Angola is home to around 36 million people, and the population is young -- more than half are under 25. The country's ethnic diversity is enormous, with nine major ethnolinguistic groups and roughly a hundred subgroups. The largest are the Ovimbundu (about a quarter of the population, concentrated in the central highlands), the Mbundu or Kimbundu (dominant around Luanda and the northwest), and the Bakongo (in the north, with communities extending into the DRC and Republic of Congo).
In the south, the Nyaneka-Humbe, Herero, and Ambo peoples have cultures closely connected to those of neighboring Namibia. The remote southwest is home to the Mucubal and Himba, semi-nomadic pastoralists whose traditional way of life -- elaborate hairstyles, ochre-coated skin, cattle herding -- has survived despite decades of upheaval.
Portuguese is the common language across the country, a legacy of colonialism that also serves as a bridge between Angola's many ethnic groups. In Luanda and other cities, Portuguese is the mother tongue for most young people. In rural areas, Bantu languages remain dominant in daily life: Umbundu in the central highlands, Kimbundu around Luanda, Kikongo in the north, Chokwe in the east.
Angolans are overwhelmingly Christian -- roughly two-thirds Catholic and one-fifth Protestant -- with traditional belief systems still practiced alongside Christianity in rural areas. Religious festivals and Sunday church services are important social events.
What travelers will notice is the warmth. Angolans are genuinely welcoming to visitors, partly because they see so few tourists. You will be greeted with curiosity rather than suspicion. Handshakes are important -- greet people properly, take your time, ask how they are. In more traditional communities, greeting elders first is expected.
Music runs deep in Angolan culture. Semba (the forerunner of Brazilian samba), kizomba, and kuduro are everywhere -- in bars, in taxis, pouring out of shops. Luanda's music scene is vibrant, and even small towns have weekend dance parties. If you get invited to one, go.