Capital: Luanda
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo ( slightlyless than twice the size of Texas )
Customs Regulations:
U.S. dollars can be converted to local currency at exchange houses authorized by the Angolan government. Rapid fluctuations in the value of the
Angolan Kwanza and shortages of U.S. dollars are widespread. Currency conversions on the parallel market are illegal, and participants are subject to arrest. In general, only the newer series 100 (US) dollar bills are accepted due to widespread counterfeiting of the older style.
Registration Embassy and Consulate:
U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with and obtain updated information on travel and security from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Luanda located at the Casa Inglesa Complex, Rua Major Kanhangula No. 132/135, tel. 244-2-396-727; fax 244-2-390-515. The Embassy is located on Rua Houari Boumedienne in the Miramar area of Luanda, P.O. Box 6468, tel. 244-2-447-028/(445-481)/(446-224); (24-hour duty officer tel. 244-9-501-343); fax 244-2-446-924. The Consulate may be contacted by e-mail at amembassyluanda@netangola.com.
Background:
Civil war has been the norm in
Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century.
Ethnic Groups:
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Language:
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Currency:
AOA
kwanza (AOA)
kwanza per US dollar - 17,910,800 (January 2001), 10,041,000 (2000), 2,790,706 (1999), 392,824 (1998), 229,040 (1997), 128,029 (1996); note - in December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value
Climate:
Semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Population:
10,366,031 (July 2001 est.)
Religion:
Indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)
Medical:
Adequate medical facilities are virtually non-existent throughout
Angola, and most medicine is not available. Chloroquine-resistant and cerebral malaria are endemic to the region.
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.
Please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including provision for medical evacuation, and for adequacy of coverage. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.
Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or autofax: (202) 647-3000.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax, 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299); or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.
Travel Warning:
(See State Department for most recent updates)
9/18/2000 0:00:00The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Angola because of continued military conflict in the interior provinces and increased violent criminal activity, including kidnapping and the threat by criminals and rebel insurgents to kidnap foreigners. Travel within Angola remains unsafe due to high intensity military actions, bandit and insurgent attacks, undisciplined police and military personnel, and land mines in rural areas. Foreign nationals, especially independent entrepreneurs, are subject to arbitrary detention and/or deportation by immigration and police authorities.
Americans who find travel to Angola necessary are strongly urged to contact the U.S. Embassy for up-to-date information. Travel outside Luanda is inadvisable. American citizens traveling outside Luanda, despite this warning, should always contact the U.S. Embassy for the latest information on security conditions in the provinces to which visits are planned.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with and obtain updated information on travel and security from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Luanda located at the Casa Inglesa Complex, Rua Major Kanhangula No. 132/135, tel. 244-2-396-727; fax 244-2-390-515. The Embassy is located on Rua Houari Boumedienne in the Miramar area of Luanda, P.O. Box 6468, tel. 244-2-447-028/(445-481)/(446-224); (24-hour duty officer tel. 244-9-501-343); fax 244-2-446-924. The Consulate may be contacted by e-mail at amembassyluanda@netangola.com.
Safety:
The security situation in Angola remains extremely volatile. Large crowds and demonstrations should be avoided. Travel in the interior is unsafe because of high-intensity military actions, bandit attacks in villages and on major highways and land mines. The Government of Angola and the National Union for the Independence of Angola (UNITA) resumed armed conflict in late 1998. There has been heavy fighting in many provinces and a heightened potential for increased military action in all provinces.
Traffic Safety:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions which differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Angola is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Safety of Public Transportation:
Poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance:
Poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance:
Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance:
Poor
Destinations in the interior are accessible safely only by private or chartered aircraft. Civilians have been killed by bandits or land mines exploding while traveling overland. Overland routes to neighboring countries are generally not open. For additional information about road safety, please see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page road safety overseas feature at http://travel.state.gov/road_safety.html.
