Angola History in Africa
Angola name originates from the Portuguese colonial Reino de Angola. The official currency of Angola is the Kwanza, also the main river of Angola is the Kwanza, which gives the name to the national currency. The official language is Portuguese, in addition to several national languages, the most spoken being: Kikongo, Kimbundo, Tchokwe, Umbundo, Mbunda, Kwanyama, Nhaneca, Fiote, and Nganguela.
Republica de Angola
All About the African Country Angola
Name, Location, and Size of Angola
Angola names are Republic of Angola or
Republica de Angola in Portuguese. Angola’s name originates from the Portuguese
colonial Reino de Angola. Location of Angola is in Southern Africa, bordering
the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Size of Angola is slightly less than twice the size of Texas and 24 times
bigger than the Republic of Bosnia. Angola is the seventh largest country in Africa
1.25m sq km or 481,354 sq miles. Parts of Angola are contaminated with mines as
a result of four decades of almost continuous warfare, making it the most
mine-affected country in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the most mined countries
in the world.
Capital of Angola
Angolan capital Luanda has been ranked the
world's most expensive city to live in. The Angolan capital's population lives in
poverty on the outskirts of the city, in the center, Angola's capital city
Luanda is the priciest city for people who are not from Angola or expatriates.
In Luanda, you must have very deep pockets for housing, transport, clothes,
food and entertainment and everything else in-between. Luanda was judged the
costliest city due to the expense of goods and security. Luanda has about 2.5
million residents founded in 1575 by the Portuguese. Major cities are Amboim,
Bailundo, Benguela, Caála, Calandula, Camacupa, Chibia, Ganda, Huambo, Kuito,
Kuvango, Lubango, Luena, Massango, Mbanza Congo Menongue, Namibe, N’Dalatando,
N’Giva, Saurimo, Soyo, Sumbe, Tombua, and Uíje.
Same-Sex People of Angola
Portuguese is the official language, Umbundu,
Kimbundu, and Kikongo, the population around 20 million as of July 2012. The Angolan
Penal Code is silent with regard to the criminalization of homosexuality.
However, article 71(4) determines that security measures are applicable to
people who habitually practice “acts against nature.” Article 70 of the Penal
Code lists the security measures, which include confinement in an insane
asylum; confinement in a workhouse or agricultural colony; probation; a pledge of
good conduct; and disqualification from the practice of a profession. Same-sex
marriage is not recognized in Angola. The Angolan Family Code defines marriage
as a voluntary union between a man and a woman, formalized under the law, for
establishing full communion of life.
Independence of Angola
The Colonial Power, however, would not yield
to the proposals of the nationalist forces, provoking the outbreak of direct-armed
conflicts, the Armed Struggle. After long years of confrontation, the Alvor
Agreement signed on January 15, 1975, granted Angola independence from Portugal
on November 11, 1975. After 27 years of independence and 41 years of the
beginning of the armed struggle, peace is finally consolidated on April 4, 2002
by the agreements signed in Luena, Moxico.
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Angola President
Jose Eduardo dos Santos was in power since
1979 to September 2017, and was Africa's second-longest serving head of state
after Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang. José Eduardo dos Santos, who became,
at the time of his inauguration, in 1979, was the youngest president of the
continent. Angola’s new President João Lourenço took the oath of presidency in Luanda,
Angola, September 26, 2017. President João Lourenço is vowing to combat
monopolies controlled by the dos Santos family that has run Angola for four
decades. Dos Santos still retains significant power as the head of the ruling
MPLA party, and key posts such as the finance minister and central bank
governor.
Angola Oil and Mineral Resources
The oil sector is responsible for 75 percent
of the government of Angola revenue. Angola is Africa’s third largest economy
and second-biggest oil exporter below the Sahara desert. Angola is a country rich
in mineral resources. It is estimated that its sub-soil is home to 35 of the
world's 45 most important trading companies, including petroleum, natural gas,
diamonds, phosphates, bituminous substances, iron, copper, magnesium, gold, and
ornamental stones. Santos’ daughter, Isabel, runs national oil company of
Angola, Sonangol.
Plant Life in Angola
Angola presents five types of natural zones,
the dense and humid forest like the one of Maiombe that contains the rarest
woods of the world, the Savannas, usually associated with the forests like the
Lundas, the dry savannas with trees or shrubs, in Luanda, lower Kassanje and
certain areas of the Lundas. There are also zones of Estepe along a strip that
has the southern beginning of Sumbe and, finally, the desert that occupies a
narrow coastal strip in the extreme south of the country, where we can find in
the Namib Desert a unique and endemic species in the world that so much
characterizes this country as "Welwitchia Mirabilis".
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The Wildlife in Angola
In Angola are known numerous species spread
by several regions. In the forest of the Maiombe Gorillas, Chimpanzees and
Parrots inhabit the humid natural zones of the north, center, center, and east,
we can observe Golungo, the Black-Giant Palanca, a species endemic in the world
and on the way to extinction, Seixa, and the Elephants. Already in the drier
regions the Lean Goat, the Guelengue of the desert or Orix, the Gnu, the
Impala, the Cheetah, the Buffalo, also the Elephant, the Zebra, and the Giraffe
appear. Animals more or less common to the whole territory are the Hyena, the
Red Palanca, the Lion, the Leopard, and the Hippo. In the marine fauna there is
also an enormous variety of fish and shellfish that are also in the rivers and
that, along with these, we can also see Crocodiles and alligators.
The Weather in Angola
The climate in Angola has two seasons: the
rainy season, the hottest period between September and May, and that of
Cacimbo. The Cacimbo or Drought is less hot and runs from May to September. The
country has a peculiar geographical situation, being in the inter-tropical and
sub-tropical zone of the southern hemisphere, being close to the sea, and by
the specificities of its relief, it is divided in two distinct climatic
regions.
Angola Anti-personnel landmines
The
Republic of Angola signed the Mine Ban Treaty on December 4, 1997 however,
since 1994 Halo has removed and destroyed 21,300 anti-personnel and anti-tank
mines so far with its efforts steadily moving out from the town center to areas
farther afield.
Capoeira Angola
Capoeira is a dancing fighting performance
art form known all over the world especially in Brazil and Angola where it is
considered a cultural heritage.
Angola National Symbols
The national flag of the Republic of Angola
was adopted in 1975, at the time of the proclamation of Independence. The
national flag consists of two colors in horizontal bands. The upper band is
bright red and the lower one black and they represent: Bright red represents
blood shed by Angolans, Black represents the African continent. In the center,
there is a composition formed by a segment of a cogwheel, symbolizing the
workers and industrial production; a machete symbolizing the peasants,
agricultural production and the armed struggle; and a star, symbolizing
international solidarity and progress. The cogwheel, the machete and the star
is yellow, symbolizing the country’s wealth.
Angola Coat of Arms
The
insignia of the Republic of Angola is formed by a segment of a cog wheel and
sheaves of maize, coffee and cotton, representing respectively the workers and
industrial production, the peasants and agricultural production. At the foot of
the design, an open book represents education and culture, and the rising sun
represents the new country. In the center is a machete and a hoe symbolizing
work and the start of the armed struggle. At the top a star symbolizing
international solidarity and progress. In the lower part of the emblem is a
golden band with the inscription ‘Republic of Angola’.
Angola national cultural symbols
Welwitschia plant, imbondeiro or baobab tree,
Giant Sable African Antelope, sculpture O Pensador or the Thinker.
Angola National Anthem
Angola Avante or Onwards Angola is the
national anthem of the Republic of Angola. O Fatherland, we shall never forget,
The heroes of the Fourth of February. O Fatherland, we salute your sons, Who
died for our Independence. We honor the past and our history, As by our work we
build the New Man. We honor the past and our history, As by our work we build
the New Man.
Chorus: Onwards, Angola!
Revolution through the power of the People! A United Country, Freedom, One
People, one Nation! Let us raise our liberated voices, To the glory of the
peoples of Africa. We shall march, Angolan fighters, In solidarity with
oppressed peoples. We shall fight proudly for Peace, Along with the progressive
forces of the world. We shall fight proudly for Peace Along with the
progressive forces of the world.
