Angola

Marxist people's republicIndependence 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Angola as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLuanda
Area1,246,700 km2
1990

Every edition of Angola

Populationas each edition published it
8.53 million July 1990 · 38.98m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.67% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.2 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 45.26 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.7 children per woman 1990 · 5.45 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
158 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 46.1 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $950 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.7% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 1,246,700 km2

arable land 2%meadows and pastures 23%forest and woodland 43%other 32%NEGL% permanent crops
Total area
1,246,700km2
land area: 1,246,700 km2Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Coastline
1,600km
Territorial sea: 20 nm
Land boundaries
5,198km total
Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Disputes

civil war since independence on 11 November 1975

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

Environment

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau; desertification

Note

Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire

People

14 fields
Population
8,534,483
(July 1990), growth rate 2.9% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
47Death
20Net migration
2

Religion

indigenous beliefs 47%Roman Catholic 38%Protestant (est.) 15%
Labor force
2,783,000economically active
85% agriculture, 15% industry (1985 est.)

Infant mortality rate

158 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

42 years male, 46 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

6.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Angolan(s); adjective--Angolan

Ethnic divisions

37% Ovimbundu, 25% Kimbundu, 13% Bakongo, 2% Mestico, 1% European

Language

Portuguese (official); various Bantu dialects

Organized labor

about 450,695 (1980)

Government

Marxist people's republic

17 fields

Long-form name

People's Republic of Angola

Type

Marxist people's republic

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)

Constitution

11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978 and 11 August 1980

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Executive branch

president, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral National People's Assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)

Political parties and leaders

  • only party--Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labor Party (MPLA-Labor Party), Jose Eduardo dos Santos;
  • National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), lost to the MPLA with Cuban military support in immediate postindependence struggle, now carrying out insurgency

Suffrage

universal adult at age NA

Elections

none held to date

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Flag

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

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$5.0billion
per capita $600; real growth rate 9.2% (1988 est.)
External debt
$3.0billion
(1989)

Overview

Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80-90% of the population, but accounts for only 10-20% 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 economy and food has to be imported.

Budget

revenues NA; expenditures $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1986 est.)

Exports

  • $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
  • commodities--oil, coffee, diamonds, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton;
  • partners--US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil

Imports

  • $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989 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

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

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

Industries

petroleum, mining (phosphate rock, diamonds), fish processing, brewing, tobacco, sugar, textiles, cement, food processing, building construction

Agriculture

  • cash crops--coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, sugar, manioc, tobacco;
  • food crops--cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains, bananas, and other local foodstuffs;
  • disruptions caused by civil war and marketing deficiencies require food imports

Aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $263 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $903 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-88), $1.3 billion

Currency

kwanza (plural--kwanza); 1 kwanza (Kz) = 100 lwei

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 12 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 11petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,348 GRT/102,825 DWT

Airports, 317 total, 184 usable

permanent-surface runways
28runways over 3,659 m
1runways 2,440-3,659 m
12runways 1,220-2,439 m
60

Networkskm

Highways
73,828Railroads
3,189Inland waterways
1,295
Highways: ; 8,577 km bituminous-surface treatment, 29,350 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, remainder unimproved earth · Railroads: ; 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter gauge; limited trackage in use because of insurgent attacks; sections of the Benguela Railroad closed because of insurgency

Railroads

  • 3,189 km total;
  • 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter gauge;
  • limited trackage in use because of insurgent attacks;
  • sections of the Benguela Railroad closed because of insurgency

Highways

73,828 km total; 8,577 km bituminous-surface treatment, 29,350 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, remainder unimproved earth

Pipelines

crude oil, 179 km

Ports

Luanda, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda

Civil air

27 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • fair system of wire, radio relay, and troposcatter routes;
  • high frequency used extensively for military/Cuban links;
  • 40,300 telephones;
  • stations--17 AM, 13 FM, 2 TV;
  • 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense; paramilitary forces--People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard, Popular Vigilance Brigades

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
2,049,295fit for military service
1,030,868reach military age (18) annually
90,877

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense; paramilitary forces--People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard, Popular Vigilance Brigades

Central Intelligence Agency. “Angola.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/angola/1990.

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