Angola's Administrative Divisions: States Or Provinces?

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country in southwestern Africa. It is divided into eighteen provinces, or 'províncias' in Portuguese. Angola has a presidential system of government and is a unitary multiparty republic with a legislative house, the National Assembly. The country has a population of around 37.2 million people and is the seventh-largest country in Africa.

Angola is divided into 18 provinces, or 'províncias' in Portuguese

Angola is divided into 18 provinces, or províncias in Portuguese. These provinces are Bengo, Benguela, Bié, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huíla, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uíge, and Zaire. Each province is further divided into municipalities.

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in both total area and population and is the seventh-largest country in Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and northeast, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

Angola has a diverse landscape, ranging from the semidesert Atlantic littoral bordering Namibia's "Skeleton Coast," the sparsely populated rainforest interior, the rugged highlands of the south, the Cabinda exclave in the north, and the densely settled towns and cities of the northern coast and north-central river valleys. The country has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, and its economy is among the fastest-growing in the world.

Angola's history is marked by the struggle for independence from Portuguese colonial rule, which it achieved in 1975. However, the country soon descended into a devastating civil war that lasted until 2002. Since then, Angola has emerged as a relatively stable constitutional republic, and it continues to work towards consolidating peace, security, and democratic institutions.

The capital and most populous city is Luanda

Angola is divided into 18 provinces, and Luanda is one of them. It is the capital and most populous city in Angola, with a population of more than 8.3 million people in 2020, which is about a third of the country's population.

Luanda is located on the northern Atlantic coast of Angola. It is the country's administrative centre, its chief seaport, and the capital of the Luanda Province. It is also the country's primary port and its major industrial, cultural, and urban centre.

Luanda was founded in January 1576 by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais, who named it "São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda". It served as the centre of the slave trade to Brazil before the practice was prohibited.

Luanda has a hot semi-desert climate, with a surprisingly low humidity despite its tropical latitude. The climate is largely influenced by the offshore Benguela Current, which prevents moisture from easily condensing into rain.

Luanda is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop and is home to most of Angola's educational institutions, including the Catholic University of Angola and the public University of Agostinho Neto.

Luanda has been undergoing major road reconstruction in the 21st century, and new highways are planned to improve connections to Cacuaco, Viana, Samba, and the new airport.

Angola has a presidential system of government

Angola is a country in west-central Southern Africa with a population of around 37.2 million people. It is officially called the Republic of Angola and has a presidential system of government.

Angola's government is composed of three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The executive branch is made up of the President, the vice-presidents, and the Council of Ministers. The President holds significant power and controls all other organs of the state, with the leader of the winning party at the parliamentary elections becoming the President. The current President is João Lourenço, who was selected by the ruling party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), as the successor to José Eduardo dos Santos, who stepped down in 2017 after 38 years in power.

The legislative branch is a 220-seat unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, which is elected through party-list proportional representation. The MPLA holds a dominant position in the National Assembly, with over 70% of the vote in the 2012 parliamentary elections.

The judicial branch consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Tribunal of Relation. The President appoints the judges of the Supreme Court.

Angola's government has been characterised as authoritarian, with limited separation of powers and a strong executive branch. The 2010 Constitution strengthened the role of the President, eliminating the post of prime minister and providing for the President to be chosen through legislative elections rather than direct elections.

The country is divided into 18 provinces, each headed by a governor appointed by the central government. The provinces are further divided into councils, communes, circles, neighbourhoods, and villages.

Angola is bordered by Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and the Atlantic Ocean

Angola is a country in west-central Southern Africa, officially known as the Republic of Angola. It is the seventh-largest country in Africa and the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in terms of both total area and population. Angola is divided into eighteen provinces.

Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has an exclave province, Cabinda, which borders the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola is 2,646 km (1,644 mi) long and consists of two non-contiguous sections.

The northern section of the border between the two countries is 225 km (140 mi) long and runs along the border with Angola's province of Cabinda, from the Atlantic Ocean to the tripoint with the Republic of Congo. The southern section is much longer at 2,421 km (1,504 mi) and runs from the Atlantic to the tripoint with Zambia.

Angola's neighbours to the south, north, east, and west are Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. The country's diverse ethnic communities, such as the Ovimbundu, Ambundu, Bakongo, Chokwe, and Mbunda, each have their own unique cultural traits, traditions, and languages.

Angola has a favourable coastline for maritime trade, with four natural harbours: Luanda, Lobito, Moçâmedes, and Porto Alexandre. The country's capital, Luanda, is located on the Atlantic coast in the northwest of the country.

The country has a tropical climate with a marked dry season

Angola is a country in west-central Southern Africa with a tropical climate. The coastal and northern regions have high temperatures all year round, with an average of 25-30°C during the day. The north is the warmest and rainiest region, while the southwest is the coldest. The rainy season lasts from November to April, with the Benguela Current bringing dense fog and cold temperatures.

The dry season, known as "Cacimbo," occurs from June to September and is the coolest time of the year, with average temperatures between 18-20°C. The differences between day and night temperatures are particularly high in winter. For example, in Huambo, in July, the daytime temperature is 25°C, while night temperatures drop to 7-8°C.

In the high areas in the central part of the country and in the south, the climate is more moderate. Here, the rainy season lasts from October to April. The southeastern part of Angola has a very hot and dry climate, with little rainfall and low night temperatures.

Overall, Angola's climate is pleasant at times but also tropical and humid, with high humidity and warm to hot temperatures year-round. The best time to travel to Angola is from July to August, outside of the rainy season.

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