2022 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 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province); Republic of the Congo 231 km; Namibia 1,427 km; Zambia 1,065 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.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

41.8 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

6% (2016 est.)

women married by age 15

7.9%

women married by age 18

30.3%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

19% (2015/16)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

13.7% (2015/16)

Current health expenditure

2.5% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

More than two decades 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

5

potential support ratio

20.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

91.5

youth dependency ratio

86.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 36.5% of population

improved: total

total: 66.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 81.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 63.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 33.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.7% of population

Education expenditures

2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.6% (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

53.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

64.11 deaths/1,000 live births

total

58.86 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

64.24 years (2022 est.)

male

60.05 years

total population

62.11 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

9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje  (2023)

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: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Angolan

noun

Angolan(s)

Net migration rate

-0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

34,795,287 (2022 est.)

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

3.36% (2022 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 30.3% of population

improved: total

total: 72.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 93.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 69.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 27.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 6.3% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 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

0.59 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.83 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

68.7% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16.7% (2014 est.)

male

17.9%

total

17.3%

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 Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI, (since 9 March 2022)

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 15 September 2022); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 15 September 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 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 24 August 2022 (next to be held on 24 August 2027)

head of government

President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 15 September 2022); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 15 September 2022)

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 court(s)

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 51.1%, UNITA 43.9%, PRS 1.1%, FNLA 1.1%, PHA 1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - MPLA 124, UNITA 90, PRS 2, FNLA 2; PHA-2; composition - men 146, women 74, percent of women 33.6%

elections

last held on 24 August 2022 (next to be held on 24 August 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO

name

"Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)

note

note: adopted 1975

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Mbanza-Kongo

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

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 [Manuel FERNANDES]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 [Adalberto Costa JUNIOR] (largest opposition party)Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note- 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)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

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 (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$35.18 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$21 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

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

Imports 2019

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

Imports 2020

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

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 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$213.62 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$212.29 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$203.71 billion (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 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$6,900 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$6,700 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$6,200 (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.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16.7% (2014 est.)

male

17.9%

total

17.3%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

1.689 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

17.673 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

19.362 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

11.815 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

7.344 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.741 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

6% (2019)

electrification - total population

43% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

61% (2019)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

28.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

70.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

11.693 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

860.887 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

5,877,945,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

6,767,715,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

343.001 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

1,367,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

133,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

1,197,600 bbl/day (2021 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

0.7 (2020 est.)

total

230,610 (2020 est.)

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% (2020 est.)

total

11,831,857 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

only about one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 45 telephones per 100 persons (2020)

general assessment

Angola’s telecom sector in recent years has benefited from political stability, which has encouraged foreign investment in the sector; the government and regulator have also set in train mechanisms to open up the telecom sector to new competitors, mobile services were launched in April 2022; the MNOs were slow to develop LTE services, instead relying on their GSM and 3G network capabilities; there has been slow progress in LTE network development, with only a small proportion of the country covered by network infrastructure; the Ministry of Telecommunications in early 2021 set up a 5G hub to assess 5G user cases; the regulator in November 2021 granted licenses to various companies offering 5G services, with spectrum in the 3.3-3.7GHz range having been set aside for such services (2022)

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 a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2020 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

119,164 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

45 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

14,645,050 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

102 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

10

2,438 to 3,047 m

8

914 to 1,523 m

6 (2021)

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 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D2

Heliports

1 (2021)

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 (2018) mt-km

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, 1,065 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 (2014) 1.067-m gauge

note

123 km 0.600-mm 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)

Maritime threats

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Angola are a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2021, four attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a decrease from the six attacks in 2020; most of these occurred in the main port of Luanda while ships were berthed or at anchor

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 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 (2022)

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) (2022)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 101,000 active troops (95,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); estimated 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian, Soviet, or Warsaw Pact origin; since 2010, Russia has been the principal supplier of military hardware to Angola (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

2.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $3.65 billion)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $3.02 billion)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.8% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $2.7 billion)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20-45 years of age for compulsory and 18-45 years for voluntary military service for men (registration at age 18 is mandatory); 20-45 years of age for voluntary service for women; 2-year conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy is entirely staffed with volunteers (2021)

Disputes - international

Angola-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): DRC accuses Angola of shifting monumentsAngola-Namibia: none identifiedAngola-Republic of Congo: (Kabinda Exclave) none identifiedAngola-Zambia: because the straight-line segments along the left bank (Zambian side) of the Cuando/Kwando River do not conform with the physical alignment of the unstable shoreline, Zambian residents in some areas have settled illegally on sections of shoreline that fall on the Angolan side of the boundary

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)

37,158 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,272 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania) (2022)

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

68.7% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)