Angola • Fabio’s LifeTour

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Angola is a Southern African nation whose varied terrain encompasses tropical Atlantic beaches, a labyrinthine system of rivers and Sub-Saharan desert that extends across the border into Namibia. The country's colonial history is reflected in its Portuguese-influenced cuisine and its landmarks including Fortaleza de São Miguel, a fortress built by the Portuguese in 1576 to defend the capital, Luanda.

COUNTRY FACTS

POPULATION

15,375,000

RELIGION

Indigenous beliefs, Roman Catholic, Protestant

CAPITAL

Luanda (2,623,000)

LIFE EXPECTANCY

GDP PER CAPITA

U.S. $1,700

AREA

1,246,700 square kilometers (481,354 square miles)

LANGUAGE

Portuguese, Bantu

LITERACY PERCENT

FABIO'S REVIEW

I travelled to Angola several times, from 2000 to 2004, while working for United Nations agencies, first for the preparation of Geographic Information Systems database (FAO), and then for a cooperation project on trafficking in minors (UNICRI). I mean, a program AGAINST trafficking in minors - just thought I would clarify.

I only lived in Luanda. During the civil war, until 2002, the situation was awful: curfew at dusk, huge security risks, very high cost of living. It got a bit better in the last years, but still the lack of security did not allow me to visit the country as I would have liked. This is a pity, as there are nice beaches, a lovely Portuguese architecture, colonial fortresses etc.

VIEW SLIDESHOW

LOCATIONS EXPERIENCED

LUANDA

Luanda, the capital and largest city of Angola, was formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, it is the country's most populous and important city and the world's third most populous Portuguese-speaking city.