Angola Society

May 13, 2023

Angola is a multi-ethnic society located in southern Africa. The population of Angola is estimated to be around 30 million people and the country is divided into 18 provinces. The official language of Angola is Portuguese, although many other languages are spoken by various ethnic groups.

The majority of Angolans are Bantu-speaking peoples, with around 80 percent being members of the Ovimbundu, Bakongo, Chokwe and Lunda ethnic groups. In addition to these four major groups, Angola has several smaller ethnic minorities, including the Mbundu, Kwanhama, Kwanhama-Luchazi and Herero peoples.

The economy of Angola is largely based on oil production and the country has one of the largest oil reserves in Africa. Despite this significant resource wealth, poverty remains an issue for many Angolans due to unequal distribution of wealth and unequal access to services such as health care and education.

In terms of religion, Christianity is by far the most popular faith in Angola with around 95 percent of the population belonging to either Roman Catholic or Protestant denominations. Other religions practiced in Angola include Islam (4 percent) and traditional African beliefs (1 percent).

The education system in Angola is still largely underdeveloped due to decades of civil war which led to destruction of infrastructure and disruption in services. Primary education is free but only 47 percent of children attend school while secondary education attendance rates are even lower at just 12 percent. Additionally, there are gender disparities with only 35 percent girls attending primary school compared to 49 percent boys.

Angola also faces significant health challenges including high rates of HIV/AIDS infection (estimated at 2 million), malaria (around 1 million cases per year) and malnutrition (with 20 percent underweight children). The government has taken steps towards improving access to healthcare through initiatives such as free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years old as well as providing antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients at no cost.

Overall, despite its considerable resource wealth Angola remains a poor nation with a large portion its population living below the poverty line. Significant challenges remain in terms of access to healthcare, education and other basic services which need to be addressed if progress towards development is going to be made over time.

Demographics of Angola

Angola is a large nation in Central Africa, bordered by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north. According to wholevehicles.com, it has a population of approximately 28 million people, making it the seventh most populous country in Africa. The majority of Angola’s population is composed of various Bantu ethnic groups, including Ovimbundu (37 percent), Kimbundu (25 percent) and Bakongo (13 percent). There are also several smaller ethnic minorities, including the Mbundu, Kwanhama, Kwanhama-Luchazi and Herero peoples.

In terms of language, Portuguese is the official language of Angola but is spoken as a first language by only 2 percent of Angolans. The majority of Angolans speak Bantu languages such as Kimbundu (34 percent) and Umbundu (25 percent). Other languages spoken include Kikongo (14 percent) and Chokwe (7 percent).

Poverty in Angola

The poverty situation in Angola is dire. Despite the country’s considerable resource wealth, around 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, surviving on less than $1.90 a day. This poverty is largely concentrated in rural areas where access to basic services such as healthcare, education and sanitation is limited.

The unequal distribution of wealth is a major factor contributing to poverty in Angola. Despite having one of the largest oil reserves in Africa, much of this wealth does not trickle down to the majority of citizens who remain living in extreme poverty. In addition, due to decades of civil war and mismanagement by successive governments, infrastructure has been severely damaged resulting in limited access to services such as healthcare and education for many people.

Healthcare remains a major challenge for Angolans with only 40 percent having access to basic health services such as immunizations and check-ups. An estimated 2 million Angolans are living with HIV/AIDS while there are also high rates of malaria (around 1 million cases per year) and malnutrition (with 20 percent underweight children). The government has taken steps towards providing free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years old as well as providing antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients at no cost but more needs to be done if progress is going to be made on this front.

Education is another area where there are significant deficiencies with only 47 percent of children attending primary school while secondary education attendance rates are even lower at just 12 percent. In addition, there are gender disparities with only 35 percent girls attending primary school compared to 49 percent boys. The government has implemented free primary education but due to lack of resources and infrastructure this has not been enough to address the educational needs of all Angolans.

In conclusion, despite its considerable resource wealth Angola remains a poor nation with a large portion its population living below the poverty line. Significant challenges remain in terms of access to healthcare, education and other basic services which need to be addressed if progress towards development is going to be made over time.

Labor Market in Angola

According to Countryvv, the labor market in Angola is characterized by a combination of both formal and informal employment. According to estimates from the International Labor Organization, there are approximately 6 million workers in the country, with around 60 percent employed in the informal sector. This includes those working in subsistence agriculture, small-scale trading, and domestic work. The formal sector is mainly composed of workers in government jobs and those employed by large multinational corporations operating in Angola.

The unemployment rate is estimated to be around 30 percent, with youth unemployment being even higher at around 45 percent. Women are particularly disadvantaged in the labor market as they face gender-based discrimination and are more likely to be underemployed or work in the informal sector where wages are lower and job security is limited. In addition, there is a lack of job opportunities due to the weak economic performance of recent years which has led to a decrease in investment from foreign companies as well as reduced spending on public works projects.

Low levels of skills and education also contribute to unemployment as many Angolans lack the qualifications or experience required for more specialized jobs such as those found in engineering or IT sectors. A lack of access to training opportunities also limits people’s ability to acquire new skills which could increase their chances of finding employment.

In addition, corruption remains a major issue which affects the labor market by creating an uneven playing field for businesses where those with connections or bribes have an unfair advantage over competitors who play by the rules. This has resulted in a system where only certain individuals or companies can benefit from lucrative contracts while others are excluded due to political interference.

Overall, Angola’s labor market is characterized by high levels of informality, low wages, poor job security and limited access to training opportunities which all contribute towards high levels of unemployment and poverty among its citizens. In order for progress towards development goals such as reducing poverty and increasing economic growth to be made there needs to be significant reforms aimed at improving both job quality and quantity for Angolans so that they can benefit from increased prosperity over time.