Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the western coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking country after Brazil. Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The capital city is Luanda.

The land has been home to people for a very long time. Many kingdoms formed there over the centuries. Portuguese explorers arrived in the 15th century, and later, Portugal controlled the area. Angola became independent in 1975, but then faced a long and difficult war.

Since the war ended in 2002, Angola has grown in terms of economy, especially with help from countries like China, the European Union, and the United States. Even with this growth, many people in Angola still face challenges.

Today, Angola is part of important groups, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. The culture of Angola mixes Portuguese influence with local traditions, with the Portuguese language and the Catholic Church playing major roles.

Etymology

The name Angola comes from when Portugal ruled the area. The Portuguese called it the "Kingdom of Angola." This name came from a title called ngola, used by the kings of the lands known as Ndongo and Matamba. Ndongo was located in the highlands between the Kwanza and Lucala rivers. In the 1500s, Ndongo was part of the Kingdom of Kongo but wanted to be more independent.

History

Early migrations and political units

Modern Angola was first home to nomadic Khoi and San peoples. They were hunter-gatherers, not farmers or herders.

Later, Bantu peoples arrived from the north. They brought farming, growing bananas and taro, and raising cattle. They settled in Angola’s central highlands and Luanda plain. Many different groups lived there, including the Kingdom of Kongo, which stretched into nearby countries. Other kingdoms included Ndongo, Matamba, and Kakongo.

Portuguese colonisation

Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reached Angola in 1484. The Portuguese set up trading posts, like Soyo and Luanda.

They began trading with local kingdoms. Over time, many people were taken from Angola to work far away.

Angolan War of Independence

For many years, Angola was a colony of Portugal. Many Angolans wanted independence. In the 1960s, groups formed to fight for freedom. This led to a long war.

Angolan Civil War

After Angola gained independence in 1975, fighting continued between different groups. This civil war lasted for many years and caused hardship for the people of Angola.

21st century

In 2002, the main leader of one rebel group was killed, and the fighting ended. Angola has held elections since then, but challenges remain, including helping people recover from the long wars.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Angola

Angola is a big country in Africa, covering 1,246,700 km². It is the twenty-second largest country in the world. Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north-east, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west. The capital city, Luanda, is on the Atlantic coast.

The country has a long coastline with natural harbours, which helps with trade. Angola also has many forests, covering about half of its land. The climate in Angola changes through the year, with rainy and dry seasons. The north gets more rain than the south. Because of climate change, Angola's temperatures are rising, and weather can become unpredictable. This can sometimes cause problems like floods or droughts.

Main article: Climate of Angola

Main article: Wildlife of Angola

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Angola

See also: Elections in Angola and List of political parties in Angola

Angola's government has three parts: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The executive branch includes the President, vice-presidents, and the Council of Ministers. The legislative branch has a 220-seat legislature called the National Assembly of Angola. It is elected using a system where parties win seats based on their vote share.

For many years, power was centered in the presidency. In 2017, President dos Santos stepped down after leading for 38 years. The leader of the winning party in the 2017 elections became the next president. João Lourenço was chosen to lead the country.

Constitution

Main article: Constitution of Angola

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João Lourenço
President

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Esperança da Costa
Vice President

The Constitution of 2010 describes how the government works and lists the rights and duties of citizens. The legal system is based on Portuguese law and local customs. Courts operate in only 12 of Angola's many areas. A Supreme Court handles appeals, but there is no special court for constitutional issues.

The constitution changed how the president is chosen. Now, the president and vice-president are the leaders of the party that wins the most seats in the parliament. This means the president controls most parts of the government.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Provinces of Angola, Municipalities of Angola, and Communes of Angola

As of September 2024, Angola is divided into twenty-one provinces and 162 municipalities. These municipalities are further split into 559 communes.

The provinces are:

Exclave of Cabinda

Main article: Cabinda Province

Cabinda is a special area of Angola that is separated from the rest of the country by a strip of land belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It borders the Congo Republic and the DRC. Cabinda is known for its oil, which is very important to Angola's economy. It also produces hardwoods, coffee, and other products.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Angola

See also: List of diplomatic missions of Angola

Angola is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, a group of nations where Portuguese is an official language. In 2014, Angola was elected to serve on the United Nations Security Council for two years.

Military

Angola's military includes an Army, Navy, and Air Force. It has about 107,000 soldiers, with additional paramilitary forces. The military uses equipment from many countries, including Russia, Brazil, and the Czech Republic. Some Angolan forces are stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have also helped with peace efforts in Mozambique.

Police

Main article: Law enforcement in Angola

The National Police in Angola is a paramilitary force managed by the Ministry of the Interior. It handles criminal investigations, border control, traffic, and other safety duties.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Angola

See also: LGBT rights in Angola

Angola has faced challenges with human rights. Reports have noted issues like corruption, limits on freedoms, and reports of unfair treatments by police. In 2019, Angola made a significant change by removing laws against certain groups and prohibiting unfair treatment based on personal characteristics.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Angola

Angola has valuable resources like diamonds, oil, gold, copper, wildlife, forests, and fossil fuels. Oil and diamonds have been very important for the country's economy since it became independent. Farming dropped during the civil war but started to grow again after 2002.

After the civil war, Angola's economy grew very fast and became one of the fastest-growing in the world. China is a big friend and trading partner for Angola, especially for buying oil and diamonds.

Angola's economy faced problems like poverty and inequality, partly because of years of conflict. Life has improved since 2002, with better health and more students in school.

Angola has improved its roads and buildings using money from oil. Life got better for many people, but the gap between rich and poor remains large.

Natural resources

Oil and diamonds are very important to Angola, making up most of its money and things it sells. Oil production grew a lot after 2005. Angola joined a group of oil countries called OPEC in 2006. China has given Angola big loans to help build things.

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture in Angola

Farming could be a big chance for Angola, but today it is small. Before wars started, Angola grew lots of food but now it needs to buy much from other countries. Most farming is done by families just to feed themselves.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Angola

Angola has railways, roads, waterways, ports, and airports to help people and goods move around. The biggest port is Luanda, and there are plans for a new airport.

Telecommunications

Angola's networks for phones and the internet are growing fast. In 2014, work started on a special underwater cable to improve internet. Angola's first satellite, AngoSat-1, was sent to space in 2017 but stopped working. A new satellite, AngoSat-2, was sent up in 2022.

Technology

The management of the internet address ending ".ao" moved from Portugal to Angola in 2015.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Angola

Angola has 36,604,681 people. The largest groups are Ovimbundu, Ambundu, and Bakongo. Other groups include Chokwe and Nyaneka-Lumkumbi.

Portuguese is the official language, but many people also speak Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo. Most people in Angola follow Christianity, with many being Catholic and others Protestant. There are also small groups of people who follow other religions or none at all.

The country faces health challenges, including diseases like cholera, malaria, and tuberculosis. The government has started campaigns to vaccinate children against diseases like measles and polio.

Education is free and required for eight years, but many children still do not attend school because of a lack of buildings, teachers, and resources. The government is working to improve schools and train more teachers.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Angola

See also: Music of Angola and Angolan cuisine

Angola's culture comes from its history and many groups of people. The country's ties to Portugal have shaped its language and religion. Local traditions from groups like the Ovimbundu, Ambundu, Bakongo, Chokwe, and Mbunda add their own flavors. In cities like Luanda, a new mixed culture has grown. Here, Portuguese traditions are strong, but music and dance still show Africa's roots. This mix is also seen in books by Angolan authors.

In 2014, Angola brought back a big celebration of its culture. This festival happened in every major city and lasted for 20 days. It focused on how culture helps bring peace and growth.

Media

Main articles: Mass media in Angola, List of newspapers in Angola, and Television in Angola

Cinema

Main article: Cinema of Angola

One of Angola's first big movies, Sambizanga by Sarah Maldoror, was shown in 1972 and got great praise. In 2025, Angola shared its first musical movie called "The Adventures of Angosat," made by a local artist named Isis Hembe.

Sports

Basketball is very popular in Angola. The country's team has won the AfroBasket many times and often plays in big international games like the Summer Olympic Games and the FIBA World Cup.

In football, Angola hosted the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. The national team played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup for the first time but did not move past the early rounds. They have also won several COSAFA Cups.

Angola has taken part in the World Women's Handball Championship and the Summer Olympics many times. The country has also joined in the FIRS Roller Hockey World Cup.