Map of Angola | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Civil war has been the norm since independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975. A cease-fire lasted from 31 May 1991 until October 1992 when the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) refused to accept its defeat in internationally monitored elections and fighting resumed throughout much of the countryside.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 1,246,700 km²
Land: 1,246,700 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 5,198 km total; Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline: 1,600 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 20 nm
Disputes: civil war since independence on 11 November 1975; on 31 May 1991 Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS and Jonas SAVIMBI, leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), signed a peace treaty that calls for multiparty elections in late September 1992, an internationally monitored cease-fire, and termination of outside military assistance

Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use: arable land: 2%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 43%; other 32%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 8,902,076 (July 1992), growth rate 2.7% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Angolan(s; adjective - Angolan

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico 2%,European 1%, other 22%

Languages: Portuguese (official; various Bantu dialects

Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 46 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 19 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau; desertification
Current issues note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 152 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 43 years male, 47 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 42% (male 56%, female 28%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: People's Republic of Angola

Government type: in transition from a one-party Marxist state to a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Capital: Luanda

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, and 6 March 1991

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate multipartyism and increased use of free markets

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch:

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Assembleia do Povo)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacaao)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation: none; note - US Liaison Office (USLO) established after Peace Accords in May 1991 as a precursor to establishing an embassy after election in 1992; address - Luanda (USLO), BPA Building, llth floor, telephone 244 (2) 39-02-42; FAX 244 (2) 39-05-15

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80-90% of the population, but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is vital to the economy, contributing about 60% to GDP. In recent years, a bitter internal war has severely affected the nonoil economy, and food has to be imported. For the long run, Angola has the advantage of rich natural resources in addition to oil, notably gold, diamonds, and arable land. To realize its economic potential Angola not only must secure domestic peace but also must reform government policies that have led to distortions and imbalances throughout the economy.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $8.3 billion, per capita $950; real growth rate 1.7% (1991 est.)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cash crops - coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, sugar, manioc, tobacco; food crops - cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains, bananas; livestock production accounts for 20%, fishing 4%, forestry 2% of total agricultural output; disruptions caused by civil war and marketing deficiencies require food imports

Industries: petroleum, diamonds, mining, fish processing, food processing, brewing, tobacco, sugar, textiles, cement, basic metal products

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%; accounts for about 60% of GDP, including petroleum output

Labor force: 2,783,000 economically active; agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)
Organized labor: about 450,695 (1980)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $2.6 billion; expenditures $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1990 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $3.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: oil, liquefied petroleum gas, diamonds, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Partners: US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil, France

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries
Partners: US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: kwanza (Kz) per US$1 - 180.0


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Electricity
Production: 510,000 kW capacity; 770 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports:

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 179 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

Merchant marine:
Civil air: 28 major transport aircraft

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs