ANGOLA

Angola is rich with natural resources – diamonds, iron ore, copper, phosphates, uranium – and a seemingly endless supply of petroleum making it the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa.Yet its people are among the continent’s poorest.

Much of Angola’s poverty stems from a long and troubled history. The country gained its independence in 1975. Unfortunately, that didn’t translate to peace; a relentless and destructive civil war that raged for 27 years finally ended in 2002.

As a result, much of the county’s infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped. Still, Angola is rebuilding, thanks to growing political stability and rising oil prices, the backbone of its economy. CITIES: Luanda is the nation’s capital city and the economic center of activity, along with a reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities for expats. The main airport in Angola, Luanda’s Quatro de Fevreiro International Airport, was upgraded in 2010.

Despite these improvements, facilities are still somewhat limited, and this airport will be replaced in the next two years by the new Angola International Airport currently under construction. The new airport will have two double runways, one capable of handling the Airbus A380. HOTELS: A number of new hotels are being built and have recently opened, but demand still exceeds supply. As a general rule of thumb, the costs for a single room with bath start at $300 for 3-star accommodation and increase to about $500 per night at a 5-star hotel. There’s not much room for negotiation, as most hotels run at very high occupancy rates.

The national currency is the Angolan kwanza. Angola is a cash society – credit cards enjoy only limited acceptance throughout the country.

Visit welcometoangola.co.ao or angola.org