Angola: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Angola is a large country on the Atlantic coast of southwestern Africa. Its capital is Luanda, a busy port city, and about 38 million people live in the country. Angola is known for its oil and diamonds, its long sandy coastline, the mighty Kalandula Falls and the rare giant sable antelope, a national symbol.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Mausoleum of Agostinho Neto in Luanda. It is the resting place of Angola's first president, a tall grey concrete tower about 120 metres high, shaped a bit like a rocket, that can be seen from all over the city.

Geography and nature

Angola has a narrow coastal plain that rises to a high central plateau. The north is warm and wet, with rainforest in the small exclave of Cabinda, which is separated from the rest of the country by a strip of land belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The far south is part of the Namib Desert, home to the strange welwitschia plant. Kalandula Falls on the Lucala River is one of Africa's largest waterfalls by volume.

People, languages and culture

Portuguese is Angola's official language, and many people also speak African languages such as Umbundu, Kimbundu and Kikongo. Most Angolans are Christian. Music and dance are a big part of life: semba is a traditional style, and kizomba, a smooth partner dance, became popular around the world. A common dish is funge, a thick porridge made from cassava or maize flour, served with fish or meat stews.

History in a nutshell

Long ago, the Kingdom of Kongo and other kingdoms ruled parts of the region. Portuguese sailors arrived in the late 1400s, and Luanda was founded in 1576. For centuries the area was a Portuguese colony and a centre of the Atlantic slave trade. Angola became independent on 11 November 1975. A long civil war followed and ended in 2002. Since then the country has rebuilt roads, cities and railways.