Background: 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. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony. Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again in 1993. 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 stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018.

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1,246,700 km²
Land: 1,246,700 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 24
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) 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 1427 km; , Zambia 1065 km

Coastline: 1600 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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
Mean elevation: 1112 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Moca 2,620 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 47.5% (2016 est.)
Forest: 46.3% (2016 est.)
Other: 6.2% (2016 est.)

Irrigated land: 860 km² (2014)

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

Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 32,522,339 (July 2020 est.)
Note: Angola's national statistical agency projects the country's 2017 population to be 28.4 million
Rank: 43
Growth rate: 3.43% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 3
Below poverty line: 36.6% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Angolan(s)
Adjective: Angolan

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

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: most widely spoken languages; 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: More than a decade after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 40 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 45% are under the age of 15 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate.

Age structure
0-14 years: 47.83% (male 7,758,636/female 7,797,869)
15-24 years: 18.64% (male 2,950,999/female 3,109,741)
25-54 years: 27.8% (male 4,301,618/female 4,740,463)
55-64 years: 3.43% (male 523,517/female 591,249)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 312,197/female 436,050) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 94.5
Youth dependency ratio: 90.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.3
Potential support ratio: 23.5 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 15.9 years
Male: 15.4 years
Female: 16.4 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 225

Population growth rate: 3.43% (2020 est.)
Rank: 3

Birth rate: 42.7 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 2

Death rate: 8.5 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 72

Net migration rate: -0.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 104

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 66.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 4.32% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 8.330 million LUANDA (capital), 828,000 Lubango, 778,000 Cabinda (2020)

Environment
Current issues: overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19.4 years (2015/16 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Infant mortality rate
Total: 62.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 67.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 56.8 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 11

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.3 years
Male: 59.3 years
Female: 63.4 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 212

Total fertility rate: 5.96 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 2

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 13.7% (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Urban: 18.3% of population
Rural: 63.4% of population
Total: 34.2% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 2.8% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.21 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 7.8% of population
Rural: 70.8% of population (2 est.)
Total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 26
People living with hivaids: 340,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 20
Deaths: 13,000 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 16

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.2% (2016)
Rank: 154

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 19% (2016)
Rank: 27

Education expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 119

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 71.1%
Male: 82%
Female: 60.7% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 7 years (2011)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Angola
Conventional short form: Angola
Local long form: Republica de Angola
Local short form: Angola
Former: Peoples Republic of Angola
Etymology: name derived by the Portuguese from the title ngola held by kings of the Ndongo (Ndongo was a kingdom in what is now northern Angola)

Government type: presidential republic

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: originally named 'Sao Paulo da Assuncao de Loanda' (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda), which over time was shortened and corrupted to just 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

Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution
History: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: 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); last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by the winning party following the 23 August 2017 general election

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency and in multi-seat constituencies by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 61.1%, UNITA 26.7%, CASA-CE 9.5%, PRS 1.4%, FNLA 0.9%, other 0.5%; seats by party - MPLA 150, UNITA 51, CASA-CE 16, PRS 2, FNLA 1; composition - men 136, women 84, percent of women 38.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms
Subordinate courts: provincial and municipal courts

Political parties and leaders: Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Andre Mendes de CARVALHO]National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGUNational Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party)Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note - Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS stepped down 8 Sept 2018 ruling party in power since 1975Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito SANTO (since 16 September 2019)
In the us chancery: 2,100-2,108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 822-9,049
In the us consulate: Houston, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nina Maria FITE (since 14 February 2018)
From the us telephone: [244] 946,440,977
From the us embassy: 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda, C.P. 6,468
From the us mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6,468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2,550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20,521-2,550
From the us FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000

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); red represents liberty and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants

National symbols: Palanca Negra Gigante (giant black sable antelope); national colors: red, black, yellow

National anthem
Name: Angola Avante (Forward Angola)
Lyricsmusic: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
Note: adopted 1975

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 209

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 178

Gross national saving:
Rank: 37

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 80.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 15.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 25.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -30.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.2% (2011 est.)
Industry: 61.4% (2011 est.)
Services: 28.4% (2011 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, cassava (manioc, tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish

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: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Rank: 115

Labor force: 12.51 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 44
By occupation agriculture: 85%
By occupation industry: 15% (2015 est.)
By occupation industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.6% (2016 est.)
Rank: 105

Population below poverty line: 36.6% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 0.6%
Highest 10: 44.7% (2000)

Budget
Revenues: 37.02 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 45.44 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 189

Taxes and other revenues: 29.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 83

Public debt:
Rank: 59

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 218

Current account balance:
Rank: 154

Exports:
Rank: 67
Partners: China 61.2%, India 13%, US 4.2% (2017)
Commodities: crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Imports:
Rank: 84
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Partners: Portugal 17.8%, China 13.5%, US 7.4%, South Africa 6.2%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 63

Debt external:
Rank: 71

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 18 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 43% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 61% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 6% (2019)
Production: 10.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 102
Consumption: 9.036 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 101
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 98
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 119
Installed generating capacity: 2.613 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 103
Generation sources fossil fuels: 34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 179
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 37
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 23
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 132

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1.593 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 14
Crude oil exports: 1.782 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 7
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 88
Crude oil proven reserves: 9.523 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 16

Refined petroleum
Products production: 53,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 80
Products consumption: 130,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 72
Products exports: 30,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 62
Products imports: 111,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 50

Natural gas
Production: 3.115 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 55
Consumption: 821.2 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 95
Exports: 3.993 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 33
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 86
Proven reserves: 308.1 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 36

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 20.95 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 85

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 122,566 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 134
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 14,645,106
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46.6 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 69

Broadcast media: state controls all broadcast media with nationwide reach; state-owned Televisao Popular de Angola (TPA) provides terrestrial TV service on 2 channels; a third TPA channel is available via cable and satellite; TV subscription services are available; state-owned Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) broadcasts on 5 stations; about a half-dozen private radio stations broadcast locally

Internet
Country code: .ao
Users total: 4,353,033
Users percent of population: 14.34% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 90

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 109,561 (2018 est.)
Rank: 120

Military expenditures:
Rank: 69

Military and security forces: Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA; under operational control of the Army); Rapid Reaction Police (paramilitary) (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 20-45 years of age for compulsory male and 18-45 years for voluntary male military service (registration at age 18 is mandatory); 20-45 years of age for voluntary female service; 2-year conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy (MGA) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2019)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 55
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,516,628 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 78.16 million
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: D2 (2016)

Airports: 102 (2020)
Rank: 54
With paved runways total: 32 (2020)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways total: 70 (2020)
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 22

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: 352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)

Railways
Total: 2,852 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 2,729 km
Note: 1.067-m gauge (2014): 123 km 0.600-m gauge
Rank: 63

Roadways
Total: 26,000 km (2018)
Paved: 13,600 km (2018)
Unpaved: 12,400 km (2018)
Rank: 103

Waterways: 1300 km (2011)
Rank: 53

Merchant marine
Total: 55
By type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 8, other 33 (2019)
Rank: 113

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
LNG terminal: Angola Soyo

Disputes international: Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 23,395 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2020)

Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa