ANGOLA
MARCH 25, 2009 BY RANG WHAM
| Introduction | Angola | Top of Page |
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Background:
Angola is rebuilding its country after 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 by 1996. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS held legislative elections in September 2008 and, despite promising to hold presidential elections in 2009, has since pushed through a new constitution that calls for elections in 2012.
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| Geography | Angola | Top of Page |
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Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E
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Map references:
Africa
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Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km |
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Coastline:
1,600 km
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Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
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Terrain:
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
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Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m |
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Natural resources:
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
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Land use:
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.23% other: 97.12% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
184 cu km (1987)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23%/17%/60%)
per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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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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| People | Angola | Top of Page |
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Population:
18,056,072 (July 2012 est.)
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Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.9% (male 4,041,055/ female 3,884,175)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 4,845,463/ female 4,763,480) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 241,421/ female 280,478) (2012 est.) |
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Median age:
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.5 years female: 17.9 years (2012 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
2.784% (2012 est.)
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Birth rate:
39.36 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Death rate:
12.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
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Net migration rate:
0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Urbanization:
urban population: 59% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
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Major cities - population:
LUANDA (capital) 4.511 million; Huambo 979,000 (2009)
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Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
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Maternal mortality rate:
430 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
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Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 87.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 79.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.59 years
male: 53.49 years female: 55.73 years (2012 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
5.54 children born/woman (2012 est.)
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Health expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2009)
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Physicians density:
0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
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Hospital bed density:
0.8 beds/1,000 population (2005)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2% (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2009 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009) |
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Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
27.5% (2001)
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Nationality:
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan |
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Ethnic groups:
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
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Religions:
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)
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Languages:
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
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Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.1% male: 82.7% female: 58.1% (2010 est.) |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years (2006) |
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Education expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
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| Government | Angola | Top of Page |
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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 |
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Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
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Capital:
name: Luanda
geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Kwando Kubango, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
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Independence:
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
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National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
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Constitution:
adopted by National Assembly 5 February 2010
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Legal system:
civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation
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International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Vice President Manuel Domingos VICENTE (since 26 September 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Vice President Manuel Domingos VICENTE (since 26 September 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president indirectly elected by National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 2010 constitution; President DOS SANTOS was selected by the party to take over after the death of former President Augustino NETO (1979) under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections on 29-30 September 1992 but the election was suspended; following the results of the 2012 legislative elections Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS was indirectly elected president(elligible for a second term) election results: NA; Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS was indirectly elected president by the National Assembly following legislative elections on 31 August 2012; DOS SANTOS was inaugurated on 26 September 2012 to serve the first of a possible two terms under the 2010 constitution |
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Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 31 August 2012 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 71.8%, UNITA 18.7%, CASA-CE 6.0%, PRS 1.7%, FNLA 1.1%, other 0.8%; seats by party - MPLA 175, UNITA 32, CASA-CE 8, PRS 3, FNLA 2 |
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Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional; Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo; Court of Auditions or Tribunal de Contas; Supreme Military Court or Supremo Tribunal Militar; judges for all courts appointed by the president
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Political parties and leaders:
Broad Convergence for Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Abel CHIVUKUVUKU]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola KABANGU]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party); New Democracy Electoral Union or ND [Quintino de MOREIRA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975); Social Renewal Party or PRS [Eduardo KUANGANA]
note: nine other parties participated in the legislative election in September 2008 but won no seats |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]
note: FLEC's small-scale armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province persists despite the signing of a peace accord with the government in August 2006 |
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International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto do Carmo BENTO RIBEIRO
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. MCMULLEN
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000 FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232 |
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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, black the African continent, the symbols characterize workers and peasants
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National symbol(s):
sable antelope
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National anthem:
name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola) lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO note: adopted 1975 |
| Economy | Angola | Top of Page |
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Economy - overview:
Angola's high growth rate in recent years was driven by high international prices for its oil. Angola became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and its current assigned a production quota of 1.65 million barrels a day (bbl/day). Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Diamond exports contribute an additional 5%. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 17% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, even though peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Since 2005, the government has used billions of dollars in credit lines from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. The global recession that started in 2008 temporarily stalled economic growth. Lower prices for oil and diamonds during the global recession slowed GDP growth to 2.4% in 2009 and to 3.4% in 2010, and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued $9 billion in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell in 2008 and 2009. Angola abandoned its currency peg in 2009, and in November 2009 signed onto an IMF Stand-By Arrangement loan of $1.4 billion to rebuild international reserves. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to 14% in 2011. Higher oil prices in 2011, helped Angola climb turn a budget deficit of 8.6% of GDP in 2009 into an surplus of 7.5% of GDP in 2010. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, also is a major challenge.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
$116.3 billion (2011 est.)
$111.9 billion (2010 est.) $108.2 billion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
$102.6 billion (2011 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2011 est.)
3.4% (2010 est.) 2.4% (2009 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,900 (2011 est.)
$5,900 (2010 est.) $5,800 (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars |
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GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.6%
industry: 65.8% services: 24.6% (2008 est.) |
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Labor force:
8.24 million (2011 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry and services: 15% (2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
NA
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Population below poverty line:
40.5% (2006 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%: 44.7% (2000) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
13.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Budget:
revenues: $49.38 billion
expenditures: $36.6 billion (2011 est.) |
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Taxes and other revenues:
48.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
12.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Public debt:
18.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
22.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.5% (2011 est.)
14.5% (2010 est.)
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Central bank discount rate:
25% (31 December 2010 est.)
30% (31 December 2009 est.)
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Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.76% (31 December 2011 est.)
22.54% (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of narrow money:
$11.58 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$9.384 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of broad money:
$36.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$28.35 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of domestic credit:
$22.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$19.27 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, cassava (manioc), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2010 est.)
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Electricity - production:
4.08 billion kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
3.659 billion kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2010 est.)
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Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2010 est.)
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Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.155 million kW (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from fossil fuels:
56.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
43.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Oil - production:
1.84 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Oil - exports:
1.757 million bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
9.5 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - production:
37,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - consumption:
79,430 bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - exports:
31,050 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - imports:
41,480 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
734 million cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
733 million cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
310 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
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Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
24.2 million Mt (2010 est.)
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Current account balance:
$15.92 billion (2011 est.)
$7.421 billion (2010 est.)
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Exports:
$65.8 billion (2011 est.)
$50.59 billion (2010 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
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Exports - partners:
China 38.1%, US 21.2%, India 9.2%, Canada 4.2% (2011)
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Imports:
$19.75 billion (2011 est.)
$16.67 billion (2010 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
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Imports - partners:
Portugal 20.5%, China 17.8%, US 9.6%, Brazil 6.9%, South Africa 5.7%, France 5.1% (2011)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$27.01 billion (2011 est.)
$19.75 billion (2010 est.)
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Debt - external:
$18.78 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$18.56 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$101.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$89.31 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$6.346 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$5.096 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Exchange rates:
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -93.741 (2011 est.) , 91.906 (2010 est.) , 79.33 (2009) , 75.023 (2008) , 76.6 (2007)
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Fiscal year:
calendar year
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| Communications | Angola | Top of Page |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
303,200 (2011)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.491 million (2011)
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Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system; state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until 2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network; by 2010, the number of fixed-line providers had expanded to 5; Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993 and the network has been extended to larger towns; a privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations in 2001
domestic: only about two fixed-lines per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2011 international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2009) |
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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 (2008)
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Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)
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Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)
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Internet country code:
.ao
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Internet hosts:
20,703 (2012)
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Internet users:
606,700 (2009)
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| Transportation | Angola | Top of Page |
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Airports:
176 (2012)
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Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2012) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 146
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 66 under 914 m: 43 (2012) |
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Heliports:
1 (2012)
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Pipelines:
gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2010)
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Railways:
total: 2,764 km
narrow gauge: 2,641 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2008) |
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Roadways:
total: 51,429 km
paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (2001) |
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Waterways:
1,300 km (2011)
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Merchant marine:
total: 7
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 6, Curacao 2, Cyprus 1, Liberia 1, Malta 7) (2010) |
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Ports and terminals:
Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
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| Military | Angola | Top of Page |
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Military branches:
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) (2012)
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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); conscript service obligation - 2 years; 20-45 years of age for voluntary female service; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy (MGA) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2012)
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Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,062,438
females age 16-49: 2,964,262 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,546,781
females age 16-49: 1,492,308 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 155,476
female: 152,054 (2010 est.) |
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Military expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2009)
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| Transnational Issues | Angola | Top of Page |
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Disputes-international:
Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 13,648 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2010) IDPs: 19,500 (27-year civil war ending in 2002) (2005) |
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Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa
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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009