It might be useful for people who want to do business with the oil producing countries in Africa, to have a brief idea about the statistics and dynamics of these countries. Angola almost produces 1.98 million barrels of oil per day and is the seventh largest of oil producing country in the world.
Some facts about Angola:
Angola’s population is about 19.6 million according to an estimate made in 2011. Its total area is about 1,246,700 square km. It’s situated in the Southern Africa and shares its borders with Namibia, Congo and Zambia whereas the western coast is on the Atlantic Ocean.
Capital and Currency:
Luanda is the capital of Angola and its currency is known as Kwanza.
Ethnicities in Angola:
A number of ethnic groups are to be found in Angola namely Ovimbundu which constitute a 37% of the population, Kimbundu a 25% of the total population, Bakongos are 13%, mesticos are only a 2.5% of the population. The rest of the population belongs to other ethnicities, and some are minorities.
Religions practiced by the Angolans:
Half of the Angolan population is Christian, a majority of them Roman Catholics whereas the rest are Protestants whereas 47% population has indigenous beliefs. Most of the other beliefs base on spirit worship of the ancestors.
Language:
The people of Angola speak Portuguese which is also their official language but some also speak Bantu languages. However, the educated population of Angola mainly communicates in Portuguese.
NEED FOR PORTUGUESE TRANSLATORS:
As foreign investors have started taking an interest in Angola for its oil reserves, the need for Portuguese translators has come to surface. In order to communicate with the local population and the officials, excavators and oil investing companies need Portuguese translators.
People:
The Angolan people still have a tribal tradition. The various ethnicities live in tribes.
General Etiquettes in Angolan society:
- The people appreciate a thorough introduction and a warm handshake.
- You must ask after the health of the family of the other person and also about their well-being in detail.
- Gifts are appreciated.
- Elders are given respect and their decisions or opinions are given weight. It is appropriate when invited to an Angolan house to greet an elder first.
- Women should be respected and strangers should maintain their distance from them in reverence.
- Invitations should be accepted in the spirit in which they are given.
Business Etiquettes and meetings:
The people prefer a lengthy cordial greeting before the business is actually conducted. So it is advised that you might not rush the greeting and ask after the health of the person’s family and their well-being before you actually start discussing the business at hand. Elders should be revered and bowed to slightly. The Angolans want to trust their business partner and to maintain this relationship of trust, they would try to know you as a person before proceeding to do any business with you. But this process of knowing the other person is very important for them and it shouldn’t be taken personally. Business cards should be printed in Portuguese, so that it would be easier for the people to understand it.