Angola Country & Tourist Information

Location
Southwest Africa.

Area
1,246,700 sq km (481,354 sq miles).

Population
17 million (UN estimate 2007).

Population Density
13.6 per sq km.

Capital
Luanda.
Population:  2.8 million (2005 estimate).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

Language
The official language is Portuguese. African languages (especially Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo and Bantu) are spoken by the majority of the population.

Religion
Roman Catholic (38%), Protestant (15%) and local animist beliefs (47%).

Time
GMT + 1.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs are of the European-style round two-pin type.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Fernando Dias dos Santos since 2002.

Head of State
President José Eduardo dos Santos since 1979.

Recent History
Jose Eduardo dos Santos has led Angola since 1979. Long-awaited presidential elections, the first since 1992, are scheduled for 2009. In preparation, a package of electoral laws was approved in April 2005. Local government elections, the first ever, are scheduled for September 2008.

Telephone
Country code: 244.

Mobile Telephone
Coverage limited to Luanda and the surrounding area.

Internet
There are a few Internet cafes in Luanda.

Media
Government-controlled media are predominant. Angola's only daily newspaper, Jornal de Angola, and the terrestrial TV service, TPA, are state-owned and carry little criticism of the government. The constitution provides for freedom of expression but the government does not always respect this and the few private media outlets are liable to harassment.

Private radio stations operate in the main cities but the state maintains a monopoly in radio broadcasting across much of the country.

Post
Airmail between Europe and Angola takes five to 10 days. Surface mail between Europe and Angola takes at least two months. There is a fairly reliable internal service. Most correspondence is by telex.

Press
• Newspapers include national daily, state-run Jornal de Angola.
• Private weeklies include Angolense, Folha 8, A Capital, Actual and Agora.
• There are no English-language newspapers.

Radio
• State-run Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) operates Canal A, Radio 5, Radio Ngola Yetu, Radio FM Stereo and Radio Luanda
• Radio Ecclesia is a Roman Catholic FM station.
• Luanda-Antena Comercial and Radio Morena (Benguela-based) are private stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
4 Jan Martyrs of the Colonial Repression Day.
4 Feb Start of Liberation War.
8 Mar International Women's Day.
4 Apr Peace and Reconciliation Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
25 May Africa Day.
1 Jun International Children's Day.
17 Sep Nation's Founder and National Heroes Day.
1 Nov All Soul's Day.
11 Nov Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
4 Jan Martyrs of the Colonial Repression Day.
4 Feb Start of Liberation War.
8 Mar International Women's Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
4 Apr Peace and Reconciliation Day.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
25 May Africa Day.
1 Jun International Children's Day.
17 Sep Nation's Founder and National Heroes Day.
1 Nov All Soul's Day.
11 Nov Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note
Holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday are observed the following Monday.

Contact Information:

Embassy of the Republic of Angola in the UK
22 Dorset Street, London W1U 6QY, UK
Tel: (020) 7299 9850.
Website: www.angola.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600; 0930-1300, closed Wed (consular section).

Embassy of the Republic of Angola in the USA
2100-2108 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 785 1156.
Website: www.angola.org



Ministry of Hotels and Tourism
Largo 4 de Fevereiro, Palácio de Vidro, CP 1242, Luanda, Angola
Tel: (2) 310 899.
Website: www.angola.org


Next Page »

Related Angola Content