The province is predominantly agricultural. The most intensively used area in the province of Malanje is the area around the provincial capital, where
cotton and sugarcane are the most important industries. The cotton industry was once of vital importance to the national economy, but the years of the
Angola Civil War have badly stagnated it. Agriculture in Malanje Province is gradually taking off again, and numerous international investors have been involved, including US$30 million from Brazil to develop the maize and sugarcane industry in the Pungo Andongo area. Malanje Province is also a producer of
cassava,
sweet potatoes,
peanuts,
rice,
soybeans,
sunflowers and various vegetables. The province also has significant reserves of
diamonds,
limestone,
manganese (with 4,682 metric tons exported in 1973),
uranium and
phosphate. Tourism has become more important, largely due to its diverse natural attractions, including the
Kalandula Falls, the black rock formation of
Pungo Andongo, two nature reserves and the
Cangandala National Park. Cangandala National Park, the smallest national park in the country, was originally established under
Portuguese rule in 1963 to protect the
Giant Sable Antelope, before being declared a national park on 25 June 1970. ==List of governors of Malanje==