Description

Context:

During his inaugural State visit to India, President Droupadi Murmu extended a warm greeting to Angolan President João Lourenço at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The visit also marks the 40th anniversary of India-Angola diplomatic relations.

Key Facts about Angola

Location	Angola is a country situated on the west coast of Southern Africa.
Capital	Luanda
Borders	Namibia (South), DRC (North), Zambia (East), Atlantic Ocean (West)

Picture courtesy: Britannica

Geographical Features of Angola

Category	Details
Major Plateaus	Bié Plateau (~2,600 m) Huíla Plateau (~2,300 m) Malanje Highlands
Highest Point	Mount Moco – 8,596 ft (2,620 m), located near Huambo
Major Rivers	Cuanza (Kwanza) River – Largest river entirely within Angola Cunene River – Forms part of Angola's border with Namibia Cuango River – Major tributary of the Congo River Other rivers drain into the Zambezi and Okavango systems
Desert Region	Southwest Angola forms part of the Namib Desert

Climate: Tropical, having separate rainy and dry seasons. Influenced by the Benguela circulation (a cold oceanic circulation).
Angola is ethnically varied, including Bantu-speaking communities like Ovimbundu, Kimbundu, and Bakongo.

Economic significance:

Africa's biggest oil producer with abundant diamonds, iron ore, copper, and gold.
The northeast is noted for its diamond resources in river gravels.

Practice Questions:

Q. With reference to the country Angola, consider the following statements:

1. It is a landlocked country.

2. Windhoek is its capital.

3. It is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

[A] Only one

[B] Only two

[C] All three

[D] None

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect. Angola is not a landlocked country. It is situated on the west coast of southern Africa and has a coastline of around 1,600 kilometres. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. Angola's capital is Luanda, located on the country's Atlantic coast.

Statement 3 is correct. Angola is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Zambia to the east, and Namibia to the south.