10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANGOLA

Once a Portuguese colony, Angola is the seventh largest country in Africa. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, the DRC to the north, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Angola is home to one of the largest waterfalls in Africa and it is also rich in natural resources. In this video, you will discover 10 interesting facts about this amazing African country. Now before we get into it, if you're new to the channel, subscribe and turn on the notification bell so you don't miss any of our new videos. Let's get into it. Rich in Natural Resources Angola is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources, with significant reserves of diamonds, iron ore, phosphate, copper, gold, and manganese, among other valuable natural resources. However, its true mining potential remains to be unlocked despite the major exploration and exploitation projects already implemented, particularly in the diamond sub-sector. Angola's mining industry is one of the most important in the country due to the high quality of the country's minerals. Despite the high value and quantity of Angolan minerals, the government has faced a significant challenge in attracting major investors to develop the sector. Some of the reasons investors avoid Angolan minerals include a history of human rights abuses, rampant corruption, especially within the government, and the smuggling of minerals, especially diamonds. Thus, the Angolan economy is considered to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Angola's economic success is partly attributed to the good use of the country's natural resources. Some of Angola's most vital natural resources include arable land, oil, and diamonds. The official language is Portuguese. Angola is a southern African nation with one official language and several national languages. Portuguese, introduced during the colonial era in the country, is widely spoken in the country. It is the official and most spoken language of Angola. Kikongo, Umbundu, and Kimbundu are the most popular indigenous languages in the Portuguese is the official language of Angola. It is also the most spoken language in Angola. The variant of Portuguese spoken there is called Angolan Portuguese and is similar to Brazilian Portuguese in a number of aspects. According to a 2014 study, nearly 71% of the Angolan population speaks Portuguese. The latter is the mother tongue of 39% of the country's population, while many more speak it as a second language. Portuguese is also the most widely spoken language and sometimes the only language spoken by young Angolans. Portuguese speakers are more common in urban areas of Angola, where 85% of the population converse in Portuguese. The use of the language is relatively less widespread in rural areas, with around 49% of the inhabitants of these areas speaking Portuguese. French is spoken in Cabinda, an Angolan province bordered by two French-speaking nations of the Congo and the DRC. English is the most popular language taught in Angolan schools. Home to an Impressive Waterfall Angola is home to one of the largest waterfalls in Africa, the Calendula Falls, with an impressive width of 410 meters and a drop of 105 meters. The best way to experience the falls is to hire a car from Luanda, a six-hour drive on fairly rudimentary roads through varied landscapes. Calendula Falls is a wide, horseshoe-shaped waterfall along the high-volume, moderate Lukala River in the northwestern part of Angola. The falls are said to plunge 344 feet, the crest length of the falls averages around 1,300 feet in diameter and can reach nearly 2,000 feet during the flood phase. A Very Young Population Not only is the Angolan population growing rapidly, but also it is young, following a trend observed in most African countries. In 2020, the country's median age was 16, one of the lowest on the continent and in the world. Only 2% of the population is aged, 65 and over. In addition, the death rate has fallen by more than 60% in 10 years, while life expectancy at birth has gradually increased. Population growth in Angola is accompanied by a rapid expansion in the rate of urbanization. Over 66% of Angolans live in urban areas, a rate that has steadily increased in recent decades. About a third of the country's population lives in the province of Rwanda, where the capital of the same name is located. In the Angolan capital alone, the population exceeds 2.7 million, making Rwanda one of the most populous cities in Africa. Rapid urbanization, however, has consequences such as the development of poor and informal neighborhoods. Seventh-largest country in Africa Angola is the seventh-largest country in Africa in terms of area. The country is divided into 18 provinces. The northernmost province, Kabinda, is an enclave separated from the rest of the country by the DRC. The main urban centers besides the country's capital, Rwanda, are the cities of Lubango, Benguela, Uambo, Kabinda, Lobito, Namibe, Malanje, and Soyo. The province of Rwanda is the most populous with 6.5 million inhabitants, corresponding to 27% of the country's population, and Bengal province is the least populated with only 274,000 inhabitants or 1% of the national population. The majority of the Angolan population is of Bantu origin and made up of various ethnic groups, namely the Ovimbundos, 37%, Ambundos, 25%, Bakongos, 13%, Trokwes, 8%, Mixed Race, 2%, Europeans, 1%, and others. Arguably, the Angolan population of European descent is predominantly Portuguese due to Angola's past as a former Portuguese colony. Angolan ethnic groups have a wide variety of music and dances that they integrate naturally in their daily and social life. Both traditional music such as Semba and Rebita and modern music such as Kizomba, Kuduro, and Zouk have become well known internationally. Angolans love their stews. Mwamba de Galinha is one of the most popular Angolan foods. In fact, it's often referred to as the country's national dish. This translates to chicken in mwamba sauce, palm oil, as it is a chicken stew with palm oil, tomatoes, butternut squash, and okra. Palm oil is a popular base in West African stews because of its bright red color and distinct flavor that enhances the taste of anything you cook with it. Typically, Mwamba de Galinha is served with funge, a porridge made from cassava flour, as the starch is an excellent vehicle for absorbing the tasty sauce. There's also the Kalulu de Pixe, translated as fish stew, which is an Angolan food that embodies the history of the African diaspora. Angola was colonized by the Portuguese, who enslaved many of the region's inhabitants and transported them to Brazil. The slaves who became Brazilians created a fish stew known as Kalulu, which was then brought to Angola by Portuguese ships. The stew is traditionally made with dried fish, eggplants, greens, and okra, which are other key ingredients in the kitchen. Similar to Mwamba chicken, Kalulu fish is typically served with mushrooms. Football is the most popular sport in Angola. Soccer or football is the most popular sport in Angola, followed by basketball. The national team qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, and many Angolan footballers play internationally, notably in Portugal and France. As the country was a Portuguese colony since the end of the 15th century, Angola's national football association is Federação Angolana de Futebol. It was founded in 1979 after Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975. The FAF organizes the national football leagues Girabola and Gira Angola, and it is also responsible for the Angolan men's and women's national team. The country hosted the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. The Angola women's national team has not been able to qualify for any World Cup or Olympic tournament. At the African Championships, it was able to participate four times. The biggest success is the achievement of the semi-finals of the 1995 Africa Women's Cup. Their culture has a symbol in sculpture. The sculpture known as the Thinker is one of the most beautiful pieces of Choque origin and represents all Angolans by symbolizing its national culture. The statue is seen bent over with both legs crossed and its hands resting on its head, symbolizing human thought. The Thinker is one of the oldest and best known artifacts in Angola. Angola's cultural origins are linked to the traditions of the central Bantu peoples and the ancient kingdom of Congo. A key colony of the growing empire after 1500, Portugal exercised little cultural influence over Angola, contenting itself with controlling the slave trade from forts along the coast. Angola's struggle for independence was long and violent, and life in the independent nation was also marred by an intense civil war. Such a disorder hampered the development of the Bantu customs and also destroyed the more traditions of the coastal towns. Luanda is very expensive for expats. Luanda is the capital and the largest city of Angola. Located on the Angolan coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both the main seaport and the administrative center of Angola. It is also the capital of the province of Luanda. The city is currently undergoing major reconstruction with many major developments underway that will significantly alter the cityscape. About a third of Angolans live in Luanda. The cost of living for expats in Luanda in October 2021 is high compared to other places around the world, with a considerable global cost of living index. Private health facilities are good in Luanda. They are expensive and most charge upfront. Luanda is 48.9% more expensive than Houston, Texas for groceries, 24.9% more expensive than Kuala Lumpur for cleaning costs, and 3% less for transportation costs in Dubai. Angola is home to the richest woman in Africa. Isabel dos Santos is not only an Angolan business woman, but she is also the richest woman in Africa. Eldest daughter of former Angolan president, José Eduardo dos Santos, in 2013 Forbes magazine named her Africa's first female US dollar billionaire after her net worth surpassed $2 billion. After graduating from King's College, London, she invested in companies in Angola. She has managerial positions in these companies. The companies range from technology to cleaning to environmental work. Her first job was that of project manager. She worked alongside her father to clean and disinfect Luanda. The project was Urbana 2000 and it helped start her business Acumen. Her net worth is around $3.3 billion. Here we are at the end of our video. I hope you liked it and you learned something new today. Would you like to visit Angola? Let us know in the comments section. And if you liked the video, please leave us a like and don't forget to subscribe if you are new to the channel. Bless.