Angola's Place In West Africa: A Country Profile

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and northeast. Angola also has a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has a varied landscape, ranging from a semidesert Atlantic littoral in the south to rainforests in the interior and a rugged highland region in the south. Luanda, the capital and largest city, is a bustling port blending Portuguese-style landmarks with modern industrial complexes. Angola is rich in natural resources, including diamonds, metals, and petroleum, and ranks among the highest oil-producing countries in Africa. With a diverse population of over 37 million, Angola is a multicultural and multiethnic nation, with Portuguese influences dating back to the 16th century.

Angola's history of colonisation

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and east, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

The formation of Angola as a nation-state can be traced back to the Kingdom of Kongo, which was a hegemonic state of several other kingdoms that flourished in and after the 14th century. The Kingdom of Kongo became extremely wealthy and powerful through its involvement in the Atlantic slave trade with the Portuguese Empire.

Portuguese Colonisation

Portuguese explorers first reached the area in 1483 and established relations with the Kingdom of Kongo. In 1484, Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reached the area. In 1575, Paulo Dias de Novais arrived in Angola with 100 families of colonists and 400 soldiers and established the colony of Luanda. Benguela was fortified in 1587 and became a township in 1617.

The Portuguese established their primary early trading post at Soyo, which is now the northernmost city in Angola apart from the Cabinda exclave. The Portuguese established several other settlements, forts, and trading posts along the Angolan coast, trading in Angolan slaves for plantations.

Independence

After a protracted anti-colonial struggle (1961-1974), Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975 as a one-party Republic. However, competing movements still struggled for power, and the country descended into a devastating civil war between the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and the militant organisation National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). The civil war ended in 2002, and Angola has since emerged as a relatively stable constitutional republic.

Angola's economy and natural resources

Angola is a country located 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 the world in terms of both total area and population. Angola has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, and its economy is among the fastest-growing in the world.

Natural Resources

Angola is rich in natural resources, including precious gems, metals, and petroleum. Its natural resources include:

• Petroleum
• Diamonds
• Iron ore
• Phosphates
• Copper
• Feldspar
• Gold
• Bauxite
• Uranium
• Wood and other materials from forests and woodland

Economy

Angola's economy is heavily influenced by the effects of four decades of conflict in the last part of the 20th century, namely the war for independence from Portugal (1961-1975) and the subsequent civil war (1975-2002). Angola's economy has been dominated by the production of raw materials and the use of cheap labour since European rule began in the 16th century.

Angola's economy has grown significantly since the country achieved political stability in 2002, mainly due to fast-rising earnings in the oil sector. Angola is now one of the largest exporters of petroleum in sub-Saharan Africa, and oil production has nearly tripled since independence. The country joined OPEC in 2007 and left in 2023 as they wanted to expand their oil production. Angola produces and exports more petroleum than any other nation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Angola's economy is highly vulnerable to shifts in the price of oil, which accounts for over 90% of exports. Diamonds are also a significant source of revenue, with Angola being the third-largest producer of diamonds in Africa.

Angola has a serious humanitarian crisis, with most Angolans having a low standard of living. Life expectancy is among the lowest in the world, while infant mortality is among the highest. The country has a high level of inequality, with most of the nation's wealth concentrated in a disproportionately small part of the population. Angola's financial system is maintained by the National Bank of Angola.

Angola's climate and geography

Angola is located on the western coast of Southern Africa and has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The dry season, known as "cacimbo", lasts from June to September and is characterised by a heavy morning mist and cooler temperatures, while the rainy season lasts from October to May and is hot and humid. The climate is influenced by the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone, which controls rainfall, and the Benguela Cold Current, which affects temperatures and precipitation along the coast.

The geography of Angola is characterised by a narrow coastal plain that rises abruptly to a vast interior plateau. The coastal plain, extending inland from 50 to 160 km, is sparsely watered and relatively sterile. Inland, parallel to the coast, lies a belt of hills and mountains, behind which is a large plateau. The highest point in Angola is Morro de Môco, at 2,620 metres above sea level. The Zambezi River and several tributaries of the Congo River originate in Angola, and the country is home to various ecoregions, including the Angolan Scarp savanna and woodlands, the Angolan montane forest-grassland mosaic, and the Angolan mopane woodlands.

Angola's terrain varies from the semidesert Atlantic littoral bordering Namibia's "Skeleton Coast" to the north's rainforest interior and the rugged highlands of the south. The coastal plain, rising abruptly from the sea, consists of alluvia, chalk, and sand, with oil-bearing formations in the northern two-thirds. The central plateau, lying east of the hills and mountains, dominates Angola's landscape and has an altitude ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 metres. The plateau's surface is typically flat or rolling, but some areas, such as the Benguela Plateau, reach heights of 2,500 metres or more.

Angola's natural resources include oil, diamonds, iron ore, copper, gold, and uranium. The country has excellent conditions for plantations and pastures, with vast areas of forests and woodland. However, environmental issues such as overuse of pastures, desertification, and deforestation are also present.

Angola's population and demographics

Angola's population was estimated to be 37.2 million in 2023. The population is growing by 3.52% annually, with a fertility rate of 6.16 children per woman as of 2017. The population is predominantly Christian, with over 80% of the population belonging to a Christian church or community. More than half are Catholic, and the remaining are members of traditional Protestant churches and Pentecostal communities.

Angola is a multicultural and multiethnic country. The population is made up of Ovimbundu (37%), Ambundu (25%), Bakongo (13%), and other ethnic groups (32%), including Chokwe, Ovambo, Ganguela, Xindonga, and about 2% mulattos (mixed European and African). There is also a small population of Chinese (1.6%) and Europeans (1%). The country has a low standard of living, with most of the nation's wealth concentrated in a disproportionately small part of the population.

The official language of Angola is Portuguese, but various dialects are also spoken, including Kikongo, Kimbundu, Umbundu, Chokwe, Mbunda, and Oxikwanyama. Literacy rates are relatively low, with 71.1% of the population over the age of 15 able to read and write in Portuguese.

Angola's political system

Angola is a unitary multiparty republic with a presidential system of government. The President of the Republic is both the head of state and head of government, and is advised by a Council of Ministers, which together with the President form the national executive power. The President is also the leader of the winning party or coalition in the National Assembly, which holds the legislative power. The judiciary is made up of the Court of Auditors and the Supreme Military Court.

The current constitution, adopted in 2010, grants the President almost absolute power. The President appoints and dismisses the members of the government, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors, the Military Supreme Court, the Governor and Vice-Governors of the National Angolan Bank, the General-Attorney, the Vice-General-Attorneys and their deputies, the Governors of the provinces, the members of the Republic Council, the members of the National Security Council, the members of the Superior Magistrates Councils, the General Chief of the Armed Forces and his deputy, all other command posts in the military and police, and the chiefs and directors of the intelligence and security organs. The President also defines the policy of the country.

The National Assembly has 220 members, elected for a four-year term, 130 by proportional representation, 90 in provincial districts, and 3 representing Angolans abroad.

The country's major political parties are the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Social Renewal Party.

Angola's government continues to provide free education, which is compulsory for eight years. Primary education, beginning at age seven, continues for four years. Secondary education comprises two cycles; beginning at age 11, students complete a four-year cycle, which can then be followed by a three-year cycle.

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