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 provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the Angolan armed forces. Military integration began in June 1996.


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Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic Congo

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: Total 5,198 km, Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Democratic Republic Congo 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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Moro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 23%
Forests and woodland: 43%
Other: 32%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Angolan(s)
Adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

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; inadequate supplies of potable water
Current issues Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
International agreements: party to_Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
International agreements note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Democratic Republic Congo

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 46.8 years 91,996 est.), 46.28 years (1995 est.)
Male: 44.65 years (1996 est.), 44.18 years (1995 est.)
Female: 49.06 years (1996 est.), 48.49 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: 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: Angola
Local long form: Republica de Angola
Local short form: Angola
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) was originally elected without opposition under a one party system and stood for election in Angola's first multiparty elections on 29-30 September 1992; DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote, making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) disputed the results of the first election; the civil war was resumed
Head of government: Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional):First nationwide, multiparty elections were held 29-30 September 1992 with disputed results; seats (223 total)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao), judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

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

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: Angola is an economy in disarray. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80%-90% of the population but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. Despite the signing of a peace accord in November 1994 between the Angola Government and the UNITA insurgents, sporadic fighting continues and many farmers remain reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich resources_notably gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and arable land, in addition to its large oil deposits_Angola will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies.

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_bananas, sugarcane, 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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: 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% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 24% 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
Expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 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: total value. $3 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $11.7 billion (1994 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New kwanza (NKz) per US$1_900,000 (official rate 25 April 1995), 1,900,000 (black market rate 6 April 1995), 600,000 (official rate 10 January 1995), 90,000 (official rate 1 June 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: 620,000 kW
Production: 1.9 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 189 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 78,000 telephones (1991 est.); telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links
Local: NA
Intercity: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and troposcatter routes
International: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.1 billion, 31% of GDP (1993)

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: 143
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 40
With paved runways With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 24
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 48 (1995 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: Crude oil 179 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

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

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: Increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe