ANGOLA
OFFICIAL NAME
Republic of Angola
CAPITAL CITY
Luanda, population 1.5 Million
Geography
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Zaire
Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Area:
total area:
1,246,700 sq km
land area:
1,246,700 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total:
5,198 km
border countries:
Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline:
1,600 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
20 nm
International disputes:
none
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
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Moro 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%
meadows and pastures:
23%
forest and woodland:
43%
other:
32%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
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
Geographic note:
Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire
People
Population:
10,342,899 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
45% (male 2,340,804; female 2,275,689)
15-64 years:
53% (male 2,748,417; female 2,706,295)
65 years and over:
2% (male 128,067; female 143,627) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.68% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
44.58 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
17.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.89 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
138.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
46.8 years
male:
44.65 years
female:
49.06 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.35 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Angolan(s)
adjective:
Angolan
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.)
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
42%
male:
56%
female:
28%
Government
Name of country:
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
Type of government:
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) was originally elected without opposition under a one party system and stood for election in Angola's first multiparty elections on 29-30 September 1992; DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote, making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) disputed the results of the first election; the civil war was resumed
head of government:
Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992) was appointed by the president and is answerable to the Assembly
cabinet:
Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional):
elections last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results (disputed) - percentage of vote by party NA; seats (223 total) - seats by party NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao), judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president
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:
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (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
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), 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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Antonio dos Santos FRANCA "N'dalu"
embassy:
1819 L Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 785-1156
FAX:
[1] (202) 785-1258
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Donald K. STEINBERG
embassy:
No. 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda
mailing address:
C.P. 6484, Luanda; American Embassy, Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 (pouch)
telephone:
[244] (2) 345-481, 346-418
FAX:
[244] (2) 346-924
Economy
Economic overview:
Angola is an economy in disarray. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80%-90% of the population but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 50% 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 must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich resources - notably gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and arable land, in addition to its large oil deposits - Angola will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.4 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita:
$700 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
12%
industry:
56%
services:
32% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20% monthly average (1994 est.)
Labor force:
2.783 million economically active
by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate:
24% with extensive underemployment (1993 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; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco; sugar; textiles; cement; basic metal products
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
620,000 kW
production:
1.9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
189 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Illicit drugs:
increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states
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:
$12 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $189 million (1993)
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
Railways:
total:
2,952 km (1995 est.); note - limited trackage in use because of landmines still in place from the civil war
narrow gauge:
2,798 km 1.067-m gauge; 154 km 0.600-m gauge
Highways:
total:
72,626 km
paved:
18,157 km
unpaved:
54,469 km (1992 est.)
Waterways:
1,295 km navigable
Pipelines:
crude oil 179 km
Ports:Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malogo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo
Merchant marine:
total:
12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 63,776 GRT/99,863 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 11, oil tanker 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total:
143
with paved runways over 3 047 m:
3
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
8
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
11
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
4
with paved runways under 914 m:
40
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m:
1
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
4
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
24
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
48 (1995 est.)
Communications
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 17, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
6
Televisions:
50,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
2,373,087
males fit for military service:
1,195,176
males reach military age (18) annually:
106,456 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, 31% of GDP (1993)
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