Angola

What to know about Angola

During the 14th century, Angola was a part of the Congo Kingdom. A century later, Portuguese explorers set foot in the country and started to trade. The first years of European-Congo relations were peaceful, until the beginning of a rift between Portuguese Brazil and Portugal due to the unsolicited slave trade in the 16th and 17th centuries. Portugal lost control of Brazil and the slave trade was abolished. The loss also resulted in intensified colonization over their other territories, including Angola. Portuguese rule lasted until 1975 when the country finally gained independence after the revolution. Remnants of the country’s colonial days can be found in many cities like Kwanza Sul and Lubango.

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Angola experiences a subtropical climate almost throughout the country. During the austral winter, which occurs between May and August, the country receives cool and dry seasons which is commonly known as Cacimbo. The Austral summer in the country is typically associated with rains and high temperatures, which begins in September and ends in April particularly in the Northeastern part of the country, between mid-October and April in the central part of the country.

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The official currency of Angola is the Angolan kwanza. The symbol for Kwanza is Kz and its currency code is AOA. The current official currency of Angola is the second kwanza whose code is AOA; it was introduced to the country in 1999. Since 1977, four different currencies have used the name kwanza. The current Angolan kwanza was introduced in 1999 as a replacement for the Kwanza Reajustado, which had a currency code of AOR. The currency is subdivided into denominations of 100 centimos. The Angolan kwanza is managed and issued by the Banco National de Angola (National Bank of Angola). Euros are scarcely accepted in the country, but US dollars American are often used by travellers.

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CULTURE

Portuguese, African and ethnic influences are evident in many aspects of Angolan culture. Different communities bring diversity in language, music, food, and art. Despite their history of civil unrest, Angolans are very spirited people with an obvious love for festivals and merriment.

Folk music is important and well-preserved, particularly the semba genre, which is a fusion of African styles. It is played during a wide range of social gatherings, from parties to funerals. Other dominant musical styles such as Rebita, Kabetulamand Kazukuta are also similar in sound. Folk semba has a degree of influence over popular music genres like kuduro, which is a mix of Western techno, house beats, and African traditions like Semba, Kilapanga, and Soca. Kizomba is a recent pop genre in Angola whose origins trace back to Zouk.

Angolan artisans are very skilled in sculpture and craft-making. Each ethnic group has its own distinctive style. There are a variety of raw materials available in specific regions including wood, clay and bronze. Carved sculptures, batik fabrics, paintings, and jewellery are some of the more popular handicrafts you can buy.

LANGUAGE

Angola is a Southern African nation with a single official language and several national languages. Portuguese is the official language of Angola. It is also the most spoken language of Angola. The variant of Portuguese spoken here is called Angolan Portuguese and is similar to Brazilian Portuguese in a number of aspects. According to a 2014 study, nearly 71% of the population of Angola speaks Portuguese. The language is the mother tongue of 39% of the population of the country while many more speak it as a second language. Portuguese is also the most spoken and sometimes the only language that is spoken by younger Angolans. Portuguese speakers are more common in the urban areas of Angola where 85% of the population converse in Portuguese. The use of the language is relatively lower in the rural regions with about 49% of the people in these areas speaking Portuguese.

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