Angola Country Information
Travel Advice with Country Information from the CIA.
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Introduction
From the late 14th to the mid 19th century a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony.
Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since 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 in 1993. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - during the more than a quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018.
Geography
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Africa
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 24
about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas
total: 5,369 km
border countries (4): Democratic Republic of the Congo 2646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 231 km, Namibia 1427 km, Zambia 1065 km
1,600 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
mean elevation: 1,112 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Moca 2,620 m
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
agricultural land: 45.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 54.3% (2018 est.)
860 sq km (2014)
most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda as shown in this population distribution map
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Government
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
etymology: name derived by the Portuguese from the title "ngola" held by kings of the Ndongo (Ndongo was a kingdom in what is now northern Angola)
presidential republic
name: Luanda
geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: originally named "Sao Paulo da Assuncao de Loanda" (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda), which over time was shortened and corrupted to just Luanda
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
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
history: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic
civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments: the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term); last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by the winning party following the 23 August 2017 general election
description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency and in multi-seat constituencies by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 61.1%, UNITA 26.7%, CASA-CE 9.5%, PRS 1.4%, FNLA 0.9%, other 0.5%; seats by party - MPLA 150, UNITA 51, CASA-CE 16, PRS 2, FNLA 1; composition - men 136, women 84, percent of women 38.2%
highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms
subordinate courts: provincial and municipal courts
Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Andre Mendes de CARVALHO]
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGU
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party)
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note - Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS stepped down 8 Sept 2018 ruling party in power since 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito SANTO (since 16 September 2019)
chancery: 2100-2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Nina Maria FITE (since 14 February 2018)
telephone: [244] 946440977
embassy: 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda, C.P. 6468
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550
FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000
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 and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants
Palanca Negra Gigante (giant black sable antelope); national colors: red, black, yellow
name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)
lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
note: adopted 1975
state controls all broadcast media with nationwide reach; state-owned Televisao Popular de Angola (TPA) provides terrestrial TV service on 2 channels; a third TPA channel is available via cable and satellite; TV subscription services are available; state-owned Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) broadcasts on 5 stations; about a half-dozen private radio stations broadcast locally
.ao
total: 4,353,033
percent of population: 14.34% (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 109,561
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Transportation
number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 55
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,516,628 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 78.16 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
D2 (2016)
total: 102 (2020)
country comparison to the world: 54
total: 32 (2020)
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 6
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 70 (2020)
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 22
1 (2013)
352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)
total: 2,852 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 2,729 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
123 km 0.600-m gauge
country comparison to the world: 63
total: 26,000 km (2018)
paved: 13,600 km (2018)
unpaved: 12,400 km (2018)
country comparison to the world: 103
1,300 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 53
total: 54
by type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 8, other 32 (2020)
country comparison to the world: 117
major seaport(s): Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
LNG terminal(s) (export): Angola Soyo
Military and Security
Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA; under operational control of the Army); Rapid Reaction Police (paramilitary) (2019)
1.6% of GDP (2019)
1.8% of GDP (2018)
2.4% of GDP (2017)
3% of GDP (2016)
3.5% of GDP (2015)
country comparison to the world: 70
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) are comprised of approximately 107,000 active troops (100,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2019)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian, Soviet, or Warsaw Pact origin; since 2010, Russia remained the principle supplier of military hardware to Angola; Belarus, Bulgaria, China, and Italy have also supplied smaller quantities of arms (2020)
Military service age and obligation
20-45 years of age for compulsory male and 18-45 years for voluntary male military service (registration at age 18 is mandatory); 20-45 years of age for voluntary female service; 2-year conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy (MGA) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2019)
Transnational Issues
Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 23,436 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa