Decades of civil war have left Angola one of the poorest nations on Earth. In the west, the Atlantic coast is bordered by a narrow strip of lowlands. Inland, the land rises steeply to the mountains of the Bié Plateau (Planalto do Bié), where some peaks soar to heights of over 2500 metres (8200 ft). Much of the rest of Angola is high plain. Scrublands cover the north of the country, while further south, the land merges into the arid Kalahari Desert. Angola's territories include tiny, oil-rich Cabinda to the north, separated from the rest of Angola by the mouth of the River Congo. Lying just south of the Equator, Angola has a tropical climate. Ocean currents keep the coastal plains cool and dry, while the north is hot and humid nearly all year round. The south is drier, with a rainy season between October and May.

People

Nearly all Angola’s people are Bantu, whose Central African ancestors arrived in the region about 1500 years ago. Most people live along the coast, where the climate is cooler, and in the humid north. In cities, people speak Portuguese, but in the countryside Bantu languages such as Umbundu, Kimbundu and Kikongo are more commonly spoken.

Few houses in rural areas have running water and electricity. People here live traditional lifestyles, farming and keeping animals. In the capital, Luanda, millions of people live in shantytowns, known as musseques, around the edge of the city.

​​​​​​​Angola is still recovering from the Civil War that broke out in 1975 and ended in 2002. During that time, more than one million Angolans had to leave their homes and 500,000 were killed in the fighting. A shortage of teachers and school supplies means that many children do not get a good education, and less than 50% of the population can read and write. Huge social inequality exists despite the recent dramatic economic growth—mostly between town- and country-dwellers.

Economy

The Civil War devastated Angola’s economy. The country has huge reserves of minerals, including oil and diamonds, but the war slowed development. Since 2002, as a result of the arrival of entrepreneurs (business creators) from Portugal and massive investment from China, Angola now has the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the fastest in the world. China is Angola's biggest trading partner, buying Angola's diamonds and oil and exporting to the machinery and electrical goods the country needs to modernize its industries.

Nearly all Angola's oil comes from the province of Cabinda, a part of the country surrounded by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since independence, some groups in Cabinda have campaigned for the province to become a separate country.

Farming

Angola was once a major exporter of bananas, coffee and sisal, a fibre used to make rope. But large areas of countryside were destroyed in the war and even today, many fields remain dotted with unexploded landmines. Although most Angolans work as farmers, growing cassava and corn for their families, they cannot grow as much food as they need, and extra supplies have to be imported from South Africa and Portugal. Hundreds of thousands of people still face food shortages.

Facts about Angola

Population 37,290,193 (2023 estimate)

Area 1,246,700 sq km

Highest point Morro de Môco 2620 m (8596 ft)

Capital Luanda (metro area population 9,079,811)

Other major cities Huambo (pop. 1,896,147), Lubango (915,000), Cabinda (739,000), Benguela (692,000)

Languages Portuguese, Bantu languages

Religions indigenous beliefs 47%, Christian (Roman Catholic) 38%, Christian (Protestant) 15%

Ethnicity Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, others 25% Currency Angolan kwanza (AOA)

Currency Angolan kwanza (AOA)

Chief exports crude oil, diamonds, coffee, sisal (a fibre used to make rope), fish, timber, cotton