1582-1850: Luanda, established by the Portuguese in 1575, became the single most productive embarkation point in sub-Saharan Africa, supplying more captives …

1582-1850: Luanda, established by the Portuguese in 1575, became the single most productive embarkation point in sub-Saharan Africa, supplying more captives to the Americas than any other location after 1620. The basic patterns of this trade remained remarkably consistent over three centuries, with Portuguese and later Brazilian vessels maintaining almost exclusive access to the port. The expansion of the Bantu-speaking Lunda Empire to the east, which doubled in size through conquest, provided a steady and increasing supply of captives for the Atlantic market. While Lisbon merchants dominated the early trade, the organizational center eventually shifted to the Brazilian hubs of Recife, Salvador da Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro.