The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Angola

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Angola

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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.

Map

Location: 12 30 S, 18 30 E -- Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Zaire

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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)

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Geography

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Zaire
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references: Africa
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
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

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)

Angola

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).