are getting worse. There are actually people who think the other people owe them money just for existing. That’s a dead end path.

  4. ExBlazE says:

    I don’t think people realize how impressive it is to see the sheer amount of original old footage used in this video. Well done digging them up, WP!

    • Ben says:

      @Steven Smith
      60s and 70s is pretty old for us gen z

    • punkdigerati says:

      @Corbin Storyblocks, but it’s unlikely they had the historical footage, it’s mostly stock footage.

    • Vigilant Cosmic Penguin says:

      Yeah, Wendover is always skillful with stock footage but this is the first time that I’ve been seriously impressed by the quality of the footage. This is documentary-level quality.

    • Corbin says:

      He uses a service that provides copyright free content or its owned/licensed by the service company. I can’t remember the name but he mentions it in one of his other videos

    • Steven Smith says:

      Except…its footage from the 1960s and 1970s. It’s in black and white but it really isn’t old. The fact that it was accessed is impressive though.

  5. Xavier says:

    I don’t think people realize how impressive it is to see the sheer amount of original old footage used in this video. Well done digging them up, WP!

  6. Enrico Marino says:

    An old man where I grew up in Venezuela was one of the Cuban soldiers that had been sent to Angola. I also met a girl that went to the Luanda International School. Interesting video and how you are telling me some of the stories these people had told me.

  7. Carlos De los Rios says:

    I was an expat petroleum engineer working for Chevron in the late 90’s in Angola. It was obvious back then that the dos Santos family had a corrupt strangle hold on the massive Angolan natural wealth. Ever person of influence in every Angolan company remarkably had the last name dos Santos. It always struct me as tragic that a country with such incredible natural wealth, and at the time a population of only around 11 million, was subject to such extreme poverty and a life expectancy in the mid 40s. I hope Angola, like much of the developing world can overcome the crippling disease of corruption.

  8. Graham Leiper says:

    Regards Houston Express. That 747 replaced an MD11 that wasn’t the most reliable.
    Nobody got in taxis. You have drivers. Oil companies would often have minibuses. Taxis were/are not deemed safe.
    Also flights were generally workers, managers and technical experts rather than executives.
    “Executives” get their own plane. They’re not going to stand for two hours in a queue at Immigration.
    Now people are generally flying on scheduled airlines – from the US that’s usually via Frankfurt.
    Things a lot better now than 20 years ago for most, but way too much money has left the country.
    Hopefully the elections tomorrow stay generally peaceful. First one since Dos Santos died.

    • D 349 says:

      @Gustavo Sganzerla I believe it was a contract through Atlas Air, which is an American freight airline that also does charter passenger flights for special purposes (usually the military, sports teams, corporate stuff like this). The pilots would come from their pool of 747 type rated pilots. Being an American company, most Atlas pilots I’m aware of are American.

    • Preheatedkarma says:

      I used to see the Houston express every week a few years ago.

    • Alia says:

      hi graham… recently i seen a online game and its name ” sparc” very easy to use

    • Vigilant Cosmic Penguin says:

      +

    • Repent and believe in Jesus Christ says:

      Repent to Jesus Christ “We love because he first loved us.”
      ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬
      J

  9. David says:

    I lived in Luanda for 4 years and this is pretty accurate, except the prices which you could get around. Also about LIS (Luanda International School) most capitals in Africa and the world have private IB schools so this isn’t really very rare.

  10. Brian Hillis says:

    I truly think this channel is my favorite now, over and above the history, gaming, music, and intellectual focused channels I could typically be found watching… it’s just that damn good! Sam is just out here, killing it, every episode….. This is a Sam channel, right?
    Keep up the good work, sir! You, and what you do, is very much appreciated!!!!

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