Background: Civil war has been the norm since independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975.

Land boundaries:

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

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%

Geography
Note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Democratic Republic of the Congo

Population: 8,668,281 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991)

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.)

Birth rate: 47 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 20 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1991)

Environment
Current issues: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 151 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 42 years male, 46 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1991)

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

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: 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, Democratic Republic of the Congo

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

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none

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) Angola AngolaAngola

Economy overview: Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80 to 90% of the population, but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is the most lucrative sector of the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. In recent years, however, the impact of fighting an 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, 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.

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: NA%; accounts for about 60% of GDP, including petroleum output

Labor force: 2,783,000 economically active; agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: oil,liquified 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.)
Commodities: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries
Partners: US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil

Debt external: $7.0 billion (1990)

Exchange rates: kwanza (Kz) per US$1--29.62 (fixed rate since 1976)

Electricity
Capacity: 506,000 kW capacity; 770 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $NA, NA% of GDP

Airports: 315 total, 183 usable; 28 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 58 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: crude oil, 179 km

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,348 GRT/102,825 DWT; includes 11 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker

Disputes international: 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 between September and November 1992, an internationally monitored cease-fire, and termination of outside military assistance