Angola: A Good Place To Live?

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is the seventh-largest country in Africa and the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in both total area and population. Angola has a rich history, vibrant culture, and diverse landscapes. However, it also faces significant social and economic challenges, including high poverty rates, income inequality, and the aftermath of a devastating civil war. So, is Angola a good place to live? This article will explore the pros and cons of life in Angola and let you decide.

Angola's poverty

Angola has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, and its economy is among the fastest-growing in the world. However, economic growth is highly uneven, with most of the nation's wealth concentrated in a disproportionately small part of the population. Most Angolans have a low standard of living; life expectancy is among the lowest in the world, while infant mortality is among the highest.

According to the Angola Multidimensional Poverty Index (A-MPI), which assesses the proportion of poor and the intensity of that poverty, 54% of Angolans live in multidimensional poverty and experience multiple deprivations. The A-MPI considers access to safe water, nutrition, education, and employment. The report found that 70% of multidimensional poverty in the country is due to deprivation in terms of education and quality of life. Indicators such as nutrition, maternal health, civil registration, and years of schooling also contribute to this number.

The disparities between urban and rural areas are significant. In urban areas, approximately 1 in 3 people (35% of the population) are multidimensionally poor, while in rural areas, this figure increases to 9 out of 10 people (88% of the population). In Luanda, 23.7% of the population is multidimensionally poor, but in several other provinces, multidimensional poverty affects at least 70% of the population. Across the spectrum of multidimensionally poor people, poverty is most pronounced among children under 10 years of age.

The Angolan government has made efforts to address poverty, particularly by investing in education. Since the end of the civil war, the government has collected finances from taxes on oil and diamond extractions, leading to a budget for education. However, basic adult literacy remains low compared to other countries, and surveys indicate it is difficult to pinpoint peoples' educational needs. Current UNICEF figures suggest that Angola's adult literacy rate stands at just over 70%.

Angolan food

Angola's cuisine is heavily influenced by its former coloniser, Portugal, and its neighbouring African countries. Beans, rice, flour, chicken, vegetables, and garlic are staple ingredients in Angolan cooking. Red palm oil is also popular for cooking and flavouring food.

The national dish of Angola is considered to be either chicken muamba or funge. Chicken muamba is a dish made with red palm oil, spices, tomatoes, and sometimes peanut butter, served with rice. Funge is a mash made from the root cassava (or cassava flour and water) and is eaten with fish, chicken, or pork stews.

Other popular dishes include:

• Kizaka: One of the most popular vegetarian dishes in Angola, consisting of ground peanuts and boiled cassava leaves.
• Feijão de Óleo de Palma: A typical Angolan dish made with beans, palm oil, and spices like garlic, salt, and onions.
• Cabidela: A dish cooked in blood (usually chicken or rabbit) along with water and a little vinegar.
• Calulu: A dried fish or meat cooked with tomatoes, okra, and onion.
• Goat stew: A dish usually served on special occasions.
• Camaro Grelhado Com Molho Cru: Grilled prawns with green onion sauce.
• Paracuca: Roasted peanuts, either sweet or savoury.
• Catatos: Fried caterpillars with garlic, onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
• Chikuanga: A traditional bread made from cassava flour cakes wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
• Cocada Amarela: A dessert made from coconut and egg yolks.
• Bolo de Ginguba: A popular peanut sponge cake.
• Mongozo: A beer speciality of Lundas made from palm nuts.

Housing in Angola

Angola's housing sector has struggled to attract private and foreign investment since the country gained independence in 1974. Commercial banks are hesitant to lend to real estate due to massive defaults and inefficient foreclosures. According to the Bank of Angola, only 15% of total loans extended by banks to individuals were housing loans in July 2022. This is despite efforts by the central bank to promote residential construction and enable access to mortgage finance.

Angola's housing market is characterised by a lack of investment, inefficient foreclosure processes, and a limited supply of affordable housing. The country's economy is heavily dependent on oil, and its economic outlook is closely tied to oil prices and the performance of the non-oil sector.

Housing Affordability

Housing affordability is a key concern in Angola, with high inflation and a significant proportion of the population living below the poverty line. Most Angolans cannot afford mortgages, and low-income families must choose between housing, childcare, healthcare, education, and food.

Housing Supply

The majority of Angola's housing stock is delivered incrementally by owner-builders, with over 67% of residents in the capital city of Luanda residing in self-built housing. Luanda's housing stock consists of a mix of dilapidated colonial-era buildings and sprawling informal settlements. The government has invested in the construction of new townhomes, but there is a shortage of affordable rental options, particularly for the middle and lower-income segments of the market.

Legal and Regulatory Environment

Angola's legal and regulatory environment regarding housing and property ownership is complex and insecure. Few properties have registered deeds or full legal title, and the absence of up-to-date land cadastres and real estate registries hampers land management and tenure security. The process of registering property is time-consuming and costly, further deterring investment in the housing sector.

Infrastructure and Utilities

Access to basic utilities, such as piped water and electricity, is limited in Angola. While over half of urban homes have piped water, only around a quarter of peri-urban areas have access. The country aims to improve access to electricity, with a target of providing 60% of the population with renewable energy sources by 2025.

Climate Change and Environmental Considerations

Angola is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including prolonged droughts, floods, reduced water availability, and coastal degradation. These factors influence housing development and place additional strain on the country's infrastructure and resources.

Angola's housing sector faces significant challenges, including a lack of investment, affordable housing shortages, insecure land tenure, and inadequate infrastructure. Efforts to improve housing affordability, promote sustainable development, and enhance tenure security are ongoing, but the country continues to grapple with the legacy of its recent civil war and the concentration of wealth in a small portion of the population.

Angola's natural resources

Angola has a wealth of natural resources, which have contributed to its status as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The country has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, with oil and diamonds forming the backbone of its exports. Angola is the second-largest producer of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa, with offshore oil fields producing light sweet crude oil with low sulfur content. This oil is highly sought after by refineries in China, which is Angola's biggest export destination. Angola also has large reserves of natural gas, concentrated in the maritime zones off the Cabinda exclave and the Congo River estuary.

In addition to its petroleum and gas reserves, Angola is considered one of the richest African nations in terms of mineral resources. Diamonds are the most vital of these mineral resources, with significant deposits found in the country's northeastern region near Lunda. Angola's modern diamond mining industry dates back to the colonial period in 1912, and the country was once the fourth-largest diamond exporter in the world. Other important minerals include iron ore, manganese, gold, phosphates, uranium, feldspar, and platinum, which are found in commercial quantities, especially in the area of the escarpment.

Agriculture is another key sector in Angola, with arable land accounting for close to 4% of the nation's total area. Angola's soils are among the most fertile in Africa, and its climate is highly conducive to agricultural activities. The country was once agriculturally self-sufficient, and even an exporter of food, but the civil war significantly disrupted the sector. However, since the end of the conflict, Angola has been working to revitalise agriculture, and currently, main crops include coffee, bananas, and cassava.

Forests also play an important role in Angola's natural resources, covering nearly 18.4% of the country's total area. The Maiombe forest in Cabinda is one of the significant forested areas, providing a natural home for gorillas. Additionally, Angola has a diverse range of animal species, with several national parks established to protect its wildlife.

Angola's climate

Angola is located on the west-central coast of Southern Africa and has a tropical climate. The country experiences distinct rainy and dry seasons, with the former lasting from October to May and the latter from June to September. The dry season, known as "Cacimbo", is characterised by heavy morning mist and lower temperatures, making it the best time for travel. The rainy season is hot and humid, with temperatures reaching as high as 35.6 °C in April. The warmest and rainiest region is in the north, while the coldest is in the southwest.

The unique climate of Angola means its beaches can be visited at any time of the year, although they are busiest during the hot season. The country has over 1,650km of coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean, with famous beaches such as Ilha do Cabo, Mussulo, Corimba, and Restinga. The sea maintains an average temperature of 24°C, making it inviting for bathing all year round.

Further inland, Angola's climate varies with altitude and distance from the equator. At higher altitudes, frost may form during the dry season months of July and August. The central plateau city of Huambo, for example, has an average annual temperature of under 16°C, while Soyo, at the mouth of the Congo River, averages about 26°C.

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