Anyone who has a reason to visit Angola will need to use the national currency in operation there – the kwanza. The present currency is not the only currency of this name that the country has used in recent years.
What coins and notes are available for this currency?
Each kwanza is made up of 100 centimos. In theory you can still get centimo coins – just two of them, the 10 and 50 centimo coins – but in reality they are not often used now. Inflation is rapidly pushing them into the category of being practically worthless. However you can get a further four coins denominated as kwanzas, and these are the 1, 2, 5 and 10 kwanza coins.
There are plenty of banknotes in use though. These begin with the 10 kwanza note and go through the 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 kwanza notes. You can probably start to see how futile it is to have the small centimo coins of little value in circulation now, given the size of the larger kwanza notes.
From past to present – the history of the Angolan kwanza
Before 1977 Angola was a Portuguese colony, which meant it used the Portuguese escudo (this has since been consigned to history thanks to the euro). Angola wanted its own currency upon independence and they opted for the kwanza.
As mentioned previously there have been several versions of the kwanza that have been in use – four in all. The reason for the new versions was that the current ones were devalued due to inflation. This is a fairly common occurrence when a country is struggling to come to terms with a high inflation rate. The current version of the kwanza has been in place since 1999.
Over the years each version has been given a new ISO code for the currency markets. The original kwanza was known by the letters AOK, while its replacement in 1990 was granted the letters AON. The third version that came in back in 1995 was given the ISO code AOR while the existing version is known as AOA.
How to get hold of the Angolan kwanza
As you might guess, Angola isn’t the easiest country when it comes to getting hold of money. Indeed it is mostly a cash country so the best thing to do is to make sure you have enough cash to get by with. Unfortunately it isn’t easy to find the currency prior to reaching the country itself, since most bureaux de change won’t provide the kwanza.
So where do you get the kwanza? Well, there are a number of licensed money changers available in the country that you can change up your cash with. You can also get your cash in the banks. You’ll need to go inside to do this though, because the cash machines don’t generally like accepting foreign bank cards. In some cases you might be able to pay with a credit card but you should never assume you’ll be able to do this. For the most part it’s cash all the way.
One thing worth knowing though is that many people throughout the country will happily accept US dollars. So even though you cannot get hold of the local currency before you leave home, it might be worth getting some dollars to take with you since you can pay with these in many places. Another thing to remember is that if you do pay in US dollars you are likely to be given kwanza coins (or possibly notes) in change. This can get confusing but after a while you will get used to it.
How to find out the latest exchange rate between your home currency and the Angolan kwanza
All you need is the usual currency converter to work this out. You can find the Angolan kwanza by using the ISO code to speed up the search. You can then compare your own currency to it. You might also want to check the latest exchange rate against the US dollar seeing as you can use a few of these there as well. It helps to have the most information you can to determine how far your money will go when you are there.
As always it can be a good idea to find out more about the country you want to visit before you actually set foot on a plane. In this case you can visit the Embassy for the Republic of Angola in the UK, and you don’t even have to visit in person to do it. The embassy has an official website at http://www.angola.org.uk/.
Travelling safely with the Angolan kwanza
Safe travel is good to know about regardless of where you go in the world, and Angola is no different in this respect. At the time of writing there were some areas of the country that were not advisable to visit. These were located in the north-eastern part of Angola. However the remainder of the country was fine. It is always best to check the latest travel information and advice prior to booking a flight and indeed just before you board to fly there. Things can change quickly in any part of the world.
The capital of the country is Luanda and this is particularly prone to violence and crime. With that said though, the majority of the people who decide to travel to Angola enjoy their trip without any consequences of this nature. Some people have been mugged and the UK government advises that it is not wise to go out at night, whether you are with other people or not. Crime does of course take place during the day too, so always be aware of your surroundings.
You can minimise the odds of being targeted for crime simply by making yourself less conspicuous. You should carry as little cash on you as you need to; this can be difficult in a largely cash-based society but there shouldn’t be any need to carry lots of it. Anything you do have should also be divided into different amounts to carry in different places. For example tuck some into a front pocket and some into a shirt pocket. A money belt is a great idea as you can wear this under your clothes and it is much harder to spot.
Be wise to the amount of jewellery you wear or valuables you carry too. It’s good to take photos of your trip but if you have a large expensive camera this will make you a target. The same applies if you wear an expensive watch. Taking as little as possible in this way will be a great idea for you to stick to.
Where to spend your kwanzas in Angola – and what to spend them on
Angola is in the southern part of Africa. Its northern border is shared with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while to the east lies Zambia. The southern border is shared with Namibia, and the entire western stretch of the country faces the South Atlantic Ocean.
We already know the capital is Luanda, and this can be found on the western coastline. As with many cities around the world of a certain age, Luanda is comprised of two parts. There is an older part (the lower section of the city) and a newer part, which is above the old city. The area is still rapidly expanding though and looks set to continue to do so.
Elsewhere in Angola you can see the Kalandula Falls. These are incredibly impressive and rank as one of the biggest on the continent. Their height is disputed but no one disputes their position as being among the largest in Africa.
As you would expect of a country in Africa there are many national parks here although they do not all the chance to see animals of all kinds. One of the best is Quicama National Park. This is by far the best one to see because some of the others have gone down in quality since the Civil War. Elephants are among the animals you can see here in the wild.
Conclusion
Angola has its fair share of tourist visitors every year, but many other people don’t even think of visiting this country. While it is important to be aware of the conditions in the country so you can stay safe during your visit, the country does have a good number of attractions that are worth seeing.
If you have never been there before you will enjoy seeing the waterfalls as mentioned above, not to mention going to a national park or two. There are many other sights here too, including the Fortress of Sao Miguel in the capital. Where will you end up when you decide to go there to see what is on offer? It might take a while to get used to the currency and the ability to use the US dollar as well, but some perseverance will be worth it.
I have 500,000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas. The date on the bill is 1991. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in US Dollars?
i have a 1995 1000000 one million angolan note is it worth £7500 or £7.50 where can i exchange it in the uk
I have a Kwanzas bill that has 500 on it and two men on the front of it the year has 1991 and i would like to know how much it is worth no one here can tell me
I have 500000.00 Angola kwanzas No KK4579030. The date on the bill is 1991. I want to know if it is worth any thing and how much and where i can exchange it in Namibia?
I have angolan “Cem Mil Kwanzas Readjustados” I want to know whether it is worth anything and where can I exchange it in India?
My friend has a 1991 500000 Quinhentos Mil Kwanzas. (Is it worth anything?)
Good day, i have a Quinhentos Kwanzas 500 from the year (Luanda, 11 De Novembro De 1976). Please can you let me know for how must i can sell them for?
I have 500,000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas. The date on the bill is 1991. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in Rand (ZAR)
I have 500,000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas. The date on the bill is 1991. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in US Dollars?
There seem to be a few spam comments here, with the last couple of people asking the same thing. Even despite that there are lots of people interested in how much this currency is worth. I wonder why? I hadn’t heard of it at all before I read this article, and since the country isn’t somewhere that would be smart to visit it makes no sense to find out any more, surely.
I have 500,000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas. The date on the bill is 1991. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in US Dollars?
i have 500’000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas. The date on the bill is 1991, how much in HK dollars？
Assuming the bill is/was valid tender [I would check with a bank in Angola], the value today is roughly 500,000.00 AOA = 40,611.44 HKD, hope this helps? I cannot guarantee the figures though, please check them.
Dear Lee,
Thank you so much your reply, that mean i still have to take my note to the bank to check if whether valid tender, right？
ivy
Perhaps contact the local bank to ask the question, the website is here: http://www.bna.ao – use the “CONTACTE–NOS” link at the top of the page. Note: website is in local language. Good luck!
i have bills that i was trying to see what there worth… i have 1.5000-1.1000-1.10000-1.50000-and 2.500000 bills can someone tell me what there worth id like to sell if i could?? all with the year 1991 on them..
I have a 1000 (Mil Kwanzas)note. The date on the bill is 11 De Novembebro De 1987. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in Rand (ZAR)
Please advise.
Many thanks for a speedy reply.
hello dears i need to change 500000, can us help please
I have a 100000 angolan “Cem Mil Kwanzas Readjustados” I want to know whether it is worth anything in USD and where can I exchange it in Malaysia?
i have 5000000 angolan quinhentos mil kwanzas JF. i want to know if it worth anything in south africa
Ruth
Hi guys I have 4 5000000 kwanzas and 8 1000000 kwanzas in 1995 can yu please tell me where can I exchange this angola kwanzas
i have a 1000 how much is it it is from 1991 thank you
I have 500000 Angolan Kwanza banknote. I realize that Angola has issued new banknotes. I want to know if this money still worth anything,If anything how much in ZAR and where to exchange it in South Africa.
Best regard
Boa tarde. Eu tenho 650.000 kwanzas de 1991 sendo uma nota de 500.000 outra de 100.000 e outra de 50.000 kwanzas todas elas de 1991.
Será que valem alguma coisa se cambiar para Euros, Sou de Portugal onde me posso dirigir.
Obrigado pela resposta.
I have quinhentos mil kwanzas 1991, how much is the amount of this in dollars??? Is this kind of money had a value in the Philippines?
I have a 100,000 Angola Kwanza not. How do i get it exchanged and sold into US dollars..?
I have a 500000 kwanza bill from 1991 what is it worth in south african rand
My friend have 5000000 kwanzas bill year 1991,can we ask if it is still convertible to other currency like us dollar?how much and how?
Bom Dia,
Eu tenho uma nota de 5000000 kwanzas angolanos de 1995, será que posso cambiar para euros, sou de Portugal, onde me posso dirigir?
Pode ajudar? Obrigado.
I have angolan paper money bank note
500000, Is it worth anything and
What is it worth? As well as where can I sell it? I reside in cape town
Hi I have the ISO AOR 5000000 rejustado Id like to know If it’s worth anything if so how much in American or Canadian money
Hello, I have 16, 500 Leones and 10, 500000 kwanzas. Can you tell me what they are worth in US dollars?
I have cinco milhoes de kwanzas reajustados bill year 1995..i’d like to know if it is still can convertible to other currency like us dollar or japanese yen. How much and how? Thankyou
Hi there, where can I change 500000Kwanza in South Africa.
Best regard.
I have 4440 1976 kwanzas in my posession, can I still exchagne them or are they worthless.
In response to the many questions on here asking about older versions of the kwanza and the value of these old notes, it would seem as though they would be worthless. For example in 1999 594,000 kwanza readjustado would have equated to just ONE US dollar. If a currency has been superseded by a new version the older version will no longer be in circulation; therefore you won’t be able to exchange it anywhere. Furthermore even if you could and you had a significant amount of an old kwanza currency you’d have to have a huge amount in order for it to be worth anything.
In response to those who have the existing kwanza notes you should contact your local bureau de change to determine how much you would get for that quantity of kwanza notes in your own currency. Obviously this will depend on the amount you have, which currency you use and which bureau de change you go to. Shopping around for a good deal is worth doing in many cases.
i have 5000000 kwanza note dated 1995 how muchin Canadian dollar do i get and where can I exchange it.
How much is the 500 kwanzas (Luanda, 11 DE NOVEMBRO DE 1976 worth?)
Hi I have 50 000 note 1995 100 000 note 1995 and a 500 000 note 1995 I want to know how much are they worth now and where in south Africa can I change it.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF 5000000 ANGOLA KWANZA’S AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THIS MONEY IS WORTH ANYTHING?
I HAVE THIS BANCO NACIONAL DE ANGOLA 100000 YEAR V1991 CEM MIL KWANZAS.HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I GET FROM IT IN NAMIBIA
hi guys i have a 1995 100000 cem mil kwanzas
does it still have a monetary value…if yes where i can change it in the philippines.
Hi there, i have 500000 kwanzas money date 1995. How much the value of this money, this time? And how can i exchange this, here in philippines? Thank you
I have a 500,000 (Quinhentos Mil) Kwanzas banknote. The date on the bill is 1991. I realize that Angola has since issued new currency.
Is this bill worth anything; if so, how much in Rand (ZAR).
Kind Regards