LuandaCapital
Angola · Country profile
Luanda is the grand, booming capital of Angola, the enormous city of the Atlantic coast that has grown from the old Portuguese fortress into one of the fastest-moving metropolises of Africa. It curls around the magnificent bay of the harbour beneath the green escarpment, mixing the colonial pastel palaces of the centuries of the Portuguese rule with the towers, the highways and the reclaimed waterfront of the oil boom of the modern era. The fortress of the São Miguel, the historic churches and the museums of the city anchor the cultural heart, while the island of the Luanda, the markets and the nightlife carry the fierce energy of the everyday. Long scarred by the war and now rebuilding at full speed, Luanda is the proud, vital capital of the new Angola.
About Luanda
Luanda is the capital of Angola. The city's documented population is around 9,000,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Kwanza (AOA) and Portuguese is spoken; the dialling code is +244.
The Capital of the Bay and the Fortress of the Sao Miguel
Luanda runs on the magnificent bay and the energy of the boom, with the fortress of the São Miguel, the old cathedral and the museums of the centre making the historic route of the city. The promenade of the Marginal, reclaimed from the sea, and the island of the Luanda with its beaches and its restaurants give the capital its leisure face, while the markets of the town and the workshops of the artists of the island show the creative soul. The traffic of the boom is the great obstacle of the daily life, and the evening life of the clubs and the terraces runs late. It is loud, grand and profoundly alive, the powerful beating heart of the new Angola.
The Sun of the Benguela, the Congestion and the Nights of the Island
The climate of the coast is warm and dry for much of the year, cooled by the Benguela current, with the brief rains of the late summer and the continual blue of the offshore skies. The kwanza is the currency, the Portuguese the official language, with the Kimbundu and the other tongues of the country filling the streets and the markets. The fortress, the museums and the island make the core circuit, and movement needs a driver and a tolerance for the famous congestion of the city. Light cotton clothes, sensible shoes and the patience of a rapid African boom town complete the practical preparation for Luanda.
The Museum of the Fortress, the Marginal and the Beach Road of the Island
The fortress of the São Miguel, the great bastion of the Portuguese centuries that now houses one of the leading museums of the country, commands the view over the bay and the wrecks of the war of the coast. The island of the Luanda, the long sand spit that shields the harbour of the city, carries its churches, its beach restaurants and its traditional quarters of the fishermen, and the road of the island is the great escape of the capital. The palace of the old governor, the cathedral of the Sacred Heart and the airy markets of the city, together with the vivid craft of the sculptors and the musicians of the town, complete the extraordinary grand, dusty, beating heart of Luanda.
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- Country
- Angola
- Population
- 9,000,000
- Capital
- Luanda
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Kwanza (AOA)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Calling code
- +244
- Country code
- AO
Entry requirements for Angola
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Angola for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luanda the capital of Angola?
Yes — Luanda is the capital of Angola.
What currency do I need in Luanda?
The local currency is the Kwanza (AOA). Languages spoken in Angola include Portuguese.
What is the dialling code for Angola?
The international dialling code for Angola is +244.
Do I need a visa to visit Angola?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Morocco currently enter Angola visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Luanda? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.