Geography of Angola

The state of Angola is a country in southwestern Africa, which borders in the north and northeast on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia in the south, Zambia in the east. Angola is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the west. The enclave of Cabinda is part of Angola.

The territory of Angola consists conditionally of three regions: the Great Interior Plateau, the transitional zone and the coastal plain. Two-thirds of the territory is occupied by the Angolan Plateau, which is located in the east and has an average altitude of 1000 to 1520 m above sea level. The highest point (2620 m) is located in the central part. The coastal plain occupies from 50 to 150 km. The transition zone consists of terraces, with a width of 30 to 150 km.

State structure of Angola

The state structure of the country is a republic. The president is the head of state, who is appointed by the government. The legislative body is the National Assembly. The executive branch is represented by the Council of Ministers.

Angola weather

The tropical trade wind climate is inherent in the coastal lowland, it is arid due to the Benguela cold current that runs along the coast. This reduces the air temperature to 24-26˚С in March (the warmest month) and to 16-20˚С in July (the coldest month). In the Namib Desert, the annual rainfall is 50-100 mm and increases from south to north to 250-500 mm.

The equatorial monsoon climate is inherent in the plateau, has a long wet summer (October to May) and dry winter (June to September). The air temperature ranges from 13-23 to 17-28 degrees in winter and summer, respectively. Annual precipitation increases from south to north from 600-800mm to 1000-1500mm.

Angola language

The official language is Portuguese.

Also widespread are the African Bantu languages: Kimbundu, Kikongo, Umbundu, Mbunda, Chokwe, Kwanyama.

Religion in Angola

Most of the population (over 53%) are Christians. 38% of them are Catholics and 15% are Protestants. The rest of the population professes local beliefs.

Currency of Angola

International currency name: AOA

One kwanza is equal to 100 lei.

Free currency exchange is possible in banks and hotels, as well as in specialized exchange offices. There is also a so-called "black" market, but only in the capital Luanda and in large industrialized regions. In the provincial part of the country, this creates many difficulties.

Traveler's checks and credit cards are accepted in most major hotels, restaurants and shops and restaurants in Luanda, but cannot be used in other cities.

Customs restrictions

Declaration of the imported currency is mandatory, but the amount is not limited. Persons who have bought a return ticket in Angola can once a year take out the amount of foreign currency equivalent to 10 thousand kwanzas. The rest of the persons have the right to take out the previously imported foreign currency by submitting a letter certified by the National Bank of the receiving party stating that this party paid the expenses for their stay. If the imported foreign currency is partially spent, then the expenses are confirmed by the receipts of the exchange points and checks of the shops.

The rest can be withdrawn. You cannot export national currency.

Duty-free import is also allowed: alcohol, tobacco products and food, but only for personal needs. It is forbidden to transport: weapons, drugs and rough gems, ivory handicrafts, shellfish, and turtle shells.

Tips

The maximum amount of tips left in restaurants is 10% of the bill. In establishments such as cafes and bars, tips are not left, although this is not prohibited.

Souvenirs

In Angola, ancient crafts have been preserved - weaving and artistic woodcarving. Figurines of animals and people, ritual masks and furniture are made by cutting wood. Mats and baskets are made from reeds, straw or grass, which are decorated with clear geometric patterns. The ancient folk art of Angola is the manufacture of wood products (black) and ivory carving. These products can be purchased at city markets.

Office Hours

Banks work from 10.00 to 16.00 on weekdays and on Saturday from 8.30 to 11.00.

Angola is considered a traditionally friendly state to Russia. You need to look for Angola on the world map in southern Africa. The state is included in a small group of countries in which Islam is officially banned. Despite the fact that it is located in Africa, every tenth inhabitant is Chinese.

Angola on the map of the world and Africa in Russian

One of the highlights of the country is namib desert. Most of the territory of Angola is a plateau.

The most attractive part of Angola for tourists is the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Most foreigners come to relax on its beaches surrounded by tropical forests.

Timezone

There is no daylight saving time in Angola. The country's standard time zone is UTC/GMT+1. The time difference from is 2 hours.

Visa for Russians

For Russians there is no visa-free entry to country. Even for a transit visit to Angola, it is necessary to issue permits to enter the country. This can be done at the embassy or consulates of Angola. The cost of a tourist visa for Russians is 100 US dollars (about 5,900 rubles). For urgent registration - $ 200 (≈11800 rubles). A transit visa will cost $30 (≈1800 rubles).

in Russia arrange entry documents You can visit Angola in the following places:

• embassy at the address: Moscow, st. Olof Palme, 6;
• consulate at the address: St. Petersburg, st. Shpalernaya, 36.

In order to get to the consular department of Angola in the Russian Federation, an appointment is not required. Documents can be submitted through third parties. The term for consideration of documents does not exceed 5 working days. Issuing a tourist visa to Russians for 30 days.

One of main requirements, presented to the documents necessary for issuing a visa, is the validity period of the foreign passport. It must be at least 90 days.

Embassy Russian Federation in Angola located at the address: Republic of Angola, Luanda, Miramar district, st. Huari Boumediene, house 170, PO Box 3141.

Photos and information about the country

Angola can safely be called Christian country. Most of its citizens profess this religion. The country is a member of COMESA, the UN and the African Union.

State history

For a long period of its history, Angola was a colony of Portugal. She managed to get rid of her colonial dependence only in 1975. There is evidence that in the VI century on the territory of modern Angola lived Bushmen and Bantu tribes.

Until now, the country is inhabited by various tribes that are of interest to tourists.

The Old World discovered Angola in 1482, when a Portuguese sea expedition headed by Diogo Kahn. Until the middle of the 19th century, their main occupation in Angola was the slave trade. They plundered the country and did not develop it. Historians claim that over 300 years of colonization, the Portuguese sold into slavery more than 5 million inhabitants of the country.

Angola managed to get rid of colonial dependence as a result of many years of struggle. After gaining independence, the country was in a state of civil war for 27 years. The Republic of Angola is currently presidential republic.

General information

Many are interested in what language is spoken in the country - the official language in Angola is Portuguese. The territory of the country is 1.247 million km². It is home to just over 29 million people.

The country is divided into 18 provinces which are made up of municipalities. The country's largest province in terms of area is Moxico (223 thousand km²), in terms of population - Luanda (6.5 million people).

Population The country consists of three main ethnic groups: Ovimbundu, Northern Mbundu and Kongo. The white population consists mainly of the Portuguese. The official currency of the state is the kwanza.

Climate and weather

Throughout the country, you can find various natural landscapes. It is divided geographically into three zones that determine the climate of a country. The two main zones are the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the Angolan Plateau. They are separated by a transition zone. It consists of a large number of terraces.

The climate of the south countries - trade wind subtropical. It is characterized by dry, cool winters and hot summers with plenty of rain. The average annual temperature in this region of the country is in the range of +21-23 degrees Celsius. In winter, it can drop below +16 degrees.

Northern part The country belongs to the zone with monsoon winds. This is a region with a tropical climate, it is characterized by a large amount of rain, they happen here much more often than in the south. The rainy season lasts in this area from October to.

The air temperature in the north of the country is lower than the south by 3-5 degrees Celsius.

In the desert located in this part of the country, there are observed at night sudden changes in temperature. The thermometer scale can drop to 0 degrees at night.

Capital and major cities

State capital - Luanda. She is considered the most expensive city in the world. Most Angolans live in the capital. The population of Luanda is over 2.3 million people. The city was built near the confluence of the Kwanza River into the Atlantic Ocean. On all sides it is surrounded by savannah, which has preserved its original flora.

All other cities in the country are much smaller. In the list of large settlements:

1. Benguela(513 thousand people);
2. Huambo(325 thousand people);
3. Malanje(222 thousand people).

National holidays

The main national holiday of the country - National Hero Day, it takes place on September 17 and is dedicated to the memory of Antonio Agostinho Neto. Under his leadership, the country was freed from colonial dependence.

Every year on the fourth of January, the country celebrates the Day of the Victims of Colonial Repression.

On the 4th of February, the country celebrates the Day of the Beginning of the Armed Struggle. On the 25th of May, Angola celebrates Africa Day. In November, the country celebrates All Souls' Day on the 2nd and National Independence Day on the 11th. Christmas The country is officially celebrated on December 25th.

During rituals in honor of weddings, births, harvests, hunting and other important events in Angola, they use ceremonial masks. They are made from a whole piece of wood with the addition of plant fibers in the form of human heads, they have elongated foreheads, wide lips and narrow eyes. This is one of the most popular souvenirs in the country.

Tourism

Unique nature is the main attraction of the country. Most tourists go to Angola because of its rainforests, savannas and Atlantic coast beaches.

Rest in the country

One of the exotic areas of tourism are ethnographic tours. They are dedicated to getting to know the way of life of local tribal peoples. Many of them continue to live in the traditions of the Stone Age. Such tours can be classified as ecotourism. Among the popular tourist routes in Angola are hiking deep into the desert.

The infrastructure of the beaches in the country is still poorly developed. Their length is 1600 km. The beaches of Angola can attract vacationers with their own picturesque landscapes. Most Angolan beaches are wild, they are surrounded by tropical forests that are filled with various animals and exotic birds. The rich underwater world of the ocean can please diving enthusiasts.

The most amazing landscapes in the country can be found in Namibe. In this region of Angola there is a junction of the sea, desert and savannah. This area is perfect for hunting. In the Angolan savannah, you can hunt African animals.

Kitchen

The mass poverty of the country's population and the long years of Portuguese colonization had an impact on its national cuisine. hallmark The national tradition of cooking is mixing a large number of ingredients in one dish.

Local fruits are always present on the Angolan table: pineapples, guava, bananas and others. In the villages far from the coast, various dishes are prepared from corn, beans and rice. national dishes of these places are jerky and muamba - fried chicken.

In cities and towns located on the coast, dishes are prepared from seafood. The most common dish of these places is grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves. Among the exotic Angolan dishes: cuttlefish cooked in their own ink. Telapia fried in palm oil can compare with this dish with its originality.

Spicy piri-piri sauce is served with all meat and fish dishes, and the locals love to drink local beer and wine as drinks.

Sights and nature

There are few attractions in the country. The main architectural monuments are concentrated in Luanda. Main Feature the capitals of Angola are mosaic paved sidewalks.

Once in Angola, it is impossible not to visit the city Benguela. It houses a well-preserved fort built by the Portuguese during the period of colonization. The building belongs to the 16th century. Such structures were erected to protect the shores of the country, which has experienced a large number of different wars in its history. Inspection of the fort in these places can be combined with sea fishing. She's great in this area.

The great national treasure of the country are its parks. The most famous of them is kisama. It is located in Bengo. This place is located about 70 km from Luanda in the northwestern part of the country. One side of the park faces the ocean. The coastline is 120 km.

On the territory of the park, whose area is 9.9 thousand km², you can find tropical forest zone, fields and savanna. Elephants, red buffalo and even black sable can be found in the park.

In addition to Kisama Park, the following are popular with tourists National parks:

• Porto Alexandre;
• Kwanza Sul;
• Milando and others.

For healing with miraculous healing water, tourists go to springs in County of Bibala.

Waters have a rejuvenating effect - they have an ideal ratio of minerals for the human body.

Best hotels

Most of the country's hotels are located in Luanda. One of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in the capital - EPIC SANA Luanda. The hotel has a convenient location - it is only 2 km from the city center. There is everything for a comfortable stay: 5 restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools. All hotel rooms are equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV and internet.

You can book a room in this or any other hotel in Angola using a convenient search form. You only need to indicate city ​​name, dates of entry and exit, and number of guests.

Most of the country's hotels are not so luxurious and are small family hotels. They do not have a high level of service. Despite this, the price of living in them is high even by European standards. Hotels include:

1. five-star- Hotel de Convenções de Talatona HCTA and Talatona Convention Hotel in Talatona;
2. four-star- Aparthotel Mil Cidades in Benguela, Chik-Chik Namibe in Namibe, Tropico in Luanda;
3. three-star- Ibis Styles Iu Luanda in Kakuako, Mariuska in Luanda, Panguila Hotel in Panguila.

You will learn a lot more interesting about Angola from this video:

Luanda 19:43 22°C
It's clear

Hotels

Most of the hotels are concentrated in the country's capital - Luanda. Not so long ago, the construction of the EPIC SANA Luanda Hotel, a five-star business class hotel, was completed. According to developers, this is one of the best and most modern hotels in the country. It has everything that corresponds to luxury hotels: spacious and comfortable rooms, good service, large territory, parks and gardens, terraces, several swimming pools and a gym.

Angola is a developing country there is no mass tourism here, so most of the hotels are located in major cities and in the capital. Small hostels and guest houses with modest service and low prices are common. If you are looking for just such a place, Nancy Gest House, located near the beach in the center of Benguela, is ideal.

Attractions

The most valuable thing in Angola is its nature: bright and unusual. There are many national parks that amaze with the richness of the wildlife. Cameo National Park has many rivers and savannah forests. Most of its territory is occupied by shrubs, pastures, rivers and forests. It is here that you can see lions, black antelope and wildebeest. It was created 60 years ago due to the spread of poaching.

Kisama National Park is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Many animals listed in the Red Book live here: antelope, black sable, leopards and herbivorous whales.

Kalandula waterfall, located 450 kilometers from Luanda, is the highest and fastest waterfall in Africa. Its height is 104 meters. It is best to watch it during the rainy season, that's when its power is felt.

Leisure

Luanda is actively modernizing, the standard of living of local residents is gradually increasing, standard places of recreation and leisure appear: shopping centers, bars, restaurants, nightclubs.

Angola's cuisine is a mixture of local and Portuguese dishes. Lots of meat, seafood, fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. Almost all meat and fish are grilled and poured with warm sauce.

When you see the prices for local entertainment - do not be surprised. For some reason, Luanda is the most expensive capital city in the world. For the same reasons, a system of street food has been developed, bypassing expensive restaurants. As in Asian countries, here you can find a large number of barbecues with makeshift tables for a quick bite to eat.

Climate: Semi-arid in the south and along the coast to Luanda. To the north has a cool, dry season (May to October). Rainy season (November to April).

Museums

Unfortunately, at present, tourism is very poorly developed here, so there are almost no museums here.

The largest and most famous is the National Museum of Anthropology. Here you can see household items and decorative folk art of numerous tribes and nationalities inhabiting the country. The National Museum of Slavery is dedicated to the history of the slave trade.

Resorts

30 kilometers from Luanda there is a Jembas tourist complex with a hotel, landscaped area and a good beach.

Terrain: The narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to a vast inland plateau.

Transport

Angola has good roads with spacious highways. Public transport is difficult and inconvenient: most streets have no names, only numbers, there is no specific route: there is only a start and end stop accurate to the area.

Taxis appeared relatively recently, with the construction of large hotels. Motorcycle taxis are common among local residents (as in Thailand). It is enough to go to the side of the road and, like in a movie, shout: “Taxi!”, A motorbike taxi will definitely arrive almost instantly.

You cannot rent a car without a driver. You can travel to neighboring towns by train.

Standard of living

In 2008, Luanda was recognized as the most expensive capital in the world due to the fact that consumer goods are difficult to obtain. For example, a liter of milk can cost more than $4.

Angola is actively producing oil and diamonds. The profits of foreign companies create a high demand for housing, hence the prices of rent and food are skyrocketing.

The major cities of the country are relatively safe.

The villagers are engaged in agriculture, raising livestock, working on coffee plantations, growing cotton and cultivating bananas.

Resources: oil, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium.

Cities of Angola

The capital of the country, as mentioned above, is Luanda. Angola is a former colony of Portugal, which left a legacy of the language, cuisine and architectural appearance of the city center. You can still see beautiful Portuguese azulejo tiles on old buildings.

The second largest city in terms of area and population is Benguela. Located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

Population

Coordinates

Province of Luanda

8.8368 x 13.23317

Huambo Province

12.77611 x 15.73917

Province of Benguela

12.34806 x 13.54556

Province of Benguela

12.57833 x 13.40722

Bie Province

12.38333 x 16.93333

Province of da Huila

14.91667 x 13.5

Province de Malanye

9.54472 x 16.34528

Province de Namibe

15.19611 x 12.15222

Province of Zaire

6.1349 x 12.36894

Province of Cabinda

Uige Province

7.61328 x 15.05662

Province da South Lunda

9.66078 x 20.39155

Kwanza Province

11.20605 x 13.84371

menongue

Tsuando Province Tsubango

ANGOLA (Angola), Republic of Angola (Reptiblica de Angola).

General information

state in South West Africa. In the west it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Angola also includes the province of Cabinda - a semi-enclave on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, between the territories of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The area is 1246.7 thousand km 2. Population 12.9 million (2005). Capital Luanda. The official language is Portuguese. The monetary unit is the kwanza. Administrative-territorial division: 18 provinces (Table 1).

Angola is a member of the UN (1976), the African Union (1999; in 1976-98 - OAU), IBRD (1989), IMF (1989), WTO (1996).

L. A. Aksyonova.

Political system

Angola is a unitary state. The Constitution of Angola was adopted on 11/11/1975 (valid with amendments). The form of government is a mixed republic.

The head of state and executive power is the president, elected by universal and direct suffrage for a term of 5 years (can be re-elected twice more). The President is at the head of all state institutions. His powers include the protection of the state and the coordination of relations between the branches of government; the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The supreme body of legislative power is the unicameral National Assembly (220 deputies), elected by general and direct elections for 4 years: 130 deputies are elected by proportional system throughout the country, 90 deputies by the majority system. The Standing Committee is the body of the Assembly that performs its functions during the intersessional period.

The government includes the president, prime minister and ministers; it is responsible to the National Assembly.

Angola has a multi-party system. Among the parties: the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA; founded in 1956), the National Union for the Complete Liberation of Angola (UNITA; founded in 1966), etc.

V.V. Maklakov.

Nature

Relief. Most of the country is occupied by a plateau rising in a steep ledge above a narrow (50-160 km) coastal lowland (see map). The plateau is more elevated in the western part (altitude 1500-2000 m), here in some places individual mountains rise, including the Bie massif with highest point countries - Mount Moko (2620 m); it gradually decreases to the north (toward the Congo depression), to the east (towards the Zambezi river valley) and to the southeast (towards the Kalahari depression).

Geological structure and minerals. The territory of Angola lies within the African Platform. Outcrops of the crystalline basement, composed of Archean and Lower Proterozoic rocks, form the Kasai, Angola, Bangweulu shields and the Kwanza ledge. Upper Precambrian deposits form the Western Congo fold belt in the northwest and fragments of the Kibarid-Katangid and Damarid fold systems in the east and south of the country. The platform cover is developed in the Congo and Okavango basins, and also forms the perioceanic troughs. In its composition, deposits of the Upper Precambrian and Upper Paleozoic - Triassic with traces of ancient glaciations are developed, continental rocks of the Cretaceous age and sandy strata of the Cenozoic are widespread. There are large deposits of oil, iron ores, diamonds (see the Angolan-Congolese diamond province), gypsum, phosphorites, bauxites, rock salt, as well as ores of uranium, copper, gold, manganese, titanium, vanadium, lithium and other minerals.

Climate. In the inner (most) part of Angola, the climate is equatorial monsoon, on the coast - tropical trade winds, arid. Two seasons are clearly distinguished: wet summer (October-May with a short dry period in January-February) and dry winter (June-September). The average temperatures of the warmest month (September or October) are from 17°С in the upper part of the slopes to 28°С in the lower part; the coolest (July or August), respectively, from 13 to 23 ° C. Precipitation varies from 1000-1500 mm per year in the north to 600-800 mm in the south. On the coastal lowland, the cold Benguela current lowers the air temperature in July (the coolest month) to 16-20°C, in March (the warmest month) to 24-26°C. Precipitation varies from 250-500 mm per year in the north to 50-100 mm in the south. In winter, night fogs of kasimbo are characteristic.

Rivers. In the northeast of Angola, the rivers belong to the Congo River basin (the largest is the Kasai River with the left tributary of the Kwango), in the west - the Atlantic Ocean (Kwanza and Kunene). In the east and southeast, the Zambezi River (upper course) with a tributary of the Kwando and the Kubango River flow. During the dry season, the rivers become very shallow or dry up (especially in the south and southwest), during the summer rains they overflow catastrophically. Almost all of them are rapids, swift and unsuitable for navigation, but they have large reserves of hydropower.

Soils, flora and fauna. Almost 40% of the territory of Angola is occupied by forests and woodlands. In the northeast, mainly along the river valleys, there are tropical rainforests with valuable tree species (ebony, lanceolate toddalia, etc.). Dry deciduous tropical woodlands predominate in the interior regions, alternating with extensive grass savannahs on poor ferralitic (brown-red, etc.) soils. In the north and in the central part of the coastal lowland there are grassy and shrubby savannas with baobab on red-brown ferruginous and black tropical soils. In the valleys - thickets of papyrus, palm trees. In the southern part - deserted savannahs and semi-deserts on reddish-brown soils, in the extreme south of the desert, where a kind of dwarf tree grows - amazing velvichia, characteristic only of the stony waterless deserts of West and South-West Africa.

Elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, warthog, jackal, zebra, various antelopes, aardvarks, monkeys live in Angola; in the province of Malanje there is a black antelope. Reptiles and insects are numerous. Coastal waters are rich in fish. Angola has 13 protected natural areas with a total area of ​​about 8.2 million hectares, including the national parks Kameya, Iona (location of the amazing velvichia), Mupa, Kisama, Kangandala.

Population

The majority of the population of Angola are Bantu peoples; of these, the largest are ovimbundu (25%), ambundu (23%), congo (13%), luena (8%), chokwe (5%), kwanyama (4%), nyaneka (4%), luchazi (2% ), Ovambo (2%), Mbwela (2%), Nyemba (2%), Northern Lunda (1%), Mbunda (1%), Herero (103 thousand people) (2000, estimate). Bantu languages ​​are also spoken by the Pygmies (Twa; 0.1%). Khoisan peoples (Kwadi, Hukwe, various Kung groups) make up 0.5%. A special group is the so-called Euro-Africans: mulattoes who speak Portuguese or its creolized version (1%). Less than 0.09% of the Portuguese remained in the country.

Waterfall on the Kwanza River.

Lit .: Perventsev V. A. Angola. M., 1987; Angola: a country study. 3rded. Wash., 1991.

L. A. Aksenova; P. A. Bozhko (geological structure and minerals).

The current demographic statistics of Angola are based on estimates since the last census was conducted in 1970. Feature of the population of Angola, its youth: over 43% - young people under 14 years old, people over 65 years old - 2.8%, the average age of the population is 18 years old. High birth rates (45 per 1,000 inhabitants) and fertility (6.33 children per 1 woman) ensure rapid natural population growth, despite high mortality (25.9 per 1,000 inhabitants) and extremely low life expectancy (36.9 years; men 36.1, women 37.6 years). The infant mortality rate (192.5 per 1,000 newborns; 2004) in Angola is one of the highest in the world. In 1990-2000, in terms of average annual population growth (3.3%), Angola ranked 3rd in Africa (after Libya and Niger). There is a significant preponderance of the female population over the male. The average population density is 10.4 people / km 2. Traditionally, the coast is most densely populated in the area of ​​the cities of Luanda, Lobito, Benguela and Cabinda (over 1100 people / km 2). Relatively high population density in the central and western parts of the interior plateau. In the southern (including the ocean coast) and eastern regions, as well as in the highest parts of the inner plateau, the population density generally does not exceed 1 person / km 2. More than 28% of the population lives in cities. The largest cities (thousand people, 2003): Luanda - 2300, Huambo (former New Lisbon) - 171, Lobito - 136, Benguela - 133, Quito - 86, Lubango (former Sada Bandeira) - 75, Malanje - 70, Mbanza- Congo - 64. The economically active population is 5.6 million people (2003), of which more than half are unemployed and underemployed (2001). Agriculture accounts for 85% of the employed, industry and services - 15% (2003).

L. Angola Aksenova; P. I. Puchkov (ethnic composition).

Religion

The majority of the population of Angola are Christians, of which over 44% are Catholics, about 15% are Protestants (Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists). The rest of the inhabitants of Angola are adherents of various Afro-Christian syncretic cults (for example, kimbangism) or profess local traditional beliefs. In the 16th century, King Afonso I converted to Catholicism, and his son Enrique in 1518 became the first black bishop in the history of Christianity.

Historical outline

The early history of Angola is poorly understood. In the 13th century, the state of the Congo was formed on the territory of Northern Angola. Later on Angolan soil, other early class public entities. By the time the first Europeans appeared (the Portuguese expedition of Diogo Cana in 1482), the states of Ndongo, Lunda, Benguela existed here; in the 16th and 17th centuries, Matamba and Cassange arose. In the 16th century, the Portuguese founded several fortified forts on the coast of Angola, including São Paulo de Luanda (1576). From the end of the 16th century, they began to penetrate into the interior of Angola. Stubborn resistance to the invaders was provided by Nzinga Mbandi Ngola, who ruled in the 1st half of the 17th century in the states of Ndongo and Matamba. Only at the end of the 17th century, Angola was again subjected to Portuguese conquests.

Until the middle of the 19th century, the main occupation of the Portuguese in Angola was the slave trade; it is estimated that over 3 centuries, about 5 million people were taken out of the country (mainly to Brazil).

The state of Lund resisted the colonialists for the longest time (until the end of the 19th century). In 1885-91, Portugal, Belgium, Germany and England determined the modern borders of Angola, which Portugal completed its full occupation only in the early 1920s. In 1951, the colony of Angola received the status of "overseas province".

The colonial regime more than once caused spontaneous popular uprisings. In the middle of the 20th century, the first patriotic organizations arose underground: in 1954, the Union of the Peoples of the North of Angola (since 1958 the Union of the Peoples of Angola - UPA) and in 1956 the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). The UPA relied on the ethnic base of the Bakongo and at first sought to separate Northern Angola and recreate the state of the Congo within its medieval borders. The MPLA advocated the independence of a united Angola. On February 4, 1961, the MPLA raised an uprising in Luanda, which marked the beginning of the armed stage of the anti-colonial struggle. On March 15, 1961, the UPA organized attacks on a number of plantations in Northern Angola, which were of a racial and ethnic nature. In response, the colonialists intensified mass terror, fleeing from which hundreds of thousands of Angolans fled to neighboring countries. At the same time, the Portuguese government tried to reform: in the 1960s, forced labor regulations were abolished, some civil rights were granted to Angolans, and the prerogatives of local governments were expanded. But these measures had almost no effect on the position of the bulk of the indigenous population.

After the unification of the UPA with the Democratic Party of Angola (March 1962), the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) was created; On April 5, 1962, its leadership, autonomously from the MPLA, created the “Provisional Government of Angola in Exile” (GRAE), headed by J. Roberto. The MPLA, headed by A. Neto, managed to create in 1961-72 a number of military-political regions (VPR) with elected bodies of power.

In March 1966, the National Union for the Complete Independence of Angola (UNITA) arose in the eastern regions, headed by J. Savimbi, who relied on the ethnic base of the ovimbundu. UNITA soon began to cooperate with the colonial authorities. Since 1961, the Angolan question has been repeatedly discussed at the UN, the OAU and other international organizations. At the call of the OAU, most African states broke off diplomatic relations with Portugal and announced an economic boycott to it. The USSR supported the anti-colonial war in Angola, providing political, economic and military assistance to the MPLA.

After the 1974 revolution, the Portuguese democratic government ended the colonial war and granted Angola the right to independence. 15/1/1975 Portugal, MPLA, FNLA and UNITA signed an agreement on practical ways of transition of Angola to independence. But intra-Angolan contradictions and outside interference led to civil war and foreign intervention. The troops of South Africa and Zaire invaded the territory of Angola, supporting the FNLA and UNITA. 11/11/1975 in Luanda, which was under the control of the MPLA, independence was proclaimed People's Republic Angola (NRA) and government formed; A. Neto became president of the NRA. He proclaimed a policy of non-alignment, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, the creation of "a prosperous and democratic country completely free from all forms of exploitation of man by man." By the end of March 1976, the armed forces of the NRA, together with the Cuban formations that arrived to help them, ousted the troops of Zaire and South Africa from the territory of the NRA, but the civil war continued until 2002.

In 1977, the MPLA was transformed into the party MPLA - Party of Labor (MPLA PT) with a Marxist ideology. In 1979, after the death of A. Neto, J. E. dos Santos became the leader of the MPLA-PT. Since the late 1970s, UNITA's assistance from Western countries, primarily the United States. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the support of the South African army, UNITA seized significant territory in the south and east of the country. In 1988, after long negotiations with the participation of representatives of the NRA, South Africa, the USA, Cuba and the USSR, the New York Agreement was signed on the termination of UNITA assistance from South Africa and the withdrawal of Cuban troops from the country.

In 1990, the MPLA-PT returned to the former name of the MPLA and declared "democratic socialism", a market economy and a multi-party system as its goals. In May 1991, agreements were reached on ending the war, creating a unified army, holding presidential and parliamentary elections under international control until the end of 1992. The official observers for the implementation of the agreements were Portugal, the USSR and the USA. Since 1992, the name of the country has been the Republic of Angola.

In the elections (September 1992), J. E. dos Santos was elected president, and in the National Assembly the MPLA received 129 seats out of 220. Although international observers recognized the legitimacy of the election results, J. Savimbi refused to agree with them and resumed fighting. However, with the elimination of the apartheid regime in South Africa, foreign support for UNITA was significantly reduced. Under pressure from the United States, Portugal and other countries, Savimbi was forced to conclude the Lusaka Agreement (November 20, 1994) to end the civil war and form a coalition government, but in fact did not comply with either this or subsequent agreements. 22.2.2002 Savimbi was killed in action. P. Lukamba Gatu became his successor. On April 4, 2002, an agreement was reached between the leadership of Angola and UNITA on the cessation of hostilities and reconciliation.

Lit .: Oganisyan Yu.S. National Revolution in Angola (1961-1965). M., 1968; Andrade M., Ollivier M. Guerra em Angola. Lisboa, 1974; Henderson L. Angola: Five centuries of conflict. Ithaca, 1979; Bridgland F. J. Savimbi: a key to Africa. N.Y., 1986; Correia R. Descolonizaiao de Angola: a joia da coroa do Imperio Portugues. Lisboa, 1991; Khazanov A. M. The history of Angola in the new and modern times: [before 1975]. M., 1999.

Yu. S. Oganisyan, A. A. Tokarev.

economy

Angola is an agrarian country with a developed extractive industry, which at the same time has a significant industrial potential on an African scale. The absolute size of the GDP is 20.4 billion dollars, GDP per capita is 1900 dollars (2003). Industry accounts for 67% of GDP, services - 25%, agriculture - 8%. Socio-economic transformations are being carried out in Angola. Most industries are nationalized, agricultural associations and cooperatives are created, and state farms are created on large plantations. Almost continuous wars have a negative impact on the economy. Over the past 15 years alone, direct material damage from hostilities has amounted to about 20 billion dollars. The most developed economic regions are the North with coffee plantations, Cabinda with oil fields and the Northeast with large diamond deposits. The largest economic centers: Luanda - the main administrative, industrial and financial center, a major port; Lobito - industrial centre and the largest seaport; Beira Lobito Trans-African Railway Terminal; Namibe and Benguela - centers of fishing and fish processing; Huambo, Malange, Lubango and Quito are the administrative, agricultural and transport centers of the interior of the country.

Industry. The basis of the Angolan economy is the mining industry.

In terms of oil production (37 million tons in 2001; 45% of GDP), one of the best in the world in terms of quality, Angola ranks 5th in Africa (after Nigeria, Libya, Egypt and Algeria). The destruction of the war years had little effect on the oil industry. Over the past 10 years, more than 20 fields have been put into operation, by 2005 it is planned to increase production by 2 times. About 100 oil wells are in operation. Almost 90% of oil is produced in the province of Cabinda, of which up to 65% comes from offshore production in an area of ​​5.6 thousand km2 (fields: Takula-Cabinda, Numbi-Cabinda, Kokongo-Cabinda, Pakassa Block-3, Como-Pambi Block 3). Oil is also produced in the lower reaches of the Kwanza (7.5%) and Congo (2.5%) rivers. Under the Petroleum Law (1978), the Angolan oil industry is monopolized by the state company Sonangol, but the state can enter into agreements with foreign companies in the process of exploration and development of these resources. After the adoption of the law, the development of new deposits is carried out with the active participation of foreign (American, British, French, etc.) capital - such well-known TNCs as Chevron (Chevron), Exxon (Exhop), Shell ( Shell), Petrofina, Texaco, Texas, British Petroleum, and others, especially in the continental shelf off the coast of Cabinda. The main oil terminals are Luanda, Malongo (Cabinda), Palanca, etc. Income from oil exports is 80-90% of the value of the country's total exports.

The second source of foreign exchange earnings after oil is diamonds. Angola ranks 6th in the world in terms of production (after Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Russia and South Africa) and 3rd in terms of the total value of mined diamonds (after Botswana and Russia), since Angola mainly mines gemstones of high quality. In 2000, diamond mining in Angola was estimated at 5.17 million carats, including jewelry - at 4.4 million carats. In 1981, the state enterprise "Endiama" was created, which controls all the mining and trade in diamonds in Angola. Diamonds are mined mainly in the province of Lund Nord, one of the world's largest mining deposits, Catoca. The proportion of illegal mining is large (UNITA and private miners) - 55% (1998).

Marble mining in Namibe province. Textile factory in the province of Benguela.

Iron ore is mined in mines in Kasala Kitungu (Northern Kwanza Province). In small quantities, ores of non-ferrous (in particular, copper in the areas of Mavoio and Tetelo), noble and radioactive (uranium) metals are mined. Phosphorite deposits are promising, the largest of which is located in the province of Zayri, in Kindonakashi (up to 10 thousand tons per year), as well as in the province of Cabinda. In addition, the development of deposits of granite, marble, quartz.

Angola is one of the richest countries in Africa in terms of energy resources: oil, gas and hydropower, which is used only by 65%. The installed capacity of the power plants is estimated at 430 MW. In 2001, 1.45 billion kWh of electricity was produced (of which 60% - at hydroelectric power plants). The largest hydroelectric power plants: Kambambe (with a capacity of up to 50 thousand kW) on the Kwanza River, Matala on the Kunene River, Biopio on the Katumbela River and Mabubas on the Dande River; modern thermal power plant - in Porto Alexandri. The power grid is divided into 3 major power systems: North, South and Center. Less than 40% of power lines are in working order. Most of the step-up substations have been destroyed or are not operating at full capacity due to recent hostilities.

The location of the manufacturing industry is of a focal nature: the area of ​​the cities of Luanda (over 50%), Lobito, Benguela, Huambo, Namibe. An oil refinery operates in Luanda (1.6 million tons per year), which fully meets the country's domestic needs for petroleum products. There are factories for the production of textiles, matches, soap and detergents, chemical fertilizers, medicines, tires, foam plastic, cement (for export to Nigeria and Portugal). There are a number of small ferrous metallurgy and metalworking plants, several workshops for assembling imported parts and assemblies for Volvo, Fiat, Volkswagen cars, Japanese motorcycles and bicycles. The food industry is mainly focused on the production of flour, palm oil, sugar, beverages, canned fish, fish meal, etc.

Agriculture. Agricultural land occupies 0.57 million km 2 (21.8% of the territory), of which arable land - 2.4%, perennial crops - 0.4%, meadows and pastures - 97.2%. Irrigated lands account for 0.75 thousand km2.

After the declaration of independence, large plantations were nationalized and turned into state farms, which produce the bulk of the exported sisal, coffee, palm oil, sunflower, bananas, cotton, tobacco, and citrus fruits (Table 2). Along with this, there are associations, farms, cooperatives and private farms. For domestic consumption, corn, sorghum, cassava, beans, and vegetables are grown. security Agriculture equipment is extremely low (3.5 tractors per 1000 hectares, or 100 workers in the industry). Angola has favorable conditions for grazing, especially in the south (provinces of Huila and Namibe), as well as on the central plateau (provinces of Huambo, Benguela, South Kwanza). Meat and dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding, poultry farming, and beekeeping are developed (Table 3). An important role is played by fishing (especially near Benguela and Lobito), including river fishing. Fish is the staple food of the Angolans, and fishmeal and canned food are an important export item. In the waters of Angola, fishing is allowed for China, Portugal, Japan, South Korea and Russia. Tropical timber is being harvested. Handicraft production developed.

Transport. The length of railways is 2.8 thousand km; density 22.5 km / 10,000 km 2. There is no unified railway network. Railways run from the interior to the coast, have different gauges and are not interconnected. Designed for the export of raw materials from the interior of the country to the ports of Luanda, Namibe and Lobito. The main trans-African highway (the Benguela Railway) connects the Atlantic (Lobita) and Indian (Beira) oceans, crosses Angola from east to west in its central part. All railways are in need of modernization. The length of motor roads is 76.6 thousand km (including 19.2 thousand km with hard surface); density 61.4 km / 1000 km 2. Air traffic dominates within the country, with 244 airports, 32 of them with paved runways. Luanda has an international airport. River transport is not of great importance, only the lower reaches of the Kwanza (for 240 km from the mouth) and Kunene are navigable. Maritime coastal shipping is developed. The largest seaports: Lobito (deep water), Cabinda and Luanda (oil export ports), Namibe, Porto Amboin. The merchant fleet has 7 vessels (6 cargo and 1 oil tanker, over 1,000 gross tons each; 2004) with a total tonnage of 26.1 thousand gross tons (or 42.9 thousand deadweight tons). There are no large tonnage trawlers. The total length of pipelines is 179 km (1997).

Foreign economic relations. In 2003, the value of exports was $9.7 billion and imports were $4.1 billion. Main exports: crude oil, diamonds, petroleum products, natural gas, coffee, sisal, cotton, fish, timber. In 2003, the United States accounted for 47.7% of exports, China - 23.4%, Taiwan - 8%, France - 7.4%. The basis of imports is machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts for them, medicines, food, textiles, weapons. Main trading partners (2003) - Portugal (18.2%), South Africa (12.4%), USA (12.2%), Netherlands (11.6%), France (6.5%), Brazil (6 .1%), UK (4.2%).

Lit .: Khazanov A. M., Pritvorov A. V. Angola. M., 1979; Fituni L.L. Angola: nature, population, economy. M., 1985; Angola: Current state. Development prospects. Relations with Russia // Scientific Notes of the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1999. Issue. 7.

L. A. Aksyonova.

Armed forces

The Armed Forces (AF) consist of the Ground Forces (F), Air Force and Navy (2004). The Supreme Commander is the President, who directs the Armed Forces through the Ministry of Defense and General base. The main type of aircraft is SV (more than 11,300 people). Their combat composition includes tank, motorized infantry, infantry, artillery, anti-aircraft units and subunits, as well as special forces. The SV is armed with: tanks (about 280 units); artillery systems (more than 2,000 guns, mortars and MLRS, of which the majority are guns with a caliber of less than 100 mm); infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers; weapon; anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. The Air Force includes 5 air bases and an air defense regiment. They consist of combat squadrons: fighter, fighter-bomber (2), reconnaissance, transport, communications, helicopter (2), training. As part of the Navy - division landing ships(1 ship), a division of patrol ships (4 boats) and 4 companies of marines. The recruitment of the Angolan Armed Forces is based on the Law on General Conscription (1982), according to which Angolan citizens (men and women) aged 18 to 23 are required to complete a 3-year military service. Training of officers is carried out in national military educational institutions and abroad.

G. A. Nalyotov.

healthcare

In Angola, there are 8 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants (1 doctor per 12,500 inhabitants), 115 paramedical personnel, and 4 midwives. Health care spending in 2001 was 3.6% of GDP.

V.S. Nechaev.

Sport

The Angolan Olympic Committee was recognized by the IOC in 1980. Angolan athletes have been participating in the Olympic Games since 1980. The most developed sports are athletics and football. The leading Angolan football clubs Primeiro de Agosti and Inter Clube played in the finals of the African Cup Winners' Cup (1998 and 2001).

Education. Scientific and cultural institutions

The education system includes (late 1990s) kindergartens for children aged 3-4; preparatory (initiative) classes for children from 5 years old, general education and vocational schools, including for adults; universities. Elementary education(grades 1-4) compulsory and free. Based on the basic general education provided by 8-year secondary schools, there are educational establishments for the training of skilled workers (from 1 to 4 years of study). Their completion gives the right to enter vocational schools: technical schools, vocational schools and schools with a term of study of 3-4 years. Due to economic and political difficulties, since the late 1980s, the final two-year cycle has been excluded from the course of complete secondary education. The fulfillment of this task and the formation of a contingent of applicants is entrusted to special preparatory courses or faculties of universities. Higher education is given State University named after A. Neto in Luanda (founded in 1963) and 3 private universities. There are 8 research institutes (all in Luanda): Hydrometeorology and Geophysics (1879), Geological Survey (1914), National Center for Documentation and Historical Research (since 1933), Medical Research (1955), Veterinary Research (1965), Cotton Center (1970), Institute for African and foreign languages(1978), Educational and Social Research (1980).

The largest libraries are located in Luanda: Municipal (founded in 1873) and National (1968). The largest museum is the National Museum of Angola in Luanda (founded in 1938).

Literature

The literature of Angola emerged in the middle of the 19th century. It develops mainly in Portuguese. Start laid lyric poetry(J. da Silva Maya Ferreira, J. D. Cordeiro da Matta) and everyday novels (P. F. Machado, A. Troni, A. di Asis Junior), which were characterized by the idea of ​​national self-affirmation. The 2nd stage in the development of the literature of Angola (late 1940s - 1970s) is characterized by an increase in anti-colonial motives (the work of poets A. Neto, A. Jacinto, M. Antonio, A. Lara, prose writer F. M. di Castro Soromenho) . The 3rd stage, the so-called period of national reconstruction (1970s - early 1990s), coincides with the rise of the socio-political and cultural life of the country (the work of J. Luandino Vieira, O. Ribasha). The historical novel is spreading (M. Pakavira, E. Abranches), dramaturgy is developing (Pepetela's plays). The 4th, “post-socialist” stage in the development of Angolan literature is characterized by a new look at the events in Angola and Africa, the rejection of revolutionary pathos and political engagement (Pepetela, J. E. Agualusa).

Lit.: Ryauzova E. Angola Portuguese Literature of Africa. M., 1972.

E. A. Ryauzova.

Architecture and fine arts

In the north of the country, ancient rock drawings of animals have been preserved. In the medieval states that existed on the territory of Angola (Lunda, Congo, etc.), woodcarving reached the greatest artistic perfection, including the manufacture of complex sculptural compositions for decorating the chairs of leaders, figurines of Navazeya ancestors, and masks. high level the craftsmanship of the peoples of Angola is distinguished by weaving from grass, branches, straw; products are decorated with a clear color geometric ornament. Carving and weaving in Angola was mentioned by the Portuguese already in the 17th century. With the arrival of Europeans, fortresses appeared in Angola that controlled the coast (San Miguel, 1576, and Benguela, 1617). In the architecture of Angola, both traditional forms (rural dwellings on a frame with a grass or thatched roof) and European-style urban development in the style of the provinces of the Portuguese Baroque and early classicism coexist. Since the beginning of the 20th century, buildings have been erected in the spirit of modern European architecture. Since the mid-1970s, professional fine arts have been developing.

Lit.: Mirimanov V. B. Art of Tropical Africa. M., 1986.

Music

Monuments of archaic culture (until the 8th century AD) - iron idiophones (found in the Bie highlands). The medieval culture of the states of Lund, Ndongo is represented by ceremonial orchestras; it is known about the use of ivory pipes when the king of the Congo met the Portuguese mission in 1491. From the 1490s, European wind instruments began to penetrate Angola through the Portuguese. With the spread of Christianity, along with choral singing, bells were introduced into church practice; small bells with rattles were also used. By 1578, the description of the military music of the Bakungo and Ambundu peoples dates back, by 1648 - the traditional games on xylophones in Northwestern Angola. In the 17th century recorded different kinds idiophones, including marimba, one-sided ngaba drum, long bells (2 hand bells on the handle); epugu horn, nsambi musical bow (pluriark). The musical traditions of Angola penetrated with the export of slaves to latin america. Urban musical culture was formed under the Portuguese and (at an earlier time) Brazilian influence. Specific forms of urban music: the “military music” ensemble of Calukuta (South-East Angola), which appeared after the 1st World War, which included traditional idiophones; music of lamellaphones likembe (from the 1920s; Northeast Angola). In the 20th century, music plays an important role in Luanda's ambundu-Portuguese dance culture (caduka, semba, rebita dances). In 1957, the Ngola Rhythmush Ensemble was founded (performs Latin American rumba, merengue and samba dances, uses a guitar and traditional idiophones); its leader Liceu Vieira Dias in 1982 was officially recognized as the leader of contemporary music in Angola. In the mid-1960s, political songs spread, among the performers - A. Mingash, R. Mingash, K. Lamartine. In the 1960s-1980s, the Kisanzhe and Illya ensembles, singers M. Tete, P. Kashtru performed. Representatives of the composer's tradition - F. Mukenga, J. M. Machado, F. da Sish. After 1975, the singer and guitarist ambundu Massano became famous, and cultural ties with neighboring states are developing. The first recordings of traditional music by numerous people Angola - Ovimbundu made in 1913, the Chokwe and Luvale peoples - in the 1950s. In 1956 the School of Music and Dance was founded in Luanda. Collections of tools are kept in the Dundu Museum in Angola, as well as in the Ethnological Museum in Lisbon (Portugal).

Angola, Republic of Angola, a state in southwestern Africa. It borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the north and northeast, Zambia to the southeast, and Namibia to the south. From the west it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Length coastline about 1600 km. The province of Cabinda, located on the Atlantic coast north of the mouth of the Congo River, is separated from the mainland by a small strip of DRC territory. The area of ​​the country is 1246.7 thousand square meters. km. The population is 10.9 million people.

In the mid-1990s, more than 2 million people lived in the country's largest city, the capital of Luanda. The name Angola comes from "ngola" - the hereditary title of the rulers of the medieval state of Ndongo, located in the north of modern Angola. From the end of the 19th century Angola was a Portuguese colony and gained independence in 1975.

Nature of Angola

Surface structure

Most of the territory of Angola is occupied by a plateau with heights of more than 1000 m. Its most elevated part, the Bie massif, in some places has heights of more than 2000 m. The country's highest mountain, Moko (2620 m), is also located there. In the west, the plateau breaks off with steep ledges and is replaced by a strip of coastal plains 50 to 160 km wide. In the northern, northeastern and southeastern directions, the plateau decreases. B
Most of the rivers belong to the Congo and Zambezi basins. Two major rivers- Kwanza and Kunene, originating in the Bie massif, as well as many small ones, flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers are navigable mainly in the lower reaches, since there are many rapids and waterfalls at the contact of the plateau and the coastal plain. On the rivers Kwanza with a length of more than 1000 km and Kunene - approx. Only the lower 200 km are navigable for 950 km. The highest (100 m) Duki di Braganza waterfall on the Lukala River (a tributary of the Kwanza). The rivers of Angola important source electricity.

The climate of the interior regions of the country is equatorial monsoonal. There are two distinct seasons - wet and dry. The wet season is October-May (interrupted by a short dry interval in January-February). During this period, an average of 1300–1500 mm of precipitation falls. The dry period lasts from June to September inclusive. The warmest months of the year are September-October (the average monthly temperature in the higher parts of the plateau is 21–22° C, and in the lower parts of the slopes - 24–29° C), the coldest months are June-July (respectively, the average temperature is 15° and 22°C).

The climate on the coastal plain is tropical, trade wind, arid. There, only 300 mm of precipitation falls annually in Luanda, 230 mm in Lobito and 25 mm in the far south in Namibe. The warmest month is March (average temperature 24–26 ° C), the coldest month is July (average temperature 16–20 ° C). Precipitation occurs mainly in February-March. Coastal areas experience a cooling effect of the Benguela Current.

Vegetation and fauna

Almost 40% of the territory of Angola is occupied by forests and woodlands. The densest tropical rain forests are concentrated in the northwest, north of the Kwanza River - mainly along the river valleys of the Congo basin and in the province of Cabinda. Dry deciduous tropical light forests interspersed with extensive grass savannas are common in the interior. On the sea coast, grassy and shrubby savannahs, palm trees grow in abundance. South of Luanda, their groves thin out, and south of Benguela, the area becomes more and more deserted. Grasses are especially characteristic of the southern and eastern regions. Among the poor vegetation cover of the Namib Desert in the extreme south of the country, there is a kind of xerophytic dwarf tree Welwitschia amazing (Welwitchia mirabilis).

The fauna of Angola is very rich. Large mammals include elephants, lions, leopards, zebras, antelopes and monkeys. However, man has caused serious damage to their populations. For example, the once large population of African elephants in southeastern Angola has been reduced by at least half since 1980 due to poaching of animals for the purpose of exporting ivory. The number of black rhinoceros, cheetah and leopard has significantly decreased. Coastal waters are rich in marine life, including whales, turtles and shellfish, not to mention vast fish resources. Overfishing has become a serious problem in recent years. Several national parks have been created to protect wildlife.

Population and society of Angola

Population

Modern demographic statistics for Angola are based on estimates, since the last census was conducted in 1970. The result of the civil war was not only the death of people during the fighting and from hunger, but also mass emigration. In 1997, approx. 10.9 million people. A high birth rate (3.06% per year in 1997) and fertility (6.27%) ensure rapid population growth, despite one of the world's highest under-five mortality rates. The average population density is 8.8 people per 1 sq. km. km. Especially sparsely populated are the eastern and southern regions of the country, as well as the highest parts of the inner plateau.

Most Portuguese settlers arrived in Angola after World War II. In 1940, only 44 thousand Europeans lived there, in 1960 - 172 thousand, and in 1974 - approx. 330 thousand. After the declaration of independence of Angola, 90% of the Portuguese left the country. During the War of Independence (1961–1975), several hundred thousand Africans fled to neighboring countries, mainly to the Congo (Zaire). Although many later returned to their homeland, many people remained in a foreign land. A new wave of refugees left Angola in the 1980s after the resumption of the civil war. However, the main migration flows after independence were related to internal migration, mass resettlement people to cities and their forced displacements within countryside, since many areas in the war zone changed hands more than once. By the end of 1987, approximately 2 million people had left their homes (approx. 20%). Between 1975 and 1985, the population of Luanda tripled to about 1.3 million. In other cities, the population increased even faster.

During the brief peace of 1992-1994, many Angolans returned to their homes, but with the resumption of civil war, even more people flocked to the overcrowded cities. At the end of 1998, the number of displaced persons was at least 1.4 million, and the population of Luanda was 2.5 million.

Ethnic roots and languages ​​of the peoples of Angola

The inhabitants of Angola, who are of African descent, speak Bantu languages. Angolans of European and mixed ancestry generally use Portuguese as their primary language. It is also spoken by a significant proportion of Africans living in cities. The main differences between the ethnic groups of Africans are determined by the linguistic principle. Approximately 38% of the African population is made up of the Ovimbundu people who speak the Umbundu language. Ovimbundu are concentrated in the central most elevated part of the plateau (mainly in the provinces of South Kwanza, Benguela, Huambo). Ambundu (mbundu), who speak Kimbundu, make up approximately 23% of the Africans of Angola and live in the provinces of Luanda, North Kwanza, Malanje. Bakongo, or Kongo (approx. 14% of the African population), speak the Kikongo language. Of the small ethnic groups, the Lunda and Chokwe living in the east of the country stand out, and the Kuanyama in the south. Inter-ethnic marriages, internal migration processes, and the fact that many Africans are fluent in two, three, or even more languages ​​mean that ethnic differences rarely coincide with the European stereotype of fixed "tribal" boundaries. Perhaps equally important in determining these differences is the consideration of such factors as the degree of proficiency in Portuguese, whether they live in rural areas or urban centers, where they come from, adherence to the traditions of their ancestors, whether their work activity is related to the traditional economy or the modern sector of the economy. The process of interpenetration of Portuguese and African cultures is most dynamic in the cities of Luanda and Benguela and in places where the Kimbundu-speaking population is concentrated in the province of Luanda.

Confessional composition

According to rough estimates, about 38% of Angolans are Catholics, 15% are Protestants, the rest adhere to traditional local beliefs. The Protestant Church is represented in Angola by Baptists, Methodists and Congregationalists. During the period of Portuguese rule, Catholicism was the state religion and was therefore identified by many with colonialism. After independence, tensions arose between the country's Marxist leadership and the Roman Catholic Church.

Protestant churches, usually concentrated in certain areas, conducted services and sermons in local African languages. As a result, certain Protestant missions began to be associated with specific regions and ethnic groups, which later served as a reason for the fragmentation of the national liberation movement. American Methodist missionaries worked primarily in the Kimbundu-speaking areas, British Baptists in the Kikongo-speaking population, and American and Canadian Congregationalists in the Umbundu-speaking population.

traditional society

The main occupation of the African population of Angola is agriculture. The exceptions are the peoples inhabiting the more arid southern regions, who combine pastoralism and agriculture. Almost all Africans in Angola speak Bantu languages ​​and are the heirs of the cultural traditions of the peoples of this language family. The Kikongo and Kimbundu speaking populations of the northwestern and coastal regions were the first to come into contact with the culture of Portugal. Acquaintance of Bakongo with Christians dates back to the 16th century, in the same century the Portuguese founded the city of Luanda in the area inhabited by Kimbundu-speaking tribes. The traditional culture of the Kimbundu-speaking ethnic groups is closest to the culture of the related peoples of Central Africa, as well as the population of Cabinda and the northeastern provinces of North and South Lund. Chokwe, who lived in the northeast, in the 19th century. engaged in hunting and trade, and along the trade routes gradually penetrated into other parts of the country. Kuanyama, distributed in the extreme south of Angola, are an ethnographic group of Ovambo and are related to the peoples of northern Namibia; their traditional occupation is cattle breeding. Nyaneka and Khumbe, who settled in the vicinity of the city of Lubango in the southwest of the country and are known for their adherence to traditional culture, are engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. The most numerous ethnic group ovimbundu, living on the most fertile lands in the central provinces, during the Portuguese rule provided food for the urban population, and some of their products were even exported. In addition, the ovimbundu were engaged in trade. Traditionally, areas with sufficient moisture, favorable for agriculture, were most densely populated.

During the colonial period, coastal cities and provincial capitals were most attractive for settlement. The colonial administration, the white population, trade and public institutions were concentrated in Luanda. The key role of the capital and other large cities has been further strengthened after the country gained independence. The most economically developed regions gravitate towards the main sublatitudinal railway lines. The port cities of Lobito and Benguela are connected to the copper belt of Central Africa by a railway crossing the central part of the plateau. The second railway runs from Namibe to Lubango and Menonga through the southern part of the plateau. The capital Luanda is connected by rail to the mining area in the vicinity of Malanje. The most significant economic regions of Angola are: Northern with coffee plantations, Cabinda with oil fields and North-Eastern with large diamond deposits.

Cities

Most big cities- Luanda, Huambo (formerly New Lisbon), Lobito, Benguela, Lubango (formerly Sa da Bandeira), Malanje, Cuito and Namibe. The capital of Angola, Luanda, is the country's largest port city, administrative, business and financial center. On the territory of the most significant seaport of Lobito is the terminal of the Benguela railway, which supplies minerals from Shaba province (DRC). Namibe and Benguela are the centers of fishing, while Huambo, Malange, Lubango and Kuito are the administrative, agricultural and transport centers of the interior of the country.

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