Angola is rebuilding its country
after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose
Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of
Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from
Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held
national elections, but fighting picked up again by 1996. Up to 1.5
million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in
the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's
insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS
SANTOS held legislative elections in September 2008 and, despite
promising to hold presidential elections in 2009, has since made a
presidential poll contingent on the drafting of a new constitution.
Geography ::Angola
Location:
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:
Current Weather
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
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues:
overuse of pastures and
subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures;
desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to
both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as
fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to
water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of
potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
based on Portuguese civil
law system and customary law; modified to accommodate political
pluralism and increased use of free markets; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
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); Antonio Paulo
KASSOMA was named prime minister by MPLA on 26 September 2008
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 was selected by the party to take over after the
death of former President Augustino NETO(1979) under a one-party system
and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections on 29-30
September 1992 (next were to be held in September 2009 but have been
postponed)
election results:
Jose
Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off
election necessary; the run-off was never held 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 on 5-6 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012)
election results:
percent
of vote by party - MPLA 81.6%, UNITA 10.4%, PRS 3.2%, ND 1.2%, FNLA
1.1%, other 2.5%; seats by party - MPLA 191, UNITA 16, PRS 8, FNLA 3, ND
2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
National Front for the
Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola KABANGU]; National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest
opposition party); New Democracy Electoral Union or ND [Quintino de
MOREIRA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose
Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975); Social Renewal
Party or PRS [Eduardo KUANGANA]
note:nine other parties participated in the legislative election in September 2008 but won no seats
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 armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province
persists despite the signing of a peace accord with the government in
August 2006
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITE
chancery:
2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 785-1156
FAX:
[1] (202) 785-1258
consulate(s) general:
Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dan MOZENA
embassy:
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); red represents liberty, black the
African continent, the symbols characterize workers and peasants
Economy ::Angola
Economy - overview:
Angola's high growth rate in recent
years was driven by its oil sector, and high international oil prices.
Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of
GDP. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 15%
per year from 2004 to 2007. The global recession and lower prices led to
a contraction in GDP in 2009. 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. Since
2005, the government has used billions of dollars in credit lines from
China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to rebuild Angola's
public infrastructure. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in
2000 to under 13% in 2008, the stabilization policy proved
unsustainable and Angola abandoned its currency peg in 2009. Angola
became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and in late 2007 was assigned a
production quota of 1.9 million barrels a day (bbl), somewhat less than
the 2-2.5 million bbl Angola's government had wanted. In November 2009
the IMF announced its approval of Luanda's request for a Stand-By
Arrangement; the loan of $1.4 billion aims to rebuild Angola's
international reserves. Corruption, especially in the extractive
sectors, is a major challenge.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$114.4 billion (2009 est.)
$115.1 billion (2008 est.)
$101.6 billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$70.53 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.6% (2009 est.)
13.2% (2008 est.)
21.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,900 (2009 est.)
$9,200 (2008 est.)
$8,300 (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.6%
industry:
65.8%
services:
24.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
7.769 million (2009 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry and services:
15% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA
Population below poverty line:
40.5% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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:
-1.8% (2009 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.722 billion kWh (2007 est.)
19
Electricity - consumption:
3.173 billion kWh (2007 est.)
25
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
1.835 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
64,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.407 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
28,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
13.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
Natural gas - production:
680 million cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
680 million cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
269.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.429 billion (2009 est.)
$6.408 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$40.65 billion (2009 est.)
$63.91 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Exports - partners:
China 32.9%, US 28.7%, France 6%, South Africa 4.5%, Canada 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$15.74 billion (2009 est.)
$20.98 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Imports - partners:
Portugal 17.1%, China 15.2%, US 11%, Brazil 10.2%, South Korea 6.6%, South Africa 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$13.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$17.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$12.83 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$14.09 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$73.62 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$65.75 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.015 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$3.865 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar - 77.17 (2009), 75.023 (2008), 76.6 (2007), 80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005)
Communications ::Angola
Telephones - main lines in use:
114,300 (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.773 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited
system; state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until 2005;
demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services poor;
Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first private
licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network; by 2010, the
number of fixed-line providers had expanded to 5; Angola Telecom
established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993 and the network
has been extended to larger towns; a privately-owned, mobile-cellular
service provider began operations in 2001
domestic:
fewer
than one fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed-line and
mobile-cellular teledensity exceeded 50 telephones per 100 persons in
2008
international:
country
code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine
cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth
stations - 29 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)
Internet country code:
.ao
Internet hosts:
3,508 (2009)
Internet users:
550,000 (2008)
Transportation ::Angola
Airports:
192 (2009)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m:
5
2,438 to 3,047 m:
9
1,524 to 2,437 m:
12
914 to 1,523 m:
4 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 162
over 3,047 m:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
4
1,524 to 2,437 m:
32
914 to 1,523 m:
78
under 914 m:
46 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,764 km
narrow gauge:
2,641 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 51,429 km
paved:
5,349 km
unpaved:
46,080 km (2001)
Waterways:
1,300 km (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 6
by type:
cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned:
1 (Spain 1)
registered in other countries:
6 (Bahamas 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
Military ::Angola
Military branches:
Angolan Armed Forces (FAA): Army,
Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca
Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
20-45 years of age for
compulsory and 18-45 years for voluntary military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required; minimum age
for women volunteers is 20; the MGA is entirely staffed with volunteers
(2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,991,424
females age 16-49:
2,893,898 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,506,489
females age 16-49:
1,451,427 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 151,237
female:
147,919 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2009)
Transnational Issues ::Angola
Disputes - international:
Cabindan separatists continue to
return to the Angolan exclave from exile in neighboring states and
Europe since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,615 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
IDPs:
61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Angola
is a country of origin for women and children trafficked internally for
the purpose of domestic servitude and young men trafficked for the
purpose of forced agricultural labor; women and children, primarily, are
trafficked to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Namibia, and Portugal; young boys are trafficked to Namibia to herd
cattle; children are also forced to act as couriers in cross-border
trade between Namibia and Angola as part of a scheme to skirt import
fees
tier rating:
Tier
2 Watch List - Angola is placed on Tier 2 Watch List because it does
not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; despite
these overall significant efforts, the Government of Angola has not
investigated, prosecuted, or convicted any trafficking offenders; Angola
does not have a comprehensive law that specifically prohibits
trafficking in persons, which constrained its anti-trafficking efforts;
interagency cooperation on trafficking issues increased, however, as
have the government's efforts to raise the public's awareness of the
dangers of trafficking (2009)
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa
