Angola Overview
Angola is located in southwestern Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean. Angola borders Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Namibia and Zambia. The Angolan province of Cabinda is an exclave that is separate from the rest of the country of Congo-Kinshasa. Cabinda is Angola’s only border with Congo-Brazzaville.
| Capital: | Luanda |
| Biggest city: | Luanda |
| State: | republic |
| Language: | Portuguese |
| Religion: | Christianity, indigenous religions |
| Surface: | 1 246 700 km² |
| Population: | 21.6 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 10 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 38 years |
| Illiteracy: | 33% |
| Currency: | kwanza (AOA) 1 kwanza = 0.05 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 6,400 (2010) |
| Time difference: | +0 hours |
| Electricity: | 220 V AC, 60Hz |
| National Day: | 11 November |
| Country area code: | 244 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | AO (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | industry 56%, service sector 32%, agriculture 12% |
| Climate: | predominantly tropical with rainy season from November to April; steppe climate in the south and along the coast |
Angola was the last significant European colony in West Africa. The country gained independence in 1975. By then, Angola had been a Portuguese colony for nearly 500 years. As early as 1483, Portuguese bases for shipping and trade were established on the coast of Angola. However, the country’s current borders were not established until the Berlin Conference of 1884-85.
As for the other Portuguese colonies, the left-wing carnation revolution against the fascist dictatorship in the mother country in 1974 meant a rapid process of liberation. For Angola, due to the competition between three different guerrilla movements and with regard to the large white minority in the country, it took until 1975 before the country was fully independent.
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in Angola
Voltage: 220 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: C
Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Luanda
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 27 |
| Day °C | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Night °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
| Soltim / day | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Luanda
According to Countryaah, Luanda is the capital of Angola and the country’s largest city with an estimated population of 4 million residents in 2007. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean and is both Angola’s main port city and its administrative center. The city’s main exports consist of coffee, cotton, sugar, diamonds, iron and salt.
From the middle of the 16th century to the middle of the 19th century, the city was the shipping port for the slave trade to Brazil. In 1889, the city was able to grow properly, when an aqueduct that provided the city with water was opened. The city grew surprisingly fast, and in 1972 the city was named in a report as “Africa’s Paris”.
When Angola became independent in 1975, Luanda was a modern city and its majority population consisted of Portuguese, as very few Africans were allowed to live in Luanda. After the declaration of independence, most of the Portuguese moved out, many of whom moved to South Africa. A crisis occurred when not many locals knew how to handle a large city’s infrastructure. Technicians from Cuba were hired along with a number of Cuban soldiers, and these helped build the city and educate the population.
