2021 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

1,246,700 sq km

total

1,246,700 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

Elevation

highest point

Moca 2,620 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,112 m

Geographic coordinates

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Geography - note

the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Irrigated land

860 sq km (2014)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

5,369 km

Land use

agricultural land

45.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)

forest

54.3% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Major aquifers

Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Okavango river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Natural resources

petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Population distribution

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

Terrain

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Age structure

0-14 years

47.83% (male 7,758,636/female 7,797,869)

15-24 years

18.64% (male 2,950,999/female 3,109,741)

25-54 years

27.8% (male 4,301,618/female 4,740,463)

55-64 years

3.43% (male 523,517/female 591,249)

65 years and over

2.3% (male 312,197/female 436,050) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

42.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

19% (2015/16)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

13.7% (2015/16)

Current Health Expenditure

2.6% (2018)

Death rate

8.24 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

More than a decade after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 40 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 45% are under the age of 15 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate. Of the estimated 550,000 Angolans who fled their homeland during its civil war, most have returned home since 2002. In 2012, the UN assessed that conditions in Angola had been stable for several years and invoked a cessation of refugee status for Angolans. Following the cessation clause, some of those still in exile returned home voluntarily through UN repatriation programs, and others integrated into host countries.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.3

potential support ratio

23.5 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

94.5

youth dependency ratio

90.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 36.6% of population

improved: total

total: 65.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 81.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 63.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 34.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.3% of population

Education expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.8% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

16,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

340,000 (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

55.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

65.91 deaths/1,000 live births

total

60.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6%; note - data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

63.81 years (2021 est.)

male

59.66 years

total population

61.71 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

60.7% (2015)

male

82%

total population

71.1%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

8.632 million LUANDA (capital), 871,000 Lubango, 819,000 Cabinda (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

241 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

16.4 years (2020 est.)

male

15.4 years

total

15.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.4 years (2015/16 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Angolan

noun

Angolan(s)

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

33,642,646 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: Angola's national statistical agency projected the country's 2017 population to be 28.4 million

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

3.38% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 29.2% of population

improved: total

total: 70.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 70.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.8% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2011)

male

12 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.99 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.95 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.91 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.9 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

16.7% (2014 est.)

male

17.9%

total

17.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

67.5% of total population (2021)

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

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

geographic coordinates

8 50 S, 13 13 E

name

Luanda

note

 

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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

history

previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Angola

conventional short form

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)

former

People's Republic of Angola

local long form

Republica de Angola

local short form

Angola

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Nina Maria FITE (since 14 February 2018)

email address and website

Consularluanda@state.govhttps://ao.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda

FAX

[244] (222) 64-1000

mailing address

2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone

[244] (222) 64-1000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2100-2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito SANTO (since 16 September 2019)

consulate(s) general

Houston, New York

email address and website

info@angola.orghttps://angola.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 822-9049

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1156

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

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

election results

Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by the winning party following the 23 August 2017 general election

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)

head of government

President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017)

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 and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation

Legislative branch

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)

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%

elections

last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO

name

"Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)

note

note: adopted 1975

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

National symbol(s)

Palanca Negra Gigante (giant black sable antelope); national colors: red, black, yellow

Political parties and leaders

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 KABANGUNational 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 1975Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, pineapples, sugar cane, potatoes, citrus fruit, vegetables, cabbage

Budget

expenditures

45.44 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

37.02 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

CCC (2020)

Moody's rating

Caa1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

CCC+ (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$4.834 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$1.254 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$27.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$42.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Angola's economy is overwhelmingly driven by its oil sector. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 50% of GDP, more than 70% of government revenue, and more than 90% of the country's exports; Angola is an OPEC member and subject to its direction regarding oil production levels. Diamonds contribute an additional 5% to exports. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported.Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 17% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Some of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war (1975-2002). However, the government since 2005 has used billions of dollars in credit from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to help rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, and as a result, the national military, international partners, and private Angolan firms all continue to remove them.The global recession that started in 2008 stalled Angola’s economic growth and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued billions in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell. Lower prices for oil and diamonds also resulted in GDP falling 0.7% in 2016. Angola formally abandoned its currency peg in 2009 but reinstituted it in April 2016 and maintains an overvalued exchange rate. In late 2016, Angola lost the last of its correspondent relationships with foreign banks, further exacerbating hard currency problems. Since 2013 the central bank has consistently spent down reserves to defend the kwanza, gradually allowing a 40% depreciation since late 2014. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to less than 9% in 2014, before rising again to above 30% from 2015-2017.Continued low oil prices, the depreciation of the kwanza, and slower than expected growth in non-oil GDP have reduced growth prospects, although several major international oil companies remain in Angola. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major long-term challenge that poses an additional threat to the economy.

Exchange rates

currency

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

98.303 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

120.061 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

163.656 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

163.656 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

172.6 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$41.39 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$35.18 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$21 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, refined petroleum, ships (2019)

Exports - partners

China 62%, India 10%, United Arab Emirates 4%, Portugal 3%, Spain 3% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

25.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

15.6% (2017 est.)

household consumption

80.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-30.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

10.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

10.2% (2011 est.)

industry

61.4% (2011 est.)

services

28.4% (2011 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$97.261 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

51.3 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

44.7% (2000)

lowest 10%

0.6%

Imports

Imports 2018

$25.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$22.3 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$15.12 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, scrap vessels, meat, rice, palm oil (2019)

Imports - partners

China 22%, Portugal 15%, Nigeria 6%, Belgium 6%, United States 5%, South Africa 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2017 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

32.1% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

20.3% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

17.2% (2019 est.)

Labor force

12.51 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

85%

industry

15% (2015 est.)

industry and services

15% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

32.3% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

75.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

65% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$213.62 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$212.29 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$203.71 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

0.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-2.6% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-2.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$6,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$6,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$6,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$23.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$17.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

6.6% (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

16.7% (2014 est.)

male

17.9%

total

17.3%

Crude oil - exports

1.782 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

1.593 million bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

9.523 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

9.036 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.613 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

10.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

6% (2019)

electrification - total population

43% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

61% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

821.2 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

3.993 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

3.115 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

308.1 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

130,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

30,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

111,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

53,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total

230,610 (2020)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.ao

Internet users

percent of population

36% (2019 est.)

total

10.36 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

only about one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 47 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

Angola’s telecom sector shows consistent recovery following political stability, encouraging foreign investment; while the government opened the telecom sector to new competitors, there has been slow progress in LTE network development; only a small proportion of the country is covered by the 3G network infrastructure; Internet and mobile phone penetration remains low, hindered by high costs and poor infrastructure that limits access, especially in rural areas; upgrading telecom will support e-commerce, and rural access to education and health care; AngoSat-2 satellite expected to be ready in 2021; government aims to connect an additional 160,000 people to free Wi-Fi; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)

international

country code - 244; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, WACS, ACE and SACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to other countries in west Africa, Brazil, Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29, Angosat-2 satellite expected by 2021 (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020)

total subscriptions

119,164 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44.56 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

14,645,050 (2020)

Airports

total

102 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

10

2,438 to 3,047 m

8

914 to 1,523 m

6 (2020)

over 3,047 m

8

total

32

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

17

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

27

over 3,047 m

2

total

70

under 914 m

22 (2020)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D2

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 33 (2021)

total

54

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

78.16 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,516,628 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

55

number of registered air carriers

10 (2020)

Pipelines

352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Angola Soyo

major seaport(s)

Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe

Railways

narrow gauge

2,729 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

note

123 km 0.600-m gauge

total

2,852 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

13,600 km (2018)

total

26,000 km (2018)

unpaved

12,400 km (2018)

Waterways

1,300 km (2011)

Military - note

the Angolan Armed Forces were created in 1991 under the Bicesse Accords signed between the Angolan Government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA); the name remained even after UNITA rejected the 1992 election results and returned to fighting against the Angolan Government the Angolan Armed Forces are responsible for external security but also have domestic security responsibilities, including border security, expulsion of irregular migrants, and small-scale actions against groups like the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda separatists in Cabinda

Military and security forces

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) (2021)

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 (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian, Soviet, or Warsaw Pact origin; since 2010, Russia has remained the principle supplier of military hardware to Angola (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.4% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.8% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.7% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

Disputes - international

Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments

Illicit drugs

used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

37,426 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,272 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania) (2021)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

34.69 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

23.28 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

27.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

45.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)

forest

54.3% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major rivers (by length in km)

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Okavango river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

148.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

146.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

239.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

319.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

67.5% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)