Essential info for Angola

Time: GMT +1.

 

Electricity: 220 volts, 50Hz. Round-pin Euro plugs are standard.

 

Language: The official language is Portuguese but approximately 60 African languages are spoken throughout Angola, as well as French and Spanish.

 

Safety Information: Expats should be aware that most foreign governments warn of the threat to personal safety and civil unrest in Angola. It is advisable to be cautious and maintain vigilance against crimes such as muggings, car-jackings and armed hold-ups, particularly in the capital, Luanda. Some civilians in Angola carry guns. Any time spent outside of Luanda city should only be with sponsors who have arranged safety and security support.

 

Local Customs: Expats should not take photographs or use binoculars in or near government buildings as this could lead to an arrest. Homosexuality is not acceptable, and neither is drunken behaviour.

 

Business: Business in Angola is conducted in a personal, face-to-face manner and the dress is smart-casual (no ties necessary). A basic knowledge of Portuguese, French or Spanish will be an advantage to expats doing business in Angola as few people outside of the oil industry speak English and translation services are limited. The regular business hours are 7.30 to 6.30 Monday to Thursday, with two hours for lunch, and a half-day on Fridays; some businesses are open on Saturday mornings.

 

Communications: The international dialling code for Angola is +244. To call out of Angola, dial 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 44 for the United Kingdom). There are city codes in use. Telecommunications services are unreliable with both local and international connections often breaking; the same applies for the mobile network, but GSM 900 coverage is available around Luanda and other developed areas. You will need to check beforehand if your service provider has a roaming agreement with the Angolan GSM operator Unitel. Local GSM Simcards are readily available. Mobile phones are more common than private landlines. There are Internet service providers in Angola and a couple of Internet cafés in Luanda.

 

Emergencies: Dial 110 for police and 118 for an ambulance.
 

Climate: Angola is a large country and its climate varies from region to region. The tropical climate in the north is characterised by hot, wet weather, while further south it get dryer and desert conditions prevail near the border with Namibia. Luanda has a more moderate tropical climate. June to September is generally dry and a bit cooler than the rest of the year and it will not rain in Luanda over this time.