Angola

Angola stretches almost 1,000 miles along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. This country shares its borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Namibia. The Democratic Republic of Congo separates Angola’s oil-rich province of Cabinda from the mainland by about 30 miles.

  • Population
    19,082,000
  • Land mass
    481,353
  • Life Expectancy
    51 years
  • Literacy Rate
    70%
  • Access to Safe Water
    50%
  • Under Age 5 Mortality Rate
    161/1000
Angola Map

US Comparison to Angola

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Angola United States
Population
19,082,000
307,000,000
Land Mass
481,353
3,794,083 sq miles
Life Expectancy
51 years
78 years
Infant Mortality
161/1000
7/1000
Literacy Rate
70%
97%
School Enrollment
58%
92%
Access to Safe Water
50%
100%
Average Annual Income
$3,960
$41,400

World Vision in Angola Today

World Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Angola to improve their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their children, families, and communities. Highlights of World Vision programs include:

  • Improving the health of children and mothers in rural communities through healthcare, nutrition education, and HIV and AIDS awareness.
  • Helping fish farmers increase their harvests and food security through training, establishing cooperatives, and offering microfinance opportunities.

World Vision History in Angola

World Vision began its work in Angola in 1989 when a severe drought threatened the lives of thousands of children and families. Since then, some major accomplishments include:

  • Providing thousands of tons of food—along with seeds, tools, and training—to families struggling with hunger during the 1990s.
  • Offering families agricultural improvement training and increasing access to clean water since the 1990s.
  • Raising HIV and AIDS awareness among communities since the 1990s and into the 21st century.

Geography & People

Geography and people

Angola stretches almost 1,000 miles along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. This country shares its borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Namibia. The Democratic Republic of Congo separates Angola’s oil-rich province of Cabinda from the mainland by about 30 miles.

Angola experiences a tropical climate along its coastal mountains, with milder temperatures in its inland plateaus. In the north, the hot and rainy season runs from May to October while the cool and dry season runs from November to April.

Natural resources include petroleum, diamonds, phosphates, iron ore, copper, gold, and uranium.

Most Angolans are of native African descent, including the Ovimbundu and Kimbundu groups. Portuguese is the official language, but people also speak Bantu and other African languages.

History

In the 16th century, Portugal took control of Angola’s region and began a slave trade. By 1850, Angola was the largest source of slaves for the Americas. Although the slavery system ceased in the late 1800s, it wasn’t officially outlawed in Angola until 1961.

Resistance movements against Portuguese control began in the 1960s. After years of war, Angola gained its independence in 1975. Conflict between three political groups, however, left the government in turmoil and eventually led to civil war. The fighting, which left over one million people dead, finally ended in 2002.

Angola held its first legislative elections since 1992 in 2008. A new constitution came into effect in 2010 and provides the basis for a reorganized government today.

Prayer Requests for Angola

Please pray for the people of Angola and for peace and stability in their country.

Angola Facts

  • Angola’s economy is still recovering from almost three decades of civil war; about 40 percent of people live below the poverty line.
  • Only about 50 percent of Angolans have access to safe water sources and adequate sanitation facilities.
  • HIV and AIDS is a growing health concern in Angola. With an adult prevalence rate of at least 2 percent, more than 190,000 thousand people are living with this virus.

Child Sponsorship

Through sponsorship, World Vision is partnering with families and communities to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.

Each year sponsors receive updates about their sponsored child and their community. Sponsors also learn about the child's continuing activities and new accomplishments so when they correspond with their child, they can encourage them in their education, hobbies and endeavors.

The commitment of World Vision sponsors helps provide children with love, hope, and opportunities for a healthy, productive future. May God bless sponsors as they make a lasting difference in the life of a special child.