Angola Country & Tourist Information

Location
Southwest Africa.

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

Population
14.5 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
11.6 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 (Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo and Chokwe being the most common) are spoken by the majority of the population.

Religion
Mainly Roman Catholic (51%). There are also other Christian minorities. Local animist beliefs are held by a significant minority.

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.

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.

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, government-controlled Jornal de Angola, weekly Angolense, Luanda-based private weekly Folha 8, and private weeklies A Capital, Actual and Agora.
• There are no English-language newspapers.

Radio
• Private radio stations operate in the main cities but the state maintains a monopoly in radio broadcasting across much of the country.
• 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 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
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.
6 Apr Good Friday.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
25 May Africa Day.
1 Jun International Children’s Day.
17 Sep Nation’s Founder and National Hero’s Day.
1 Nov All Soul’s Day.
11 Nov Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2008
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.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
4 Apr Peace and Reconciliation Day.
1 May Labor Day.
25 May Africa Day.
1 Jun International Children’s Day.
17 Sep Nation’s Founder and National Hero’s 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:

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

Embassy of the Republic of Angola in the UK
22 Dorset Street, London W1U 6QY, UK
Tel: (020) 7299 9850 or 7487 5125 (consular section).
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



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