Everything About the African Country Angola

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 Democratic Republic of the Congo. Size of Angola is slightly less than twice the size of Texas and 24 times bigger than 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. 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; 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.

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 most rare woods of the world, the Savannas, usually associated to 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".

The Wildlife in Angola

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.