Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports and visas. Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.
Population: 10,992,807.
Languages: Portuguese, various Bantu languages..
Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic, Protestant), Animist..
Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+1 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 244, country code;
Declare all currency upon arrival (searches are thorough). Currency should be exchanged only at officially authorized locations: Be sure to save every receipt! Export of local currency is prohibited.
Monday-Friday 8 am-12:30 pm and 2 pm-3 pm. Hours for currency exchange may be shorter.
Don't tip—it's illegal.
The climate of Angola varies greatly. In the north, by far the best time to visit is May-October, when it's dry and cool (it may even get below freezing at higher elevations). During November-April, it's rainy and very hot and humid. South of Luanda, conditions are hot and dry throughout the year (the Namib Desert in the southwest has the most extreme climate). Take at least a sweater if you're visiting the north during the cool season.
Luanda's 4 de Fevereiro Airport (LAD) is 3 mi/5 km southeast of the capital. TAAG-Angola Airlines offers service within the country. There are no land borders open—all arrivals must be by air. The railroad is being rebuilt, though progress has been slow. Taxis are the best way to get around the country. Prices should be negotiated before getting into the vehicle. It's nearly impossible to rent a car in Angola.
Tourist Offices
Angola does not have tourist offices in the U.S. or Canada. Contact the nearest embassy for tourist information.
Angolan Embassies
Canada: Angolan Embassy, 189 Laurier Ave., East Ottawa, ON K1N 6P1. Phone 613-234-1152. Fax 613-234-1179. http://www.embangola-can.org.
U.S.: Angolan Embassy, 1615 M St. N.W., Ninth Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036. Phone 202-785-1156. Fax 202-785-1258. http://www.angola.org.
Foreign Embassies in Angola
Canadian Consulate, Rua Rei Katyavala 113, Luanda. Phone 244-2-448-371. Fax 244-2-449-494. E-mail consul.can@angonet.org.
U.S. Embassy, Casa Inglesa Complex, Rua Major Kanhangula No. 123/135, Luanda. Phone 244-2-371-645. Fax 244-2-390-515. http://usembassy.state.gov/angola.
Yaka by Pepetela (Heinemann). Angola's leading writer explores the history of his country in this fictional account of a colonialist family's relationship with native Angolans.
Needless to say, there are not a lot of guidebooks for this war-torn country. Africa on a Shoestring by Hugh Finlay (Lonely Planet) has a short chapter on Angola.