Angola

Republic of AngolaRepublica de Angola

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

Angola as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 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 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

10.07 million July 1995 est. · 8.53m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.68% 1995 est. · 2.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

46.28 years 1995 est. · 45.26 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.42 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

142.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 158 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$620 1994 est. · $950 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-1% 1994 est. · 1.7% in 1993

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 1,246,700 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 23%forest and woodland 43%other 32%

Area

1,246,700sq km

land area: 1,246,700 sq kmcomparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Coastline

1,600km

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 20 nm

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

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

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;
inadequate supplies 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, Desertification

Note

Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire

People

15 fields

Population

10,069,501

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.68% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

45.05Death

18.1Net migration

-0.15

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years46.28

44.18 · 48.49

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy42%

56% · 28%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

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

by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (female 2,208,307; male 2,274,533)
15-64 years:: 53% (female 2,641,259; male 2,685,543)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 136,573; male 123,286) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

142.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Angolan(s)
adjective:: Angolan

Languages

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Government

Transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a; President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)

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Civil war has been the norm since independence from Portugal 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 and fighting resumed throughout much of the countryside.

The two sides signed another peace accord on 20 November 1994; the cease-fire is generally holding but most provisions of the accord remain to be implemented.

Names

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

Digraph

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)
head of government:: Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)

first nationwide, multiparty elections were held 29-30 September 1992 with disputed results

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, is a legal party despite its history of 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, GATT, 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, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jose Goncalves Martins PATRICIO
embassy:: 1819 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 400
telephone:: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1258

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Edmund T. DE JARNETTE
embassy:: 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda
mailing address:: C.P. 6484, Luanda; American Embassy, Luanda, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-2550 (pouch)
telephone:: [244] (2) 345-481, 346-418

FAX

[244] (2) 347-884

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

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$620

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-1%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for about 60% of GDP, including petroleum output

Inflation, consumer prices

20%average per month

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

15%

with considerable underemployment (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$928 millionExpenditures

$2.5 billion (1992 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $963 million

Installed generating capacity, 620,000 kW

Electricity production

1.9 billionElectricity consumption per capita

189 (1993)

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. Despite the signing of a peace accord in November 1994 between the Angola government and the UNITA insurgents, sporadic fighting continues and many farmers remain reluctant to return to their fields.

As a result, much of the country's food requirements must still be imported. Angola has rich natural resources - notably gold, diamonds, and arable land, in addition to large oil deposits - but will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies if it is to achieve its potential.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.1 billion (1994 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

$11.7 billion (1994 est.)

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, sugarcane, 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

Illicit drugs

increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe

Economic aid

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

new kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 900,000 (official rate 25 April 1995), 1,900,000 (black market rate 6 April 1995), 600,000 (official rate 10 January 1995), 90,000 (official rate 1 June 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

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 289 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

126

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

73,828Railroads

3,189Inland waterways

1,295

Highways: paved: bituminous-surface 8,577 km · unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, improved earth 29,350 km; unimproved earth 35,901 km · Railroads: ; note - 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 · narrow gauge: 2,879 km 1.067-m gauge; 310 km 0.600-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 3,189 km;
note - 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
narrow gauge:: 2,879 km 1.067-m gauge; 310 km 0.600-m gauge

Highways

total:: 73,828 km
paved:: bituminous-surface 8,577 km
unpaved:: crushed stone, gravel, improved earth 29,350 km; unimproved earth 35,901 km

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

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

40,300 telephones;
4.1 telephones/1,000 persons;
high frequency radio used extensively for military links;
telephone service limited mostly to government and business use

local:: NA
intercity:: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and troposcatter routes
international:: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations