Safety in Angola

Expats are commonly concerned about the degree of personal safety in Angola, and the worry comes well-warranted in light of the nation's war ravaged past and a present marked by instances violent crime.

Though 27 years of intense civil strife officially came to an end in 2002, desperate poverty, widespread disease, shattered infrastructure and land mines littered throughout the countryside still continue to create very real carnage.

The "resource curse", a development term used to describe the pattern of demise that accompanies resource rich countries and the disparity of wealth that follows, has also instigated a culture of banditry and armed hold-ups in many of the provincial areas of Angola.

Even safety in the more developed capital city of Luanda is a concern. Muggings and robberies can happen at any time, and expats are strongly advised against travelling alone at night or travelling through areas that have a potentially dangerous reputation. Walking after dark should be avoided.

Areas popular with foreigners are often targets, thus expats should be especially cautious when moving between nightspots on the Ilha do Cabo and when perusing marketplaces - like the Roque Santeiro market.

Most international organisations operating in Luanda have strict safety regulations; these should be adhered to. In the same vein, most of these companies do provide safe, secure accommodation and workplaces monitored by 24-hour guards.

Driving safety in Angola

While major networks between Luanda and lesser urban centres are improving, road conditions are still poor and four wheel drive is a necessity for travel between provinces. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to do so in the company of a convoy, or at least two other four wheel drive vehicles. Spare tires and replacement parts should be accounted for.

During the rainy season (November - April), driving is especially dangerous. Road can be washed away by floods. Bridges and tunnels risk destruction and can leave travellers stranded for considerable amounts of time.

Driving to the North and South provinces should be done only in the most essential situations. These are diamond producing areas and the Angolan government is extremely sensitive about entrance and exit. Failure to produce proper documentation can result in detention.

Most expats living in Luanda have drivers that bring them to or from their destination of choice. Taxis and public transport are informal institutions for the most part, and are rarely used by foreign nationals.

If you are an expat who opts to drive their own vehicle, it's best to be suspicious of slow-moving cars or those that try and coerce you into pulling over; these are often pretexts for robbery or hijackings.

Terrorism in Angola

In January 2010 the Togo national football team was attacked and fired upon. The group claiming responsibility was known as the Front for the Liberation of Enclave of Cabinda.

This group and others in this province have made clear their intentions to continue their attacks on foreigners; a low number of kidnappings were recorded between 2007 - 2010.

With the exception of the area outside of Cabinda city though, the threat of terrorism in Angola is low.