Angola

Travel Registration








Area - 1,246,700 sq km / 481,226 sq ml
Capital - Luanda
Language - Portuguse, Bantu dialects
Currency - Kwanza
Population - 10,766,471
Life expectancy - 45 (men), 48 (women)
Literacy rate - 56% (men), 29% (women)
Religions - 68% Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 12% animist
Physical features - narrow coastal plain rises to interior plateau with rainforest in the north - west and desert in the south
Ethnic distribution - 8 main ethnic groups with about 100 subgroups
Exports - oil, coffee, diamonds, palm oil, sisal, iron ore, fish, maize, mahogany


Angola is a large, developing country in south-west central Africa. The capital city is Luanda. Portuguese, the official language, is widely spoken throughout the country. Despite its extensive oil and mineral reserves and arable land suitable for large-scale production of numerous crops, Angola has some of the world's lowest social development indicators. Development was severely restricted by a 27-year long civil war that broke out upon independence in 1975, which destroyed the majority of the country's infrastructure. Since the conflict's conclusion in 2002, the government has initiated extensive infrastructure reconstruction and development projects, and there are growing signs of economic recovery. However, Angola still faces challenges with its infrastructure and with providing government services, especially in basic social services, aviation and travel safety, accommodation availability and quality and communications. Facilities for tourism, particularly outside the capital of Luanda, are often rudimentary. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Angola for additional information.

Culture and Customs: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/angola.html

Places to See: http://tntonline.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/angola/default.aspx

Events: http://travel.mapsofworld.com/angola/festivals.html

Food and Drink: http://tntonline.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/angola/food-and-drink/food-amp-drink-in-angola.aspx

Music: http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/country/content.country/angola_549

History: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1839740.stm

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/angola.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1096.html

Embassy: The U.S. Embassy is located at Rua Houari Boumedienne #32, in the Miramar area of Luanda, P.O. Box 6468, tel. (244) 222-641-000, (244) 222-447-028, (244) 222-445-481, (244) 222-446-224; after-hours (244) 222-641-000