Map of Angola | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Bantu-speaking people settled in the area now called Angola in 6th century A.D.; by the 10th century various Bantu groups had established kingdoms, of which Kongo became the most powerful. From the late-14th to the mid-19th century, a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. Angola became a major hub of the transatlantic slave trade conducted by the Portuguese and other European powers -- often in collaboration with local kingdoms, including the Kongo. The Angola area is estimated to have lost as many as 4 million people as a result of the slave trade. The Kingdom of Kongo’s main rival was the Kingdom of Ndongo to its south, whose most famous leader was Nzingha Mbande, the 17th century diplomat to the Portuguese and later Queen, who successfully fought off Portuguese encroachment during her nearly 40-year reign. Smaller kingdoms, such as the Matamba and Ngoyo, often came under the control of the Kongo or Ndongo Kingdoms. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, Portugal and other European powers set Angola’s modern borders, but the Portuguese did not fully control large portions of the territory. Portugal gained control of the Kingdom of Kongo in 1888 when Kongo’s King Pedro V sought Portuguese military assistance in exchange for becoming a vassal. After a revolt in 1914, Portugal imposed direct rule over the colony and abolished the Kongo Kingdom. The Angolan National Revolution began in 1961, and in 1975, Angola won its independence when Portugal’s dictatorship fell, a collapse that occurred in part because of growing discontent over conflict in Angola and other colonies. Angola’s multiple independence movements soon clashed, with the Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostinho NETO, taking power and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, emerging as its main competitor. After NETO’s death in 1979, Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, also of the MPLA, became president. Over time, the Angolan civil war escalated and became a major Cold War conflict, with the Soviet Union and Cuba supporting the MPLA and the US and South Africa supporting UNITA. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost -- and 4 million people displaced -- during the more than a quarter-century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS did not seek reelection in 2017 and supported Joao LOURENCO’s successful bid to become president. LOURENCO was reelected in 2022. Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since 2002.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 1,246,700 km²
Land: 1,246,700 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,369 km
Border countries (4): (4) Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,646 km; (of which 225 km; is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province) Republic of the Congo 231 km; Namibia 1,427 km; Zambia 1,065 km

Coastline: 1,600 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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
Highest point: Moca 2,620 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 1,112 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 32.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 51.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 11.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 860 km² (2014)

Major rivers: Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Rio Cubango (Okavango) river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo


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Population
Total: 37,202,061 (2024 est.)
Male: 18,196,058
Female: 19,006,003
Distribution: most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda
Growth rate: 3.33% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6% (2014 est.)
Note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Religions: Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 8,752,419/female 8,701,422)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 9,076,080/female 9,795,035)
65 years and over: 2.4% (2024 est.) (male 367,559/female 509,546)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 96.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 91.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 19.8 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 15.8 years
Female: 16.8 years

Population growth rate: 3.33% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 41.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda

Urbanization
Urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje (2023)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 183 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 55.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 60.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 60.8 years
Female: 65.1 years

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 72.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 42.3% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 69.7% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 26.5% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 14.5% (2024 est.); 14.6% (2023 est.); 14.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Luanda
Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
Etymology: the Portuguese named the city São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda); over time, it was shortened to 'Luanda,' which may derive from a Bantu word meaning 'tax' or 'duty,' in reference to local people paying their dues to the king of the Congo

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando, Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Icolo e Bengo, Luanda, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Moxico Leste, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
Head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term)
Most recent election date: 24 August 2022
Election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election
Expected date of next election: 2,027

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia nacional)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 220 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 8/24/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) (124); National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) (90); Other (6)
Percentage of women in chamber: 39.1%
Expected date of next election: August 2,027

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Angola Avante' (Forward Angola)
Lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
History: adopted 1975

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.4% (2024 est.); 1.1% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.4% (2024 est.); 1.1% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 55.3% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 6.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 37.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -24.4% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.4% (2024 est.)
Industry: 44.2% (2024 est.)
Services: 39.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 15.961 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 14.5% (2024 est.); 14.6% (2023 est.); 14.7% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 14.5% (2024 est.); 14.6% (2023 est.); 14.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $18.117 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $13.871 billion (2019 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 10.1% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal 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: $36.924 billion (2024 est.); $36.961 billion (2023 est.); $50.12 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, ships, refined petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $22.683 billion (2024 est.); $23.688 billion (2023 est.); $28.564 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, wheat, ships, cars, trucks (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 7.6 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 16.214 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.725 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 48.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 76.2%
Access electrification - rural areas: 7.3% (2018 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 23.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 74% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1.175 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 121,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 5.984 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 1.244 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 4.928 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 343.002 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 19.66 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 17.21 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 2.441 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 9.146 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 87,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 25.7 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 45% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 137,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1


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Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

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: 107 (2025)

Heliports: 2 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 2,761 km (2022)
Narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-mm gauge

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 64 (2023)
By type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 43

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs