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NAVIGATION
Republic of Angola
Republica de Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
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 |
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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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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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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 [interim leader: Paulo Lukamba "GATO"], 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]; UNITA-Renovada [Secretary General: Jorge VALENTIM], party officially reunited with UNITA in October 2002
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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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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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: 1615 M Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036 |
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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 |
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Flag description:
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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) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Angola is an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. 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 90% of exports. Violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, 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 end its conflict and continue reforming government policies. Internal strife discourages investment outside of the petroleum sector, which is producing roughly 800,000 barrels of oil per day. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from over 300% in 2000 to about 110% in 2001, 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. Angola's GDP could be among the world's fastest growing in 2002 if oil production from the Girassol field, which began production in December 2001, reaches 200,000 barrels per day as expected. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $13.3 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.4% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,330 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6%
industry: 70% services: 24% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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110% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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5 million (1997 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $928 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million |
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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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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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1.19 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 40%
hydro: 60% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.107 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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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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$7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton |
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Exports - partners:
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US 44.5%, EU 17.3%, China 22.7%, South Korea 8.1% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 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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EU 47.4%, South Korea 16%, South Africa 15.9%, US 11.3%, Brazil 5.5% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$10.4 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$383.5 million (1999) |
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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 - 32.8716 (January 2002), 22.058 (2001), 10.041 (2000), 2.791 (1999), 0.393 (1998), 0.229 (1997); note - in December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |