Which Country Shares A Border With Angola And South Africa?

Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north-east, and the Republic of the Congo to the north. Its western border is formed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Angola's neighbours

Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north-east, and the Republic of the Congo to the north. The country also has a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

The Republic of the Congo separates the Angolan province of Cabinda from the rest of the country.

Angola has a total land border of 4,837 km and a coastline of 1,650 km.

Angola's size

Angola is a large country, roughly square in shape, with a maximum width of about 800 miles (1,300 km). It is the world's 22nd largest country, comparable in size to Mali, or twice the size of France or Texas. Angola has a total area of 1,246,700 square kilometres (481,400 square miles).

Angola's landscape includes a narrow coastal plain, rainforest interior, rugged highlands, and the densely settled towns and cities of the northern coast and north-central river valleys. The country's capital, Luanda, is a large port city on the northern coast.

Angola has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The country experiences a marked dry season, with rainfall decreasing rapidly from north to south and closer to the coast. The rainy season lasts from September to May in the north and from December to February in the south.

Angola's capital

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 institution was prohibited.

Luanda is divided into two parts: the Baixa de Luanda (the old city) and the Cidade Alta (the new part). The Baixa de Luanda is situated next to the port and has narrow streets and old colonial buildings. The Cidade Alta, or upper city, is the newer part of Luanda.

Luanda is the economic and political centre of Angola. Industries present in the city include the processing of agricultural products, beverage production, textiles, cement, new car assembly plants, construction materials, plastics, metallurgy, cigarettes, and shoes. Luanda is also an economic centre for oil, with a refinery located in the city.

Luanda has been undergoing major reconstruction in the 21st century, with new large developments significantly altering its cityscape. The city is also undergoing major road reconstruction, with new highways planned to improve connections to Cacuaco, Viana, Samba, and the new airport.

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.

The population of Luanda has grown dramatically in recent years, largely due to war-time migration to the city, which is considered safe compared to the rest of the country. However, this has resulted in slums, or musseques, springing up around the city. Around one-third of Angolans live in Luanda, 53% of whom live in poverty.

Angola's population

Angola is bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north-east, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west. It has a population of approximately 38 million as of August 2024, with an estimated 37.2 million people in 2023. Angola is the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in terms of population and the seventh-largest country in Africa.

The population of Angola is composed of various ethnic groups, with Ovimbundu (37%), Ambundu (23%), and Bakongo (13%) being the most prevalent. The Ambundu and Ovimbundu ethnic groups form a majority of the population, at 62%. The remaining 32% includes other ethnic groups such as the Chokwe, Ovambo, Ganguela, and Xindonga, as well as a small percentage of mulattos (mixed European and African), Chinese, and Europeans.

Portuguese is the official language of Angola, but the country also has various dialects such as Kikongo, Kimbundu, Umbundu, Chokwe, and Oxikwanyama. The population is predominantly Christian, with Catholicism being the most widely practised religion.

Angola has a low standard of living, with low life expectancy and high infant mortality rates. The country's wealth is concentrated in a disproportionately small part of the population, contributing to significant social and economic inequality.

Angola's official language

Angola 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 also has an exclave province, Cabinda, that borders the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Angola has a rich history, with its formation as a nation-state originating from the Kingdom of Kongo, a hegemonic state of several other Kikongo-speaking kingdoms. The first explorers from Portugal established relations with the Kingdom of Kongo in 1483, and the Portuguese language was introduced during the colonial era.

Portuguese is the sole official language of Angola, with 71% of the population speaking it at home. It is the mother tongue of 39% of the population and is widely spoken in urban areas. The variant of Portuguese spoken in Angola is known as Angolan Portuguese and is phonetically similar to the Mozambican variant.

While Portuguese is the official language, there are 46 other native languages spoken in Angola, most of which are Bantu languages. The government has said it will choose six of these to be developed as literary languages, including Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo. Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language, with about 23% of the population speaking it natively.

The foreign languages most taught in schools are English and French, and the government has planned to make English a compulsory subject in the future.

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