Angola

Continent: Africa

Previous name: People’s Republic of Angola

Date of independence: 11th November 1975

Languages spoken: Portuguese is the official language, but six other languages have institutional status: Chokwe, Kikongo, Kimbundu, Oshiwambo and Umbundu

Population: Approximately 32,522,339

Flag: The Angolan flag consists of two colours, red and black, with a yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star with a machete and half a gear. These represent liberty, Africa, workers, and labourers respectively.

Key facts: Angola is located in the south of Africa and is bordered by DRC, Republic of the Congo, Namibia, and Zambia. Angola’s terrain consists of a short coastal plain which ascends into a plateau. Most of Angola’s population is found in urban centres in the west. The country was engaged in a civil war for more than 25 years which ended in 2002, ushering in a new age of democracy. The country is divided into eighteen provinces and is governed by a presidential system. Elections are held every five years. The country is heavily reliant on oil production for economic growth.

 

Symbols and culture: The giant sable antelope or the ‘Palanca Negra Gigante’, along with the national colours, are Angola’s symbols. The various ethnic communities practice various cultures.

 

Natural resources: Petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium.