Careers, Opportunities in Ministry
| Introduction | Angola |
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Background:
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 Civil war has been
the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A
1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union
for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the
integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and
armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million
lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter
century. The death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and
a subsequent cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the
country. |
| Geography |
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Location:
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Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,198
km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km |
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Coastline:
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1,600 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and
Definitions):
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territorial sea:
12 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) |
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Terrain:
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narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium |
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Land use:
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arable land:
2.41% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 97.19% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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750 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| People |
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Population:
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10,978,552 (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
43.5% (male 2,410,326; female 2,363,368) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,998,892; female 2,897,837) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 137,340; female 170,789) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 18.1
years male: 18.1 years female: 18.1 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.93% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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45.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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25.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
192.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 179.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 204.97 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 36.79 years male: 36.06 years female: 37.55 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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5.5% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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350,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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24,000 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) |
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Languages:
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Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42% male: 56% female: 28% (1998 est.) |
| Government |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola local long form: Republica de Angola |
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Government type:
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republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system |
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Capital:
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Luanda |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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11 November 1975 (from Portugal) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 11 November (1975) |
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Constitution:
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11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been approved |
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Legal system:
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based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a position of real power cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by universal ballot for a NA-year term; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National
Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by
proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, others 7 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Liberal Democratic
Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for
the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed leadership: Lucas
NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total
Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA], largest
opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance;
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose
Eduardo DOS SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social
Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA,
Antonio MUACHICUNGO] note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Front for the
Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques
TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE] note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston and New York telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224 FAX: [244] (2) 446-924 |
| Economy |
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Economy - overview:
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Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from 325% in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Increased oil production supported 7% GDP growth in 2003. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $20.59 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.14% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
8% industry: 67% services: 25% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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70% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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106% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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6.23 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$928 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1% (2000) |
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Electricity - production:
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1.45 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 36.4% hydro: 63.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.348 billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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742,400 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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530 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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530 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish |
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Exports:
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$9.669 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton |
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Exports - partners:
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US 41%, China 13.6%, France 7.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, Belgium 6.2%, Japan 4.9%, Spain 4.3% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$4.08 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Portugal 19.2%, South Africa 14.7%, US 13.2%, Brazil 7.1%, France 6.4%, Belgium 5% (2002) |
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Currency:
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kwanza (AOA) |
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Currency code:
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AOA |
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Exchange rates:
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kwanza per US dollar - 74.61 (2003), 43.53 (2002), 22.06 (2001), 10.04 (2000), 2.79 (1999), 0.39 (1998); note - in December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value |
| Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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85,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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130,000 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: 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: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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6 (2000) |
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Internet country code:
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.ao |
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Internet hosts:
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7 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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41,000 (2002) |
| Transportation |
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Railways:
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total: 2,761
km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
51,429 km paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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1,295 km |
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Pipelines:
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gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30 km; oil 845 km; refined products 56 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Namibe (Mocamedes), Porto Amboim, Soyo |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 7
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 4 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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244 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 32 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 212 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 96 under 914 m: 80 (2003 est.) |
| Military |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA) |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49: 2,620,219 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49: 1,317,328 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 113,103 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$265.1 million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.9% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues |
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Disputes - international:
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continues to give shelter to refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo while many Angolan refugees and Cabinda exclave secessionists reside in neighboring states |
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Illicit drugs:
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used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004