Home>Africa>Angola

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

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km of which 220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province, Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline: 1,600 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

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

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 43%
other: 32% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Environment—current issues: the 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

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change

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

Population: 11,177,537 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,545,006; female 2,473,732)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,938,178; female 2,909,844)
65 years and over: 3% (male 143,074; female 167,703) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.84% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 43.11 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 16.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 129.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.39 years
male: 46.08 years
female: 50.82 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.12 children born/woman (1999 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%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)

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

Data code: AO

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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note—the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since January 1999); note—the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: President DOS SANTOS originally elected without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections in 28-29 September 1992, the last elections to be held (next to be held NA)
election results: DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote, making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place finisher Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party—MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party—MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, others 7

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

Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] ruling party in power since 1975; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], largest opposition party engaged in years of armed resistance before joining the current unity government in April 1997; Social Renewal Party or PRS [leader NA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [leader NA]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [leader NA]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but won few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, 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, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio dos Santos FRANCA "N'dalu"
chancery: 1615 M Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6484, Luanda; pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550
telephone: [244] (2) 345-481, 346-418
FAX: [244] (2) 346-924

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)

Economy—overview: Angola is an economy in disarray because of more than 20 years of nearly continuous warfare. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP. Notwithstanding the signing of a peace accord in November 1994, sporadic violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are 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—gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, arable land, and large oil deposits—Angola will need to implement the peace agreement and reform government policies. The increase in the pace of civil warfare in late 1998 dims economic prospects for 1999 especially if the oil sector were to be damaged.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$11 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,000 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 53%
services: 34% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 90% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.)

Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $928 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity—production: 1.86 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 24.73%
hydro: 75.27%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 1.86 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

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

Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports—commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton (1998)

Exports—partners: US 65%, EU, China (1997)

Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports—commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial military goods

Imports—partners: Portugal 21%, US 15%, France 14%, South Africa (1997)

Debt—external: $13 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $493.1 million (1995)

Currency: 1 kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei

Exchange rates: kwanza (NKz) per US$1—350,000 (February 1999), 392,824 (1998), 229,040 (1997), 128,029 (1996), 2,750 (1995), 59,515 (1994); note—readjusted Kwanzas per US$1,000 through 1994, per US$1 thereafter

Fiscal year: calendar year

Telephones: 78,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997)

Televisions: 50,000 (1993 est.)

Railways:
total: 2,952 km (limited trackage in use because of land mines still in place from the civil war) (1997 est.)
narrow gauge: 2,798 km 1.067-m gauge; 154 km 0.600-m gauge

Highways:
total: 76,626 km
paved: 19,156 km
unpaved: 57,470 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 179 km

Ports and harbors: Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,384 GRT/78,357 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 252 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 220
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 82 (1998 est.)

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force

Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 2,544,203 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,280,377 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 111,168 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 25% (FY97/98)

Disputes—international: none

Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook