Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country located in southwestern Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Angola has a diverse landscape, ranging from a semidesert Atlantic littoral to rainforest interiors and rugged highlands. With a population of over 35 million people, Angola is a multicultural and multiethnic nation with a rich history and vast natural resources, including precious gems, metals, and petroleum.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Is Angola in Asia? | No |
Continent | Africa |
Region | Southwestern Africa |
Population | 37.2 million (2023) |
Area | 1,246,700 km2 |
Capital | Luanda |
Official Language | Portuguese |
Government | Unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house |
Head of State | President João Lourenço |
Neighbouring Countries | Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Botswana |
What You'll Learn
- Angola is located in southwestern Africa
- Angola is bordered by Namibia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, and the Atlantic Ocean
- Angola is the seventh-largest country in Africa
- Angola has the second-largest Lusophone population in the world
- Angola's capital and most populous city is Luanda
Angola is located in southwestern Africa
Angola is a large country, covering an area of approximately 1,246,700 square kilometres (481,400 square miles), making it the 22nd largest country in the world. The capital and most populous city is Luanda, a port city on the northern coast that blends Portuguese-style colonial landmarks with traditional African housing styles and modern industrial complexes.
Angola has a tropical climate with a dry season, and its weather is largely influenced by the seasonal movements of the rain-bearing intertropical convergence zone and the cold Benguela Current off the coast. The rainfall and temperature vary across the country, with the northern part of the Cabinda exclave receiving the highest rainfall of about 70 inches (1,800 mm) per year, while the southern coast gets as little as 2 inches (50 mm). The temperature decreases with distance from the equator, proximity to the coast, and increasing elevation, ranging from an average of 79 °F (26 °C) in Soyo at the mouth of the Congo River to 67 °F (19 °C) in Huambo, located on the Bié Plateau.
Angola has a rich history, with its formation as a nation-state originating from the Kingdom of Kongo, a powerful and wealthy state due to its establishment of the Atlantic slave trade with the Portuguese Empire. After the banning of the slave trade in the 19th century, European settlers gradually established themselves in the interior, and Angola gained independence in 1975 after a protracted anti-colonial struggle. Since then, Angola has emerged as a relatively stable constitutional republic, with a fast-growing economy, driven mainly by its vast mineral and petroleum reserves.
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Angola is bordered by Namibia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, and the Atlantic Ocean
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country in southwest Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the southeast, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north and northeast, the Republic of Congo to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has 18 provinces and an exclave province, Cabinda, which borders the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo is 2,646 km (1,644 mi) long and consists of two non-contiguous sections. The first section, along the border with Cabinda, runs 225 km (140 mi) from the Atlantic coast to the tripoint with the Republic of Congo. The second, much longer section runs 2,421 km (1,504 mi) from the Atlantic to the tripoint with Zambia.
Cabinda is separated from the rest of Angola by a strip of the Democratic Republic of Congo along the lower Congo River. The province has a population of roughly 600,000, with an economy based on hardwoods, coffee, cocoa, crude rubber, and palm oil. It also produces more than half of Angola's oil output.
Angola's border with Namibia is to the south, and its border with Zambia is to the southeast. The country's coastline along the Atlantic Ocean forms its western border.
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Angola is the seventh-largest country in Africa
Angola is a country in Africa and is not located in Asia. It is officially called the Republic of Angola and is the seventh-largest country in Africa by land area. Angola has a land area of 1,246,700 square kilometres, which makes it the 22nd largest country in the world.
Angola is located on the west-central coast of Southern Africa and is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north-east, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has a coastline that stretches 1,650 kilometres long and is divided into 18 provinces. The northernmost province, Cabinda, is an enclave separated from the rest of Angola by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Angola has a diverse landscape, from the semidesert Atlantic littoral bordering Namibia's "Skeleton Coast" to the densely populated rainforest interior and the rugged highlands of the south. The country has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: the rainy hot season, which lasts from October to April, and the dry season, known as Cacimbo, which lasts from May to September.
Angola is rich in natural resources, including precious gems, metals, and petroleum. It is one of the highest oil-producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and has vast mineral and petroleum reserves. Angola's economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, and it has a diverse range of natural resources that contribute to its economic growth.
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Angola has the second-largest Lusophone population in the world
Angola is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is officially known as the Republic of Angola. With a population of over 37 million, it is the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world in terms of population and total area. The first is Brazil, which has a population of over 210 million.
The name Angola comes from the colonial name given by the Portuguese: Reino de Angola, or 'Kingdom of Angola'. The toponym was derived by the Portuguese from the title ngola, held by the kings of Ndongo and Matamba. Portuguese is the official language of Angola, and it is the first language of 39% of the population. It is spoken by 71.1% of Angolans, while 23% speak Umbundu, 8.2% speak Kikongo, and 7.8% Kimbundu.
Angola's capital and most populous city is Luanda, which is home to over 8 million people in the metropolitan area. Luanda is known as the "Paris of Africa" due to its development, stable economy, and European-level prices.
Angola's formation as a nation-state can be traced back to the Kingdom of Kongo, a powerful state that traded with the Portuguese Empire. The Portuguese established their primary early trading post at Soyo, now the northernmost city in Angola. In 1575, Paulo Dias de Novais founded Luanda with a hundred settler families and four hundred soldiers. Benguela was fortified in 1587 and became a township in 1617.
Angola has a multicultural and multiethnic population. Its economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, particularly since the end of the civil war in 2002. However, economic growth is uneven, and most of the nation's wealth is concentrated in a small portion of the population. Angola has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, and its major investment and trade partners include China, the European Union, and the United States.
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Angola's capital and most populous city is Luanda
Angola is a country in Southern Africa, and its capital and most populous city is Luanda. Located on the Atlantic coast in the northwest of the country, Luanda was founded in 1575 by the Portuguese and was an important centre for the Atlantic slave trade.
Luanda is the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) city in the world, with a population of over 6 million people. It is the political, economic, and administrative centre of Angola. The city stretches along the Atlantic Coast and is a major port city, which has contributed to its economic significance.
Luanda has witnessed increasing urban growth, fuelled by the country's abundant natural resources, such as oil and diamonds, and its favourable location near the coast and along major infrastructure routes. However, the city also faces challenges such as overcrowding, congestion, and poverty. Luanda has been named the most expensive city for expatriates, as the majority of its population continues to live in poverty.
The Angolan government has undertaken efforts to modernise the city through the development of new infrastructure and housing projects. Luanda is also attracting foreign expatriates, particularly due to the oil boom, which has resulted in the development of luxury gated communities and hotels.
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