AO is the abbreviation for Angola, the 22nd largest country in the world. Officially Republic of Angola, Angola is a country located in Southern Africa, bordering Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Luanda is the capital and largest city of Angola. Other major cities include Huambo (population: 1,896,147), Lobito (population: 324,050), Lubango (population: 256,713), Kuito (population: 185,302), Malanje (population: 156,829), Benguela (population: 128,084), Lucapa (population: 125,751), Namibe (population: 86,366), Soyo (population: 67,491).
Country Profile
- Capital: Luanda
- Language: Portuguese
- Area: 1,246,700 km2
- Population: 25,789,024
- Currency: Kwanza (AOA)
- Time zone: UTC+1
- Calling code: 244
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: AO
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: AGO
- Internet TLD: .ao
- State Government Website: governo.gov.ao
List of Angola Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Angola are AO which stands for Angola and AOA which means Kwanza (Angola currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Angola, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Geography
With its 1.2 million square kilometers, Angola is one of the largest countries in Africa. The geography of the country is varied. Three-quarters of Angola consists of high plains more than 1000 meters above the country. North of Angola there is dense, tropical rainforest. In the south-east is the dry plains that cross into the desert landscape of Kalahari on the border with Namibia. The climate is tropical, with consistently high temperatures throughout the year. Due to its height above the sea, the plain in the middle of the country is more temperate.
The rainforest in the country is threatened by unregulated logging for fuel, and soil erosion and desertification are a growing problem. Water quality is poor in large parts of the country. Many years of civil war have resulted in large parts of the country being useless for agriculture due to mines.
History
The northern parts of present-day Angola were part of larger kingdoms from the 8th century onwards. When the Portuguese arrived on the coast of present-day Angola in the late 1400s, they began trading with the tribes along the coast. Over the next centuries, more than three million people were shipped out of the country and sold as slaves in the United States. Portugal ruled Angola by entering into trade agreements with the various tribes. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Portuguese gained full control over Angola, and in 1951 the country was incorporated as a separate province of Portugal.
In the 1970s, several rebel groups began to fight for independence, and in 1975 Angola became independent. Shortly after independence, civil war broke out between the three largest rebel groups. The Communist insurgency group Movimento Totular de Libertacão de Angola (MPLA) seized power, and Angola became a one-party controlled people’s republic following traditional Soviet patterns. The one-party state was repealed in 1992, but the MPLA remained in power. The war in the country started due to internal conditions, but was greatly intensified by international interference. The civil war continued until 2002, when the parties signed a peace agreement.
Society and politics
On paper, Angola is a democratic republic in which fundamental human rights and freedoms are to be respected. In reality, power is heavily concentrated around an authoritarian government, where the MPLA party has been in power since 1979. In the period 1979-1992, the MPLA was the only allowed party in the country. The President of Angola appoints judges to the Court and the Chief of the Audit Office and has great power over the mass media, the military and the country’s economy.
After 27 years of civil war, Angola is facing enormous societal problems and devastation. Millions of people fled during the war. Most have now returned home, but encounter areas characterized by broken homes, schools, hospitals and without clean water or functioning agriculture. Several areas are covered by mines, and large quantities of small arms are in circulation after the Civil War. Angola is among the most corrupt countries in the world, and the governing powers have been heavily criticized by the UN for gross human rights violations.
Economics and Commerce
Angola is a resource-rich country, but the former well-functioning economy was partly destroyed after many years of civil war. Following the peace agreement in 2002, Angola’s economy has undergone a period of rapid change. Angola is Africa’s second largest oil exporter and has one of the fastest growing economies in the region. In addition, the country is one of the world’s largest diamond producers, and has great potential for agriculture. China and the United States are the country’s most important trading partners.
In recent years, the focus has been on rebuilding the country, and major investments are taking place in health, education and transport and roads. However, economic growth has not benefited its citizens. More than 80% of the population feed on simple farming, and many live in extreme poverty. Angola relies on international aid and has received sharp criticism from the UN and other international organizations for poor financial governance and widespread corruption.
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