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 of the 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

On the territory of 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. It 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.

Beach infrastructure 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.

Hot 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. The main feature of the capital 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 other.

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, as well as 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 06:44 21°C
Mainly cloudy

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 located in subequatorial and tropical latitudes in the west of South Africa, the Atlantic Ocean washes its territory from the west for almost 1500 km. Most of the territory is a vast plateau with a height of more than 1000 m above sea level. Only along the Atlantic coast stretches a narrow (50-100 km wide) strip of lowlands occupied by light forests, dry savannahs and semi-deserts

In Angola, there are two climatic zones, due to the prevailing winds, a tropical trade wind climate on the coastal lowlands and an equatorial monsoon climate on the plateaus of the interior of the country. The climate of the coast is arid, despite the moisture brought by the trade winds. The reason for this is the cold Bengal sea current, over which the air is greatly cooled. And above the hot plateaus, on the contrary, it quickly heats up, rises, and only there the moisture brought by it forms raindrops. It receives up to 1500 mm of precipitation per year. Over the coastal lowland, the air does not have time to warm up, and therefore there is little precipitation here, about 50 mm per year. In winter, the coast is shrouded in fog. The climate of the interior is hot, with dry winters and heavy rains in summer when monsoons blow from the ocean to the land.

Above the coastal lowland, the western part of the plateau rises in steep steps. Its eastern outskirts form a huge ledge of Serra de Shela with a height of more than 2000 m. The highest point of the country is Mount Moco (2610 m)

Tropical woodlands or dry forests with low (up to 10-15 m) trees predominate in the interior of Angola. Tropical rain forests grow in the Mayombe mountains and along the valleys of the Congo and its tributaries. Elephants, white and black rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, and antelopes roam in woodlands and savannahs. There are also primitive mammals - for example, a pangolin that looks like a spruce cone, which feeds on insects. Monkeys live in dense forests, and hippos have chosen river banks

First expeditions Portuguese navigators landed on the coast of Angola in the 80s. 15th century By that time, the states of the Congo, Ndongo (Ngola, Angola) existed here, and not the territories of modern Zambia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Luanda. By the 19th century, most states had collapsed and became part of the Portuguese Angola.

Angola became a source of slaves for Europeans, who were sent to Brazil and other countries of the New World. For a long time, the Portuguese controlled only the coast of the country and the lower part of the Kwanza River valley. However, the conquest of inland territories continued until the 1920s. XX in Modern borders were already determined during the division of Africa in the XIX - early XX century. between Portugal, Great Britain, Germany, France and Belgium.

After World War II, the country began upsurge of the national liberation struggle. In 1956, a patriotic, communist-oriented organization, the MPLA, emerged, which led the armed struggle against colonialism. As a result of the Portuguese revolution of 1974, an agreement was concluded between the government of Portugal and the leadership of the MPLA on granting independence to Angola. In 1975 it was proclaimed People's Republic of Angola, since 1992 - The Republic of Angola The MPLA was opposed by the alliance of the FNLA and UNITA organizations, which also defended the country's independence, but not in a communist way.

The disengagement of political forces led to a civil war that lasted 15 years. It claimed more than 300 thousand lives and almost completely destroyed the country's economy. In 1992, the Angolan government attempted to hold multi-party elections, but UNITA rejected the results. Another round of war began UNITA again created an armed opposition. Since the end of the 90s. there are UN peacekeeping missions in Angola, but the confrontation continues. The subject of the struggle is no longer so much ideological and political views as control over the country's natural resources.

Angola is one of the richest countries in Africa- has large natural resources. The most important export items are oil, diamonds, quartz, copper and iron ores, coffee, sugar and tobacco. However, most of the diamonds are mined in the territories controlled by UNITA, and sold through intermediaries (contrary to the UN ban) on the world market, without replenishing the national treasury.

The country is inhabited peoples Bantu speaking Bakongo, Bam Bundu, Ovimbundu, Valuchazi, Valuimbe, Wambundu, Ovagerero, Ovambo, Wambue-La and Wayye Bantu-speaking peoples have no written language Ancient myths, legends and fairy tales have been passed down orally for many centuries. One of the central characters of mythology is Leza (Reza), the deity of rain. According to some African peoples, Leza not only owns heavenly water, he is also the creator and teacher of people. Most of the indigenous Angolans, despite the active work of Christian missionaries - Catholics and partly Protestants - adhere to traditional African beliefs. Protestant-African sects are widespread in the north of Angola, combining the Catholic faith with local traditions.

Capital of Angola- the city of Luanda (about 3 million people), located in the northern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It was founded in 1575, by 1627 it had become an important administrative center of the colony, as well as a large slave market. Luanda received the capital status in 1975. It is the largest port in the country, a business, commercial and industrial center with oil refining, food and textile industries. Here are the university, museums

Angola retains ancient African art. Weaving and artistic wood carving are common in rural settlements. Objects of religious cults are cut out of it - figures of people and animals, to which magical power is attributed

Angola on the map

The official language of Angola is Portuguese. In addition to him, the indigenous people speak several African dialects. Slightly more than half of the population professes Christianity: 38% of them are Catholics, and 15% are Protestants. The rest of the Angolans prefer traditional local beliefs. About 90 religious sects are registered in the country, and their number is growing every year. Since September 2015, Islam has been officially banned in Angola and all mosques have been closed.

Geographically, the country is divided into three regions. The Atlantic coast is occupied by a coastal plain with a width of 50 to 150 km. In the center and in the west there is a plateau - the Angolan Plateau, which covers 90% of the entire territory. Its highest point is Mount Moko (2620 m). Between the coast and the mountains there is a transition zone, which consists of wide terraces.

The long-term civil war and other military clashes in Angola ended at the beginning of the 21st century. The country has the richest natural resources and is just beginning to reveal its tourism potential. The hotel service and tourist infrastructure here are still at the stage of formation.

Climate

In the west of Angola, a trade wind tropical climate prevails. Since the cold Benguela Current runs along the coast, the air on the plains is colder than on the plateau. Its temperature reaches +24...+26 °С in the warmest month of the year - March, and up to +16...+20 °С in the coldest month - July. Precipitation is scarce and rainfall is particularly low in the southern part of the country, in the Namib Desert.

The territory of the Angolan Plateau is located in the zone of the equatorial monsoon climate. From October to May, a wet, rainy summer sets in in the mountains, and a dry winter reigns from June to September. Air temperature is determined by altitude above sea level. In mountainous areas, compared to lowlands, it is always cooler and there is more precipitation.

In the south of Angola, in the desert, there are quite strong temperature drops. Sometimes at night the thermometer can drop to 0 ° C.

What to see in Angola

The coastline of Angola stretches along the Atlantic Ocean for a distance of 1650 km. There are many good beaches and excellent conditions for windsurfing and diving. The best equipped beach areas are run by seaside hotels.

Fans of sport fishing travel to the large city of Tombwa, which is located on the coast in the Namib region. The coastal waters are home to many species of fish, sea turtles, crustaceans and molluscs. Black whales often swim here. According to experts, the biodiversity of the ocean off the coast of Angola is in no way inferior to the Caribbean Sea.

Eco-tourism is popular in Angola. Almost half of the Angolan lands are covered with forests and savannahs. The densest forest areas are located in the northwest of Angola. National parks are open in the country - Iona, Kissama, Kameya and Milando, where they provide an opportunity to survive and breed rare and endangered species of the local fauna: red buffalo, manati and sea turtles.

Elephants, different types of antelopes, zebras, monkeys, warthogs, lions, jackals, cheetahs and leopards live in the expanses of the savannas. Unfortunately, the number of cheetahs and elephants has decreased significantly from constant poaching, but the Angolan authorities are making every possible effort to eradicate this evil.

The country is covered with an extensive river network. The Angolan rivers belong to the Zambezi and Congo basins. They are swift and rapids, and the water level in the rivers is highly dependent on monsoon rains. Kwanza, Kubango, Kwito and Kunene are the largest rivers in the country, and hippos are found in them.

In some places, tourists make river rafting on bamboo rafts. The largest waterfall in Angola, Duki de Bragança, the picturesque waterfalls of Luando and Cambabwe on the Kwanza River, as well as tours to the desert expanses of Namib, are very popular among travelers.

The unique culture of local African tribes attracts lovers of ethnographic tourism. In different parts of Angola, tribes leading a distinctive way of life have been preserved. In ethnic villages, tourists are shown ritual costumes, interesting rituals and traditional folk dances. Here you can also hear the playing of musical instruments. The Angolans are excellent at drums, shinglu guitar, ringing long bells, similar to kissanji and marimba xylophones, as well as mbulumbumba musical bow.

One of the most revered places by the indigenous Angolans is the Black Stones, which stand near the small town of Pungo Andongo, 115 km from Melange. They are large solidified eruptions of volcanic lava. Many local legends associated with this natural attraction have been preserved. According to one of them, the Angolan queen Zinga Mbandi Ngola, who ruled in the 17th century, walked here. The Angolans honor her for her active opposition to the Portuguese colonialists. The queen united several neighboring tribes and founded the state of Matamba in the central part of Angola.

Architecture and arts and crafts

The traditional dwellings of the indigenous people of Angola are rectangular, one-story houses with a flat roof. Due to poverty, the Angolans do not often change the roof, so everywhere you can see buildings with a lot of stones on the roofs. There are no such stones on the dwellings of more prosperous Angolans.

In Angolan villages, there are round huts made of clay using a frame of wooden stakes. The roof for these houses is made of grass and reeds. It can be gable or made in the form of a tent. Almost all doorways and walls of buildings are decorated with carved or painted images of animals, birds and spirits. Some tribes build houses on wooden piles, and in cities they use modern building materials and technologies.

The first works of fine art in Angola include rock paintings in Kaningiri, which were painted by Africans in 8-5 millennia BC. Nowadays, woodcarving is widely developed in Angola. Craftsmen make ritual masks, furniture, figurines to decorate homes and household items.

The Angolans know how to make good pottery. Often clay products are decorated with pricked ornaments. From the fibers of trees, they excellently weave dishes and mats. All these products are distinguished by a multi-colored geometric pattern.

Sights of Luanda

The country's capital is located on the Atlantic coast, near the mouth of the Kwanza River. divided into Lower and Upper City. The lower city is built along a semicircular bay and boasts architectural monuments from the colonial era. Graceful forms, interesting decor and a mixture of baroque and classicism styles are represented by buildings erected by the Portuguese, Spaniards, French, Americans and Americans. As a legacy from the Portuguese, the city has street signs made of ceramic tiles, and you can see elegant mosaics on the paved sidewalks.

Christian temples are open in Luanda - the Jesuit Church, the temple of the Madonna of Nazareth and the temple of the Carmelites. While walking around the capital, it is interesting to visit the fortress of San Miguel, built in the 17th century. It was the first defensive structure of the European type that appeared on the territory of the country. Today, the well-preserved old fort houses the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. Many beautiful mansions have been built in the Upper City. Here are the buildings of government offices, the local university, the seminary and the Cathedral.

A museum of Angola has been opened in the capital, which exhibits rich collections on the history and ethnography of the country. Many tourists also visit museums of slavery and the armed forces. In addition, in Luanda there are art galleries that are interesting to see and have collected large paintings and graphic collections. They exhibit works by famous Angolan artists whose work has received international recognition - Antonio Ole, Roberto Silva and Victor Teixeira ("Viteix").

From the capital of Angola, travelers go on eco-tours. Their routes run through virgin forests located near the city, just a 30-40 minute drive from the central bus station. Many species of animals and birds live in the wild savanna, but it is better to use the services of an experienced guide for a trip there.

Local kitchen

The indigenous people of Angola traditionally eat at home. This is due to the lack of catering establishments and the low level of sanitary standards in eateries, cafes and restaurants. Thanks to the government program for the development of tourism, the number of cafes, restaurants and bars of an acceptable level of service is constantly growing. Especially many such establishments are opened in Luanda and other large cities.

Several centuries of Portuguese colonization had a great influence on the local cuisine. Today, it combines the culinary customs of local African tribes and Portuguese traditions. In addition, the Portuguese, as Catholics, taught the Angolans to observe fasting days.

The locals love tasty and hearty food. In Angola, seafood, legumes, corn, rice, and soups are popular. In many places they cook "cacusso" - tilapia fried in palm oil. Chicken, fish, shrimp, and even vegetable dishes are often seasoned with a "piri-piri" sauce made from hot peppers. Salads are made from vegetables and herbs grown in the country, but Angolans like to use imported bananas and tomatoes for their preparation.

Several varieties of grapes are grown in the south of the country. Winemaking is developed here.

Souvenirs

As a memento of a trip to Angola, travelers usually bring ceremonial African masks, figurines carved from wood, as well as handicrafts made of stone and bronze. As souvenirs, textiles, clay vases, jugs and trays, wicker baskets, crafts made from straw, reeds and dry grass, mats with geometric patterns, tribal costumes and malachite jewelry are in use. Local spices are also appreciated by culinary specialists.

Markets and shops where you can buy souvenirs are everywhere. Near Luanda, the Benfica market is considered the most visited.

Transport

The main form of public transport in Angola is minibuses, painted blue on the bottom and white on the top. The fare for a bus or fixed-route taxi is $0.5-1, but foreign tourists are not recommended to use public transport. It is believed that it is easier and safer for them to travel by taxi. For short distances, a taxi ride costs $5-6.

Driving in Angola is on the right. Renting a car costs $45-55 per day, but driving on roads within the country is quite problematic, since most of them are in a broken state. In addition, in the event of a breakdown, it is almost impossible to contact a service center or emergency service. Those tourists who still decide to go on an independent trip by car to the countryside try to stock up on tools in advance to repair the car on their own.

Planes fly from the coast inland. These services are very popular with tourists and locals. The flight costs from $100. Another option for movement within the country is railways. There are three railway lines in Angola, and travel on them is inexpensive.

Security

Due to begging and cases of hooliganism of the local population, tourists are not recommended to walk the streets of cities alone, especially at night. We must also not forget that pickpocketing is common in markets, transport and shops. It is relatively safe and calm only on those streets that are guarded by law enforcement officers.

It is not customary for local drivers to follow the rules of the road, so crossing the street can be a problem. You need to be careful anywhere - both at unregulated intersections and where traffic lights are installed.

Cameras and camcorders should be used with caution in public places. In Angola, filming of military installations, government buildings and representatives of local authorities in blue is not encouraged.

Currency

The local currency is the kwanza (AOA). You can exchange money at bank branches, exchange offices and hotels. In Luanda and large cities, this is not difficult to do. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 16.00, and exchange offices are open from Monday to Saturday from 8.30 to 11.00. In the provinces, currency exchange turns into a whole problem. It is forbidden to take kwanzas out of Angola, and the currency that has not been spent must be exchanged before departure.

In Angola, travelers face the problem of using credit cards or travelers checks. They are accepted only in some metropolitan hotels, restaurants and shops, so you need to travel in places other than Luanda with cash.

Visa and customs restrictions

To visit Angola, you must apply for a visa and have a medical certificate of vaccination against yellow fever. Obtaining a visa usually takes two weeks. A single entry tourist visa is issued for a month. Citizens of Russia traveling around the country for up to 30 days do not need to register. Those who stay longer in Angola must be registered.

You can import cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and food into the country duty-free - within the limits of personal needs. Foreign currency can also be imported without restrictions, but must be declared. It is strictly forbidden to export and import any weapons, narcotic drugs, unprocessed precious stones, as well as products made from ivory, tortoise shell and shellfish.

• Public organizations, shops and bank branches, as a rule, work only on weekdays, starting from 8.00. Moreover, some of them are not open all day.
• The national holiday - Angola's Independence Day - is celebrated on November 11.
• The local population mainly lives by subsistence farming. Food sold to tourists is more expensive than in other African countries. This is primarily due to high inflation. A dozen eggs can be bought for $5, 1 liter of milk for $2.5, 1 kg of cheese for $17-20, a bottle of wine for $3. Lunch at the cafe will cost $35.
• Accommodation in hotels is also expensive. A day in a 2* hotel in Luanda costs from $100, and in a 5* hotel - about $500. Most of the hotels are concentrated in the area of ​​the Atlantic coast. There are very few 5* hotels. In the rest of Angola, only family hotels with a minimum level of service are open.
• Many tourists, going to Angola, prefer to rent accommodation. It is cheaper than hotels, but more expensive than in many countries of the world. To rent a two-room apartment in the capital, you will need to spend from $ 7,000 per month, and a three-room apartment - from $ 20,000.
• When going for a walk in Angola, it is better to have a supply of drinking water with you, since you can not buy bottled water in all places. The same applies to medicines. When traveling, a personal first aid kit never hurts.
• Most of the country's inhabitants do not speak English, so it is better for tourists to have phrasebooks with them.
Zimbabwe

By sea. Cities and Lobito have ports that are visited by passenger ships from around the world. Ships from Namibia also moor in these and other ports on the country's Atlantic coast.

By bus. Regular bus service connects the territories of Angola and Namibia. Especially a lot of buses and fixed-route taxis run between the border cities of these two states.

The Republic of Angola is a state in southwestern Africa, bordered by Namibia in the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the northeast and north, Zambia in the east, and the Republic of the Congo. It is washed from the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Angola includes the enclave of Cabinda (30 km north of the border with the Congo).

Angola can be roughly divided into three regions: the coastal plain, the transitional zone, and the large inland plateau. The low coastal plain has 50 to 150 km. The transition zone, consisting of terraces, is up to 150 km wide in the north and only 30 km wide in the center and south. To the east of it lies the vast Angolan Plateau, which occupies two-thirds of the country; the average height of the plateau above sea level is from 1000 to 1520 m, the highest point - Mount Mocha - is located in the central mountainous part and has a height of 2620 m.

State

State structure

The state structure is a republic. The head of state is the president. The government is appointed by the president. The legislative body of Angola is the National Assembly. Executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers.

Language

Official language: Portuguese

African Bantu languages ​​are widely spoken: Kikongo, Kimbundu, Umbundu, Chokwe, Mbunda, Kwanyama.

Religion

More than 53% of the population in Angola are Christians. Most of them are Catholics (38%) and Protestants (15%). About 47% of Angolans profess local beliefs.

Currency

International name: AOA

One kwanza is equal to 100 levei. Banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 kwanzas are in circulation.

Currency exchange for kwanza is possible quite freely both in banks, specialized exchange offices and hotels, and on the "black" market, but only in the capital and in large industrial regions, in the provinces this causes a lot of difficulties.

Credit cards and traveler's checks are accepted in most major hotels, shops and restaurants in the capital, but are almost impossible to use in other cities.

Popular Attractions

Angola Tourism

Where to stay

After decades of civil war, rich in oil and diamonds, Angola has begun to rebuild its world. Despite the fact that the country needs to solve problems in all areas of the economy, Angola does not forget about the tourism sector. Since 2005, the government has focused on investing in the development of hospitality infrastructure, solving a lot of issues, including the elimination of language barriers in the hotel industry: in the recent past, even the fact that Portuguese is the official language of the country did not help the economy. New hotels are being built, old rooms are being renovated, and, according to optimistic forecasts of experts, Angola will soon take its rightful place among other African countries in terms of attractiveness for foreign tourists.

Office Hours

Banks are open from 10.00 to 16.00 from Monday to Friday, from 8.30 to 11.00 - on Saturday.

Souvenirs

In Angola, ancient crafts have been preserved, such as artistic woodcarving and weaving. Figurines of people and animals, ritual masks, as well as furniture are carved from wood. Reeds, grass or straw are used to make mats and baskets with clear geometric patterns. The ancient folk art of Angola is ivory carving and the manufacture of various ebony products. Most of the masters sell their works in the city markets.