Angola and its 66 important Details for UPSC, PSC and Other Competitive Exams

Angola and its Details Like , Capital, GDP, Currency, Geography, Economy, Defence, Culture, Natural resources, Habitat, Sports and all you want to know for UPSC, PSC and Other Competitive Exams.

Angola and its Basic Details :

Attribute	Information
Name of the country	Angola
Capital	Luanda
Independence day	November 11, 1975
Major religions	Christianity, Indigenous beliefs
Currency	Angolan Kwanza (AOA)
Continent	Africa
Top 5 Famous cities	Luanda, Huambo, Lobito, Benguela, Kuito
Top 10 Famous persons	Agostinho Neto, José Eduardo dos Santos, Jonas Savimbi, Holden Roberto, António Agostinho Neto, Isabel dos Santos, José Eduardo dos Santos, Samakuva Isaías, Lopo do Nascimento, João Lourenço
Type of government	Unitary dominant-party presidential republic
Main wars fought	Angolan War of Independence, Angolan Civil War
GDP	$88.5 billion (2020)
5 popular tourist places	1. Kissama National Park, 2. Benguela, 3. Dilolo Lake, 4. Iona National Park, 5. M’banza-Kongo

Geography of Angola :

Category	Information
Geography	Located in southwestern Africa
Area	Approximately 1.25 million square kilometers
Population	Over 30 million people (as of last estimate)
Main Mountain Ranges	Serra da Chela, Chela Range, Chiumbe Range, Humpata Range, Serra da Leba
Main Mountain Peaks	Mount Moco, Mount Soqueco, Mount Navil, Mount Calandula, Tundavala
Main Rivers	Cuanza River, Cunene River, Cuando River, Longa River, Cuango River
Main Lakes	Lake Dilolo, Lake Amalia, Lake Arco, Lake Chipembe, Lake Dilanda
Deserts	Namib Desert (partial extension), Desert of Bicuar
Plateau	Planalto Plateau
Volcanoes	No active volcanoes
Main Crops and Vegetation	Coffee, Corn, Cotton, Cassava, Tobacco
Main Beaches	Mussulo Island Beach, Palmeirinhas Beach, Praia Morena, Baia Azul Beach, Praia da Caota
Neighboring Countries	Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo
Nearby Seas and Oceans	Atlantic Ocean
Length of Coastline	Approximately 1,600 kilometers
Top 5 Natural Resources	Petroleum, Diamonds, Iron Ore, Phosphates, Copper

Economy of Angola :

Category	Information
Major Industries	Petroleum, Diamonds, Mining, Agriculture, Fisheries
Main Revenue Sources	Oil exports, Diamonds, Agriculture exports, Tax revenues, Foreign aid
Top 10 Companies	Sonangol, Endiama, Chevron, BP, Total, ExxonMobil, De Beers, Eni, Chevron, Glencore
Per Capita Income	Varies significantly across regions and socioeconomic groups
Top 5 Imports	Machinery, Vehicles, Electronics, Pharmaceuticals, Iron and Steel
Top 5 Exports	Crude Oil, Diamonds, Refined Petroleum, Coffee, Fish
Total Gold Reserves	Significant but exact figures may vary

Defence Power of Angola :

Category	Information
Defence Budget	$1.2 billion (in 2022)
Army Personnel	Approximately 117,000 (as of 2018)
Air Force Personnel	6,000
Navy Personnel	Approximately 1,000
Defence Imports	$46,000,000 (in 2022, SIPRI trend indicator value)
Defence Exports	Approximately negligible

Cultural of Angola :

Category	Information
Main Festivals	Luanda Island Festival, Festas da Cidade de Benguela, Sumbe Cultural Week, Carnival of Luanda, Ngola Festival
Main Religious Places	Roman Catholic Cathedral of Luanda, Grande Sinagoga de Luanda, Mosque of Luanda, Church of the Holy Spirit, Kalandula Falls Shrine
Main Arts and Dances	Kizomba, Semba, Rebita, Kuduro, Masemba
Main Languages	Portuguese (Official), Umbundu, Kikongo, Kimbundu, Tchokwe
Famous Food and Cuisines	Muamba de galinha (Chicken Muamba), Moamba de galinha, Calulu, Funge, Mufete
UNESCO Protected Buildings	Mbanza Kongo, Ruins of the Old City of M’banza-Kongo, Cidade Velha de Kilwa, M’banza Congo, Ruins of Kulumbimbi

Sports in Angola :

Category	Information
National Game	Soccer
Main Sports	Soccer, Basketball, Handball, Athletics, Volleyball
Top Athletes	Fabrice Alcebiades Maieco (football player), Flávio da Silva Amado (football player), Hélder Wander Sousa de Azevedo Costa (football player), Núrio Domingos Matias Fortuna (football player).
Top Sports Achievements	They have won the FIBA Africa Championship for Women twice, in 2003 and 2011. Angola has produced some of the best basketball players in the world, such as former NBA player, Carlos Morais. In athletics, Angola has won several medals at the Olympic Games, including gold medals in the 400m and 800m in 2004.

Natural Habitat and wild life of Angola :

Category	Information
National Animal	Giant Sable Antelope
National Bird	Red-crested Turaco
Main Forests	Maiombe Forest, Cabinda; Mavinga, Cuando Cubango; Chimalavera, Uige; Luanda Forests
Recognized Natural Habitats	Kissama National Park, Iona National Park, Quiçama National Park, Cangandala National Park, Cameia National Park

Biggest in the Angola :

Category	Information
Biggest	Kissama National Park
Richest Man	Isabel dos Santos
Biggest Company	Sonangol (Angolan state-owned petroleum company)
Tallest Building	Angolan Parliament Building
Tallest Statue	Agostinho Neto’s Mausoleum Monument
Biggest Bridge	Catumbela Bridge
Tallest Mountain	Mount Moco
Longest River	Congo River
Biggest Forest	Maiombe Forest
Biggest Lake	Dilolo Lake

Brief History Of Angola :

Historical overview of Angola across different periods:

Ancient Angola:

Ancient Angola’s history is marked by the presence of various Bantu-speaking groups, with the earliest evidence of human settlements dating back thousands of years. Tribes like the Khoisan people inhabited the region long before the Bantu migrations. The territory was divided into different kingdoms and chiefdoms, such as the Kingdom of Kongo, Ndongo, and others. These societies engaged in trade, agriculture, and ironworking.

Medieval Period:

During the medieval era, the Kingdom of Kongo was a significant force in the region. It was known for its trade networks and cultural achievements. Portuguese explorers arrived in the late 15th century and established trade relations. In the 16th century, Angola became a Portuguese colony as the Portuguese expanded their influence inland from coastal trading posts.

Modern Era:

By the late 19th century, Portugal consolidated control over Angola and exploited its resources, primarily through forced labor in plantations and mines. There was resistance to Portuguese rule, notably the Angolan War of Independence (1961-1974), a prolonged struggle against colonialism.

Recent History:

Angola gained independence on November 11, 1975, following the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. However, it plunged into a civil war that lasted until 2002. The conflict involved various factions, including the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA).

The civil war caused immense suffering and devastation, with millions displaced and infrastructure destroyed. In 2002, a peace agreement was reached, and Angola began its path to recovery. Since then, the country has worked on reconstruction efforts, focusing on economic development, social stability, and political reforms.

Throughout its history, Angola has faced challenges but continues to strive for progress and stability, aiming to build a more prosperous and unified nation.

For NCERT MCQs Click this Link	For International Current Affairs Click this Link
For Class Wise NCERT Notes and Videos Click this link	For Daily Educational News Click this Link