NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Angola
Republica de Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
INTRODUCTION
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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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Geographic coordinates:
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12 30 S, 18 30 E |
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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:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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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Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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10,593,171 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 43.3% (male 2,318,326; female 2,272,726)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,904,595; female 2,806,430) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,316; female 159,778) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.18% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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46.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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24.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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191.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 38.87 years
female: 40.18 years (2002 est.) male: 37.62 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.43 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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2.78% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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160,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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15,000 (1999 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.) |