1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Coastline
1,600 km
Comparative area
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Disputes
civil war since independence on 11 November 1975; on 31 May 1991 Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS and Jonas SAVIMBI, leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), signed a peace treaty that calls for multiparty elections between September and November 1992, an internationally monitored cease-fire, and termination of outside military assistance
Environment
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau; desertification
Land boundaries
5,198 km total; Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Land use
arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 43%; other 32%
Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 20 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Note
Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire
Terrain
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Total area
1,246,700 km2; land area: 1,246,700 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
47 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
20 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Infant mortality rate
151 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
2,783,000 economically active; agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)
Language
Portuguese (official); various Bantu dialects
Life expectancy at birth
42 years male, 46 years female (1991)
Literacy
42% (male 56%, female 28%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun--Angolan(s); adjective--Angolan
Net migration rate
NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
about 450,695 (1980)
Population
8,668,281 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991)
Religion
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.)
Total fertility rate
6.7 children born/woman (1991)
Government
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
Capital
Luanda
Constitution
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, and 6 March 1991
Diplomatic representation
none
Elections
first nationwide, multiparty elections to be held between September and November 1992
Executive branch
president, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
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)
Independence
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)
Legal system
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate multipartyism and increased use of free markets
Legislative branch
unicameral People's Assembly (Assembleia do Povo)
Long-form name
People's Republic of Angola
Member of
ACP, AfDB, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Political parties and leaders
only one party exists--the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labor Party (MPLA), Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS--although others are expected to form as legalization of a multiparty system proceeds; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) lost to the MPLA and Cuban military support forces in the immediate postindependence struggle, but is to receive recognition as a legal party
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
in transition from a one-party Marxist state to a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system
Economy
Agriculture
cash crops--coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, sugar, manioc, tobacco; food crops--cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains, bananas; livestock production accounts for 20%, fishing 4%, forestry 2% of total agricultural output; disruptions caused by civil war and marketing deficiencies require food imports
Budget
revenues $2.6 billion; expenditures $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1990 est.)
Currency
kwanza (plural--kwanza); 1 kwanza (Kz) = 100 lwei
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $265 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1,005 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.3 billion
Electricity
506,000 kW capacity; 770 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
kwanza (Kz) per US$1--29.62 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--oil,liquified petroleum gas, diamonds, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton; partners--US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil, France
External debt
$7.0 billion (1990)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$7.9 billion, per capita $925; real growth rate 2.0% (1990 est.)
Imports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries; partners--US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil
Industrial production
growth rate NA%; accounts for about 60% of GDP, including petroleum output
Industries
petroleum, diamonds, mining, fish processing, food processing, brewing, tobacco, sugar, textiles, cement, basic metal products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
23.2% (1988)
Overview
Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80 to 90% of the population, but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is the most lucrative sector of the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. In recent years, however, the impact of fighting an internal war has severely affected the nonoil economy, and food has to be imported. For the long run, Angola has the advantage of rich natural resources, notably gold, diamonds, and arable land. To realize its economic potential Angola not only must secure domestic peace but also must reform government policies that have led to distortions and imbalances throughout the economy.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
315 total, 183 usable; 28 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 58 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
27 major transport aircraft
Highways
73,828 km total; 8,577 km bituminous-surface treatment, 29,350 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, remainder unimproved earth
Inland waterways
1,295 km navigable
Merchant marine
12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,348 GRT/102,825 DWT; includes 11 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
Pipelines
crude oil, 179 km
Ports
Luanda, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda
Railroads
3,189 km total; 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter gauge; limited trackage in use because of insurgent attacks; sections of the Benguela Railroad closed because of insurgency
Telecommunications
fair system of wire, radio relay, and troposcatter routes; high frequency used extensively for military/Cuban links; 40,300 telephones; stations--17 AM, 13 FM, 2 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP _%_
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 2,080,837; 1,047,500 fit for military service; 92,430 reach military age (18) annually