General Information About Angola

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Official Name
República de Angola

Capital
Luanda - Population of approximately 3.2 million (estimate based on an aerial survey of the province conducted in 2000; there has been no national population census since 1970.

Chief of State and Head of Government
President José Eduardo Dos Santos

National Currencies and current exchange rates
A new currency, the kwanza (Kz), was introduced in December 1999, replacing the readjusted kwanza (Kzr), at a rate of Kzr1m:Kz1; Exchange rate on 7 November 2002 was 1US$= 51,83069 (buying) and 1US$=51,98871 (selling).

National Day and other important days
1 January (New Year's Day), 4 February (Anniversary of Start of Independence War), 1 May (May Day), 17 September (National Heroes' Day), 2 November (Remembrance Day), 11 November (Independence Day), 25 December (Christmas Day).

Form of State and System of Government
Unitary republic. Transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Ethno- Linguistic groups
Dividing Angola’s population in terms of ethnic groups must be done with care as a result of the historically high rate of mobility as well as the fluidity of Angola’s various peoples. In most cases, ‘ethnic’ differentiation is based on linguistic as well as regional criteria. Therefore, the often used distinction between Ovimbundu (central plateau); Mbundu (Luanda and its hinterland) and Bakongo (Northern Provinces of Uige and Zaire) is to a large extent artificial. Bearing this is mind, one could say that the Umbundu speaking Ovimbundu- are largely concentrated in the fertile central highlands approximately 37% of the population and have traditionally supported UNITA. The Bakongo constitute approximately 13% of the total population and were pivotal in the creation of one of the earliest nationalist movements, the FNLA. Finally, the and bundu live largely in Luanda and its hinterland (Provinces of Bengo, Malange and Kwanza Norte) and constitute approximately 25% of the population. Around 3-5% of the population are mixed-race mestiços..

Languages
The official language, and the language for all documentation, is Portuguese. French, Spanish and English are occasionally used in business.

Vernacular languages: principally Ovimbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo and Chokwe

Religions
There is no recent survey of religious affiliation in Angola. At the end of the colonial period it was estimated that the Roman Catholic Church had around 40% of the population as members, mostly concentrated in densely populated areas where the Portuguese had most influence. Evangelical Churches, which include Protestant, Baptist and Methodist faiths represented roughly 10% and African indigenous beliefs around 50%. However, this situation has changed dramatically, with an observable increase in the adherence of many Angolans to both Protestant denominations as well as Christian sects (i.e. the Brasilian Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus)..

History

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