Angola is a country located in Southern Africa. It has a rich culture and history that lends itself well to riddles. Here are 48 riddles about Angola along with their answers.
Geography Riddles
Riddle 1
I am a desert that covers parts of Namibia, Botswana, and Angola. Many of the oldest dinosaurs were found buried in my sands. What am I?
Answer: The Kalahari Desert
Riddle 2
I am a river that originates in Angola and provides water to Namibia’s Caprivi region. I am named after an English explorer. What river am I?
Answer: Okavango River
Riddle 3
I am a port city located on the Atlantic coast of Angola. I am the capital of Benguela Province and developed from a small fishing village. What city am I?
Answer: Lobito
Riddle 4
I am a city in northwestern Angola near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am divided by the Cuango River and am an important commercial center. What city am I?
Answer: Dundo
Riddle 5
I am an Angolan province bordered by Namibia to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north. My capital is Menongue. What province am I?
Answer: Cuando Cubango
Riddle 6
I am an Angolan province located in the west of the country, bordering Namibia. My capital and largest city is Moçâmedes. What province am I?
Answer: Namibe
History Riddles
Riddle 7
I was a 17th century queen of the Ndongo kingdom in what is now Angola. I fiercely resisted Portuguese colonization. Who am I?
Answer: Queen Nzinga
Riddle 8
I led the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA in a war for Angolan independence from Portugal in the 1960s and 1970s. Who am I?
Answer: Agostinho Neto
Riddle 9
I was a kingdom located in what is now northern Angola from the 14th to 19th century. My capital was M’banza-Kongo. What was I called?
Answer: Kingdom of Kongo
Riddle 10
We were indigenous hunter-gatherers and pastoralists who inhabited southwestern Angola for thousands of years before Bantu peoples arrived. Who are we?
Answer: Khoisan
Riddle 11
I was a 27-year civil war fought in Angola between the MPLA and UNITA after independence from Portugal in 1975. What am I?
Answer: The Angolan Civil War
Riddle 12
I was the first democratically elected president of Angola in 1992, representing UNITA. Who am I?
Answer: Jonas Savimbi
Culture Riddles
Riddle 13
I am a traditional Angolan martial art and dance that involves acrobatics and capoeira-like movements. What am I?
Answer: Kabetula
Riddle 14
We are members of a matrilineal ethnic group living in southwestern Angola near the Namibian border. We are known for our sacred initiation rituals. Who are we?
Answer: Himba people
Riddle 15
I am an Angolan stew made with palm oil, vegetables, spices, and sometimes smoked fish or meat. I am a staple comfort food in Angola. What dish am I?
Answer: Muamba de galinha
Riddle 16
We are members of an ethnic group living in southern Angola and northern Namibia. We are traditionally semi-nomadic pastoralists and subsistence farmers. Who are we?
Answer: Ovambo people
Riddle 17
I am a genre of music from Angola that combines traditional Angolan rhythms and melodies with Caribbean styles like rumba. What type of music am I?
Answer: Semba
Riddle 18
I am an umbrella term for the Bantu languages spoken natively in Angola. What word describes me?
Answer: Kimbundu
Literature Riddles
Riddle 19
I was an Angolan author and poet who criticized Portuguese colonial rule in my works. My famous collection of poems was entitled “God Created Me Black.” Who am I?
Answer: Agostinho Neto
Riddle 20
I am an Angolan author born in 1940 who wrote novels criticizing Portuguese colonial rule like “A Vida Verdadeira de Domingos Xavier”. Who am I?
Answer: José Luandino Vieira
Riddle 21
I am an Angolan author born in 1970 who wrote about the hardships of the Angolan Civil War. My best known novel is “Good Morning Comrades”. Who am I?
Answer: Ondjaki
Riddle 22
I am an epic poem from Angola written in the 16th century, celebrating the history of the Kingdom of Ndongo. What literary work am I?
Answer: Epic of Nimuanfuka
Politics Riddles
Riddle 23
I am the current president of Angola, having taken office in 2017. I am the leader of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola. Who am I?
Answer: João Lourenço
Riddle 24
I am Angola’s capital and largest city, located on the Atlantic coast. I was founded in 1576 and named São Paulo de Loanda. What city am I?
Answer: Luanda
Riddle 25
I am the local language spoken in Angola alongside Portuguese. I belong to the Bantu family of languages. What language am I?
Answer: Kimbundu
Riddle 26
I am Angola’s currency, subdivided into 100 cents. I am abbreviated as AOA. What am I?
Answer: Kwanza
Riddle 27
I am an Angolan political party that fought for independence from Portugal. My acronym is MPLA. What party am I?
Answer: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Sports Riddles
Riddle 28
I am Angola’s most popular sport. I involve two teams of 11 players trying to score goals with a ball. What sport am I?
Answer: Soccer/Football
Riddle 29
I am an Angolan long-distance runner who won Angola’s first Olympic medal, a silver in the women’s 1500m at the 2000 Sydney Games. Who am I?
Answer: Maria Mutola
Riddle 30
I am an Angolan basketball player who currently plays center for the Denver Nuggets. I was drafted 15th in the 2015 NBA draft. Who am I?
Answer: Nikola Jokić
Riddle 31
I am the top domestic soccer league in Angola. Some of my member clubs are Petro Atlético and Kabuscorp. What association am I?
Answer: Girabola
Animals Riddles
Riddle 32
I am a large bird native to Angola’s grasslands that is the world’s tallest flying bird. What am I?
Answer: Kori Bustard
Riddle 33
I am a small antelope native to Angola’s savanna habitat. I have a brown coat with 15-20 white stripes running vertically down my sides. What antelope am I?
Answer: Banded mongoose
Riddle 34
I am Angola’s national bird, known for my black and white plumage and noisy honking. What bird am I?
Answer: African fish eagle
Riddle 35
I am a large snake native to Angola that can grow over 3 meters long. I kill my prey by constriction but am not venomous. What snake am I?
Answer: African rock python
Riddle 36
I am a primate found in Angola’s tropical forests. I have a black face and hands with brownish-grey body fur. What animal am I?
Answer: Angolan colobus
Pop Culture Riddles
Riddle 37
I am an American R&B singer who was born in Angola but moved to the USA at age 7. I am known for songs like “All My Life” and “Kiss Kiss”. Who am I?
Answer: Cassie Ventura
Riddle 38
I am an Angolan model who was the first Sub-Saharan African face of Ralph Lauren and American Vogue. What is my name?
Answer: Maria Borges
Riddle 39
I am an American actress best known for my role as Michonne on The Walking Dead. I was born in Angola but adopted and raised in America. Who am I?
Answer: Danai Gurira
Riddle 40
I am an American basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets. I was born in DR Congo but raised in Angola. Who am I?
Answer: Bruno Fernando
Riddle 41
I am an American model and actress who was the first Angolan face of Estée Lauder. I have walked in shows for designers like Calvin Klein. Who am I?
Answer: Maria Borges
Miscellaneous Riddles
Riddle 42
Some know me as the “Blood Diamond” country due to my history of diamond mining funding civil wars. I have been working to reform my diamond industry. What country am I?
Answer: Angola
Riddle 43
I am spoken by over 90% of Angolans as a lingua franca, though indigenous languages are also present. I am a Romance language originating in Europe. What language am I?
Answer: Portuguese
Riddle 44
I am the official religion of Angola, introduced by Portuguese colonists in the late 15th century. About half of Angolans practice my faith today. What religion am I?
Answer: Christianity
Riddle 45
My early inhabitants were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. Later Bantu migrants like the Mbundu and Ovimbundu arrived and established kingdoms. Portugal colonized me in the late 15th century. I gained independence in 1975 after an armed struggle. What country am I?
Answer: Angola
Riddle 46
I am Angola’s main export, accounting for over 90% of its exports and the majority of government revenue. What natural resource am I?
Answer: Oil
Riddle 47
I am a traditional Angolan board game, sometimes called “Warrior” in English. I am played across much of Southern Africa. What game am I?
Answer: Mankala
Riddle 48
I am an ethnic group and language from Angola spoken by about 3 million people. My name comes from the Mbundu verb kubundu meaning “to speak”. Who am I?
Answer: Kimbundu (language and people)
Conclusion
Angola is a beautiful and fascinating country with a rich cultural heritage. These riddles provide a fun way to learn more about Angola’s geography, history, culture, literature, politics, sports, animals and pop culture. How many were you able to correctly guess? Learning more about different places and cultures expands our understanding of the world.
