
The Angolan Kwanza has a rich history dating back to 1977 when it was introduced as the country's official currency. It replaced the New Portuguese Escudo at a rate of 1 Kwanza to 1,000 Escudos.
The Kwanza was initially pegged to the US dollar but was later devalued in 1991 due to high inflation rates. This had a significant impact on the value of the currency.
Today, the Angolan Kwanza is still used as the official currency in Angola, and its value is determined by the foreign exchange market. You can check the current exchange rates to see how much your money is worth in Kwanza.
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History of Angolan Kwanza
The Angolan kwanza has a fascinating history. It was introduced in 1977 following Angolan independence, replacing the escudo at par. The kwanza was subdivided into 100 lwei.
Its ISO 4217 code was AOK, and it had a remarkably stable exchange rate of 29.918 kwanzas to the U.S. dollar for the entire period. This stability was a notable feature of this kwanza.
The kwanza was later revalued and replaced by the kwanza reajustado (AOR) in 1995, with a rate of 1,000 to 1. This change was part of an effort to address the country's high inflation.
Here's a brief overview of the exchange rates for the kwanza reajustado (AOR):
The kwanza reajustado was eventually replaced by the new kwanza (AOA) in 1999, with a rate of 1 million AOR to 1 AOA.
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First, 1977–1990
The first kwanza was introduced on January 8, 1977, following Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975. It replaced the Angolan escudo at par and was subdivided into 100 lwei.
The ISO 4217 code for this kwanza was AOK, and it was used until September 24, 1990. This kwanza had a remarkably stable exchange rate of 29.918 kwanzas to the U.S. dollar for the entire period.
Individuals could convert up to 200,000 escudos for kwanzas, and corporations up to 1,500,000 escudos. The first kwanza's banknotes were introduced in 1977, and it's worth noting that the exchange rate remained the same throughout its usage.
Here are the key facts about the first kwanza:
- Introduced on January 8, 1977
- Replaced the Angolan escudo at par
- Subdivided into 100 lwei
- ISO 4217 code: AOK
- Used until September 24, 1990
- Exchange rate: 29.918 kwanzas to the U.S. dollar
Reajustado
The kwanza reajustado was introduced on July 1, 1995, with an ISO 4217 code of AOR. It replaced the previous kwanza at a rate of 1,000 to 1.
The inflation continued, and no coins were issued until 1999.
The kwanza reajustado was issued until November 30, 1999.
The banknotes of the kwanza reajustado were similar in appearance to the notes of the novo kwanza. They were issued in denominations of 1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 500,000, 1,000,000, and 5,000,000 kwanza.
A series of coins was introduced in 1999, consisting of copper-plated steel 10 and 50 cêntimos, and nickel-plated steel 1, 2, and 5 kwanzas.
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Historical Exchange Rates
The Angolan kwanza has had a tumultuous history, with its value fluctuating wildly over the years. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the kwanza was pegged at 29.918 kwanzas per US dollar.
From 1977 to 1990, the kwanza was the official currency of Angola, and its value remained relatively stable. However, in the 1990s, the kwanza underwent a series of reforms, which had a significant impact on its value.
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In 1990, the novo kwanza was introduced, replacing the old kwanza at a rate of 1:1. However, this new currency was short-lived, as inflation soon led to a significant devaluation of the novo kwanza. By 1995, the novo kwanza had lost 80% of its value, and a new currency, the kwanza reajustado, was introduced at a rate of 1 kwanza reajustado = 1000 novos kwanzas.
The kwanza reajustado fared no better, and by 1999, it had lost 99.9% of its value. On December 1, 1999, the kwanza reajustado was replaced by the kwanza, which was pegged at a rate of 1 kwanza = 1,000,000 kwanzas reajustados.
Here's a rough timeline of the kwanza's value over the years:
- 1977-1990: 29.918 kwanzas per US dollar
- 1994: 34,200 to 850,000 kwanzas per US dollar
- 1995: 1,000,000 to 2,100,000 kwanzas per US dollar
- 1996: 13,000 to 210,000 to 194,000 kwanzas per US dollar
- 1999: 594,000 to 5,400,000 kwanzas per US dollar
The kwanza's value continued to fluctuate in the early 2000s, with a high of 482.23 kwanzas per US dollar in 2019.
Currency Types
The Angolan Kwanza has two main types: local and foreign currency.
The local currency is used for everyday transactions within the country.
It's divided into 100 centimos, but coins are not commonly used.
Foreign currency, on the other hand, is used for international transactions and tourism.
Many businesses and services in Angola accept foreign currency, especially US dollars.
Coins

The first coins issued for the Angolan kwanza currency were introduced in 1977 and bore the date of independence, "11 de Novembro de 1975". They came in denominations of 50 lwei, 1, 2, 5, and 10 kwanzas.
The coins were made of copper-nickel and had various diameters, weights, and thicknesses. The 50 lwei coin was 16 mm in diameter and weighed 2 grams.
Here's a breakdown of the first kwanza coins:
New series of kwanza coins were introduced in 1978, adding the 2, 5, and 20 kwanzas denominations.
Banknotes
The Angolan Kwanza has a rich history when it comes to its banknotes. The Banco Nacional de Angola introduced banknotes in 1977 in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 kwanzas.
In 1978, the 20 kwanza note was replaced by a coin of the same value, a change that was likely made to reduce the number of banknotes in circulation.
The Central Bank of Angola introduced a new series of banknotes in 1977, with denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 kwanza. Specimen varieties of these notes were also printed.
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In 1999, the Banco Nacional de Angola issued a new series of kwanza banknotes with denominations ranging from 1 to 2000 kwanzas. The main colors and descriptions of these notes are listed below:
In 2013, the Banco Nacional de Angola issued a new series of kwanza banknotes with denominations of 50, 100, 200, and 500 kwanzas on March 22, 2013. The other denominations (1000, 2000, and 5000 kwanzas) were issued on May 31, 2013.
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Exchange Rates
The Angolan kwanza has had a tumultuous history, with its value fluctuating wildly over the years. In the 1970s and 1980s, the kwanza was pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 29.918 kwanzas per US dollar.
The kwanza was revalued several times due to inflation, with the most significant revaluation occurring in 1995, when the government introduced a new currency called the kwanza reajustado, with a rate of 1 kwanza reajustado = 1000 novos kwanzas.
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Here are some of the notable exchange rates for the Angolan kwanza:
The kwanza has also been the least valued currency unit in the world on several occasions, with this distinction held from October 1993 to January 10, 1994, January 24 1994 to June 30, 1995, and September 2, 1996 to November 30, 1999.
Current
The current kwanza, introduced in 1999, has an ISO 4217 code of AOA and is subdivided into 100 cêntimos.
It's worth noting that the second kwanza reintroduced coined currency, which is a significant development.
The value of the second kwanza has been stabilized, which is a positive trend after suffering from inflation early on.
Exchange Rates
The Angolan kwanza has had a tumultuous history, with exchange rates fluctuating wildly over the years. The kwanza was introduced in 1977, replacing the Angolan escudo at a rate of 1:1.
In the late 1990s, the kwanza was the least valued currency unit in the world on several occasions. This was due to high inflation, which led to the introduction of new currency denominations.

Here are some notable exchange rates from the past few decades:
As you can see, the exchange rate has fluctuated significantly over the years. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including inflation, economic instability, and global market trends.
Specific Kwanza
The kwanza reajustado, introduced in 1995, was a result of the previous kwanza's low value. It replaced the old kwanza at a rate of 1,000 to 1 and had the ISO 4217 code AOR.
The smallest denomination of banknote issued for the kwanza reajustado was 1,000 kwanzas reajustados, while other notes were issued in denominations of 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 500,000, 1,000,000, and 5,000,000 kwanzas reajustados.
The kwanza reajustado's banknotes were quite similar in design, with different colors separating the various denominations.
Novo Kwanza
The novo kwanza was introduced in 1990 with the ISO 4217 code AON. It replaced the original kwanza at par but had a unique exchange policy, where Angolans could only exchange 5% of old notes for new ones, and the rest for government securities.

The novo kwanza suffered from high inflation and came to an abrupt halt on June 30, 1995. This was a significant issue for the currency.
The first banknotes issued in 1990 were overprints on earlier notes in denominations of 50, 500, 1000, and 5000 novo kwanza. These were the first of their kind.
In 1991, the word "novo" was dropped from the banknotes, and a new issue consisting of 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000, and 50,000 was issued. This marked a significant change for the currency.
Here are the details of some novo kwanza coins:
The novo kwanza had a significant impact on Angola's economy, and its introduction and eventual halt are still remembered today.
Third Series
The third series of Angolan kwanzas introduced in 2020 features a new family of banknotes with a portrait of the first president of Angola, António Agostinho Neto.
The new banknotes are available in denominations of 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 kwanzas. The 200 to 2,000 kwanzas banknotes are printed on polymer substrate, while the 5,000 and 10,000 kwanzas banknotes are printed on cotton paper.
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The 10,000-kwanza note is only issued if necessary. This is a notable feature of the new series, indicating that the bank may not always print this denomination.
Here's a breakdown of the main colors and descriptions for each denomination:
Conversions and Rates
The Angolan kwanza has had its fair share of changes over the years, with multiple currency reforms taking place between 1977 and 1999.
The kwanza was first introduced in 1977, with a value of 29.918 kwanzas per US dollar. However, due to inflation, the currency was revalued several times, with the novo kwanza being introduced in 1990, followed by the kwanza reajustado in 1995.
The kwanza reajustado was valued at 1 kwanza reajustado = 1000 novos kwanzas, and it was used until 1999. In that year, the kwanza was revalued again, with 1 kwanza = 1,000,000 kwanzas reajustados.
In terms of conversions, here are some approximate values of the Angolan kwanza in US dollars and Canadian dollars:
Please note that these values are approximate and can fluctuate depending on the current exchange rate.
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