Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total
1,246,700 sq km
land
1,246,700 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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
Coastline
1,600 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
24 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 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
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Natural resources
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use
arable land
2.65%
permanent crops
0.23%
other
97.12% (2005)
Irrigated land
800 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Population
12,263,596 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
43.7% (male 2,706,276/female 2,654,338)
15-64 years
53.5% (male 3,339,114/female 3,225,121)
65 years and over
2.8% (male 149,414/female 189,333) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
17.9 years
male
17.9 years
female
17.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
2.184% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
44.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
24.81 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.035 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.789 male(s)/female
total population
1.021 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
184.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male
196.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female
171.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
37.63 years
male
36.73 years
female
38.57 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.27 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
3.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
240,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
21,000 (2003 est.)
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) are high risks in some locations
respiratory disease
meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease
schistosomiasis (2007)
Nationality
noun
Angolan(s)
adjective
Angolan
Ethnic groups
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% (1998 est.)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
67.4%
male
82.9%
female
54.2% (2001 est.)
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
Government type
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital
name
Luanda
geographic coordinates
8 48 S, 13 14 E
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was appointed prime minister on 6 December 2002
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections
president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held in 2009)
election results
Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held in September 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, other 7
Judicial branch
Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party) [Isaias SAMAKUVA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA (ruling party in power since 1975) [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS]; Social Renewal Party or PRS [Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties have little influence in the National Assembly
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, highly factionalized armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province ended after BEMBE's faction signed a peace accord in August 2006; other factions have since demobilized under provisions of the accord, although the two main faction leaders have not acceded to the accord
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
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)
Economy - overview
Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90% of exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004, 19% growth in 2005, and nearly 14% growth in 2006. 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. Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects were completed in 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to about 13% in 2006, the stabilization policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to implement government reforms and to reduce corruption. The government has made little progress on reforms recommended by the IMF, such as promoting greater transparency in government spending, and continues to be without a formal monitoring agreement with the institution. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major challenge facing Angola.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$53.06 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$28.61 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
15% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$4,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
9.6%
industry
65.8%
services
24.6% (2005 est.)
Labor force
6.393 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
85%
industry and services
15% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
70% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
13.2% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
14.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$10.98 billion
expenditures
$9.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $963 million (2006 est.)
Public debt
32.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
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
Industrial production growth rate
13.5% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production
2.194 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
36.4%
hydro
63.6%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
2.04 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption
48,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
25 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production
750 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
750 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
45.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
$7.7 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$35.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Exports - partners
US 39.4%, China 35.4%, France 5%, Chile 4.3% (2006)
Imports
$10.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Imports - partners
South Korea 17.3%, US 14.3%, Portugal 14.1%, China 8.3%, South Africa 6.3%, Brazil 5.9%, France 5.8% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.75 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$11.24 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$383.5 million (1999)
Currency (code)
kwanza (AOA)
Currency code
AOA
Exchange rates
kwanza per US dollar - 80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
94,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.094 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
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
country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia (2005)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001)
Radios
815,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations
6 (2000)
Televisions
196,000 (2000)
Internet country code
.ao
Internet hosts
2,525 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
172,000 (2005)
Airports
244 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
31
over 3,047 m
5
2,438 to 3,047 m
8
1,524 to 2,437 m
12
914 to 1,523 m
5
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
213
over 3,047 m
2
2,438 to 3,047 m
5
1,524 to 2,437 m
30
914 to 1,523 m
95
under 914 m
81 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2006)
Railways
total
2,761 km
narrow gauge
2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
51,429 km
paved
5,349 km
unpaved
46,080 km (2001)
Waterways
1,300 km (2007)
Merchant marine
total
4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT
by type
cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries
5 (Bahamas 5) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo
Military branches
Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001)
Manpower available for military service
males age 17-49
2,548,455
females age 17-49
2,462,601 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 17-49
1,282,195
females age 17-49
1,256,390 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
126,694
females age 17-49
123,586 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
5.7% (2006)
Disputes - international
many Cabindan separatists have returned to the province from exile since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement; concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls) along the Angola-Namibia border
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin)
13,464 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
IDPs
61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2006)
Illicit drugs
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa
