Angola

transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a strongIndependence 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Angola as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 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
LocationSouthern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Namibia
1994

Every edition of Angola

Populationas each edition published it
9.8 million July 1994 est. · 8.53m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.67% 1994 est. · 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
6.48 children per woman 1994 est. · 6.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
145.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 158 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$600 1993 est. · $950 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-22.6% 1993 est. · 1.7% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Namibia | and Zaire

23 fields
Coastline
1,600km
Land boundaries
5,198km
total · Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Namibia and Zaire

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

1,246,700 sq km

land area

1,246,700 sq km

comparative area

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

arable land

2%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

23%

forest and woodland

43%

other

32%

current issues

  • population pressures contributing to overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion;
  • desertification;
  • deforestation of tropical rain forest attributable to the international demand for tropical timber and domestic use as a fuel;
  • deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity;
  • soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams;
  • scarcity of potable water

natural hazards

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

international agreements

party to - Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Note

Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire

People

21 fields
Population
9,803,576
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.67% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
45.43Death
18.55Net migration
-0.15

Ethnic divisions

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% (est.)
Labor force
2.783million economically active
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

145.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

45.77 years

male

43.72 years

female

47.92 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.48 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Angolan(s)

adjective

Angolan

Languages

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

total population

42%

male

56%

female

28%

by occupation

agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)

Government

Transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong

35 fields

Note

Civil war has been the norm since independence on 11 November 1975; a cease-fire lasted from 31 May 1991 until October 1992 when the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) refused to accept its defeat in internationally monitored elections; fighting has since resumed throughout much of the countryside. Nevertheless, the two sides are negotiating the details for holding the second round of presidential elections.

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)

head of government

Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)

first nationwide, multiparty elections were held 29-30 September 1992 with disputed results; further elections are being discussed

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)

Political parties and leaders

  • Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, is the ruling party and has been in power since 1975;
  • National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, remains a legal party despite its return to armed resistance to the government;
  • five minor parties have small numbers of seats in the National Assembly

Other political or pressure groups

Cabindan State Liberation Front (FLEC), N'ZITA Tiago, leader of largest faction (FLEC-FAC)

note

FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose PATRICIO

embassy

1899 L Street NW, 5th floor, Washington, DC 20038

telephone

(202) 785-1156

FAX

(202) 785-1258

chief of mission

Ambassador Edmund DE JARNETTE

embassy

Miramar, Luanda

mailing address

CP6484, Luanda, Angola (mail international); US Embassy, Luanda, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-2550 (pouch)

telephone

[244] (2) 39-24-98

FAX

[244] (2) 39-05-15

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

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$600
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-22.6%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for about 60% of GDP, including petroleum output
Unemployment rate
15%
with considerable underemployment (1993 est.)

Overview

Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80-90% of the population but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is vital to the economy, contributing about 60% to GDP. Bitter internal fighting continues to severely affect the economy, and food must be imported.

In 1993, production fell by an estimated 22.6%, mainly because of the capture by insurgents of the oil town of Soyo and diamond-producing areas in northeastern Angola. Angola has rich natural resources - notably gold, diamonds, and arable land, in addition to large oil depoaits - but will need to end the war and reform government policies if it is to achieve its potential.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $5.7 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$928 million

expenditures

$2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.)

Exports

$3 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

partners

US, France, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil

Imports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries

partners

Portugal, Brazil, US, France, Spain

External debt

$8 billion (1993 est.)

capacity

510,000 kW

production

800 million kWh

consumption per capita

84 kWh (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • cash crops - bananas, sugar cane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, cane, manioc, tobacco;
  • food crops - cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains ;
  • livestock production accounts for 20%, fishing 4%, forestry 2% of total agricultural output;
  • disruptions caused by civil war, and marketing deficiencies require food imports

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $265 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.105 billion;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $1.3 billion;
  • net official disbursements (1985-89), $750 million

Currency

1 new kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei

Exchange rates

  • kwanza (Kz) per US$1 - 90,000 (official rate 1June 1994), 180,000 (black market rate 1 June 1994);
  • 7,000 (official rate 16 December 1993), 50,000 (black market rate 16 December 1993);
  • 3,884 (July 1993);
  • 550 (April 1992);
  • 90 (November 1991);
  • 60 (October 1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

  • 3,189 km total;
  • 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter gauge;
  • limited trackage in use because of landmines still in place from the civil war;
  • majority of the Benguela Railroad also closed because of civil war

total

73,828 km

paved

bituminous-surface 8,577 km

unpaved

crushed stone, gravel, improved earth 29,350 km; unimproved earth 35,901 km

Inland waterways

1,295 km navigable

Pipelines

crude oil 179 km

Ports

Luanda, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda

Merchant marine

12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 63,776 GRT/99,863 DWT, cargo 11, oil tanker 1

total

302

usable

175

with permanent-surface runways

32

with runways over 3,659 m

2

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

18

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

59

Telecommunications

  • limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and troposcatter routes;
  • high frequency radio used extensively for military links;
  • telephone service limited mostly to government and business use;
  • 40,300 telephones (4.1 telephones per 1,000 persons);
  • broadcast stations - 17 AM, 13 FM, 6 TV;
  • 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, People's Defense Organization and | Territorial Troops,

4 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops,

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 2,262,669;
  • fit for military service 1,139,319;
  • reach military age (18) annually 96,900 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Affiliation

(dependent territory of the UK)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Angola.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/angola/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →