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. The two sides signed another peace accord on 20 November 1994 and the cease-fire is generally holding, but military tensions persist and banditry is increasing. In order to bring armed insurgents under government control the peace accord of 20 November 1994 provides for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the Angolan armed forces.


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Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Namibia and Zaire

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 1,246,700 km²
Land: 1,246,700 km²

Land boundaries: total 5,198 km, 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

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: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 23%
Forest and woodland: 43%
Other: 32%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Geography
Note: Civil war has been the norm since independence 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; fighting has since resumed throughout much of the countryside. Nevertheless, the two sides are negotiating the details for holding the second round of presidential elections.


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Population: 9,803,576 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 2.67% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Angolan(s)

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.67% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 45.43 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 18.55 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: population pressures contributing to overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest attributable to the international demand for tropical timber and domestic use as a fuel; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; scarcity of potable water

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 145.4 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 45.77 years
Male: 43.72 years
Female: 47.92 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 42%
Male: 56%
Female: 28%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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

Government type: transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Capital: Luanda

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia; Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

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, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)
Head of government: Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops,
National Assembly Assembleia Nacional: first nationwide, multiparty elections were held 29-30 September 1992 with disputed results; further elections are being discussed

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edmund DE JARNETTE
From the us embassy: Miramar, Luanda
From the us telephone: [244] (2) 39-24-98
From the us fax: (202) 785-1258
From the us mailing address: CP6,484, Luanda, Angola (mail international); US Embassy, Luanda, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20,521-2,550 (pouch)
From the us FAX: [244] (2) 39-05-15

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. Bitter internal fighting continues to severely affect the economy, and food must be imported. In 1993, production fell by an estimated 22.6%, mainly because of the capture by insurgents of the oil town of Soyo and diamond-producing areas in northeastern Angola. Angola has rich natural resources - notably gold, diamonds, and arable land, in addition to large oil depoaits - but will need to end the war and reform government policies if it is to achieve its potential.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -22.6% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $600 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cash crops - bananas, sugar cane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, cane, manioc, tobacco; food crops - cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains ; 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; mining - diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco; sugar; textiles; cement; basic metal products

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

Labor force: 2.783 million economically active
By occupation agriculture: 85%
By occupation industry: 15% (1985est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% with considerable underemployment (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$928 million

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 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities: oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Partners: US, France, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries
Partners: Portugal, Brazil, US, France, Spain

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $8 billion (1993 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: kwanza (Kz) per US$1 - 90,000 (official rate 1June 1994), 180,000 (black market rate 1 June 1994; 7,000 (official rate 16 December 1993), 50,000 (black market rate 16 December 1993; 3,884 (July 1993; 550 (April 1992; 90 (November 1991; 60 (October 1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 510,000 kW
Production: 800 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 84 kWh (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
Dollar figure: $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: 302
Usable: 175
With permanentsurface runways: 32
With runways over 3659 m: 2
With runways 2440-3659 m: 18
With runways 1220-2439 m: 59

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 179 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 63,776 GRT/99,863 DWT, cargo 11, oil tanker 1

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs