Angola

Bantu-speaking people settled in the area now called Angola in 6^th century A.D.; by the 10^th century various Bantu groups had established kingdoms, of which Kongo became the most powerful. 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. Angola became a major hub of the transatlantic slave trade conducted by the Portuguese and other European powers - often in collaboration with local kingdoms including the Kongo. Estimates are that the Angola area may have lost as many as 4 million people as a result of the slave trade. The Kingdom of Kongo’s main rival was the Kingdom of Ndongo to its south, whose most famous leader was the 17^th century diplomat to the Portuguese and later Queen, Nzingha Mbande, who successfully fought off Portuguese encroachment during her nearly 40-year reign. Smaller kingdoms, such as the Matamba and Ngoyo, often came under the control of the Kongo or Ndongo Kingdoms. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, Angola’s modern borders were set by Portugal and other European powers, but the Portuguese did not fully control of large portions of the territory. Portugal gained control of the Kingdom of Kongo in 1888 when Kongo’s King Pedro V sought Portuguese military assistance in exchange for becoming a vassal. After a revolt in 1914, Portugal imposed direct rule over the colony and abolished the Kongo Kingdom.

The Angolan National Revolution began in 1961 and in 1975, Angola won its independence when Portugal’s dictatorship fell, in part because of growing discontent over conflict in Angola and other colonies. Conflict between Angola’s multiple independence movements quickly emerged with the Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostinho NETO, taking power and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, emerging as its main competitor. After NETO’s death in 1979, Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, also of the MPLA, became president. Over time, the Angolan civil war escalated and became a major Cold War conflict with the MPLA supported by the Soviet Union and Cuba and UNITA by apartheid South Africa and the US. 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 did not seek reelection in 2017 and supported Joao LOURENCO’s successful bid to become president. LOURENCO was reelected in 2022. 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.

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

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Africa

total: 1,246,700 sq km

land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

country comparison to the world: 24

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

total: 5,369 km

border countries (4): 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

1,600 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

highest point: Moca 2,620 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 1,112 m

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

agricultural land: 45.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 54.3% (2018 est.)

860 sq km (2014)

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 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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)

Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

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

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

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

35,981,281 (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

noun: Angolan(s)

adjective: Angolan

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

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.)

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

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 30 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 48% are under the age of 15 as of 2022 - 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.

0-14 years: 47.18% (male 8,503,242/female 8,473,889)

15-64 years: 50.49% (male 8,730,015/female 9,435,581)

65 years and over: 2.33% (2023 est.) (male 350,059/female 488,495)

total dependency ratio: 91.5

youth dependency ratio: 86.5

elderly dependency ratio: 5

potential support ratio: 20.1 (2021 est.)

total: 15.9 years

male: 15.4 years

female: 16.4 years (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 225

3.34% (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 6

41.42 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

-0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

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

urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)

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

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

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

19.4 years (2015/16 est.)

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

222 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

total: 57.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 62.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

total population: 62.51 years

male: 60.44 years

female: 64.65 years (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 214

5.76 children born/woman (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

2.84 (2023 est.)

13.7% (2015/16)

improved: urban: 81.3% of population

rural: 36.5% of population

total: 66.5% of population

unimproved: urban: 18.7% of population

rural: 63.5% of population

total: 33.5% of population (2020 est.)

2.9% of GDP (2020)

0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

improved: urban: 93.7% of population

rural: 30.3% of population

total: 72.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 6.3% of population

rural: 69.7% of population

total: 27.3% of population (2020 est.)

degree of risk: very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

8.2% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 154

total: 5.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

19% (2015/16)

country comparison to the world: 25

55.7% (2023 est.)

women married by age 15: 7.9%

women married by age 18: 30.3%

men married by age 18: 6% (2016 est.)

2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 177

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.1%

male: 82.6%

female: 62.4% (2015)

total: 18.5%

male: 18.2%

female: 18.8% (2021 est.)

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

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

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

agricultural land: 45.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 54.3% (2018 est.)

urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)

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

0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 74

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

particulate matter emissions: 27.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 34.69 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 23.28 megatons (2020 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)

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 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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)

Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

148.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of 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 Angola)

presidential republic

name: Luanda

geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E

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

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

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

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

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

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

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

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

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

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 15 September 2022); Vice President Esperanca Francisco DA COSTA (since 15 September 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 15 September 2022); Vice President Esperanca Francisco DA COSTA (since 15 September 2022)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

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 in 2027)

election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election

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)

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

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%

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

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 KABANGU
National 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 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]

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

chief of mission: Appointed Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 2 June 2023)

chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049

email address and website:
info@angola.org

https://angola.org/

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

chief of mission: Ambassador Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI, (since 9 March 2022)

embassy: Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda

mailing address: 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000

FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000

email address and website:
Consularluanda@state.gov

https://ao.usembassy.gov/

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

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

name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)

lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO

note: adopted 1975

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Mbanza-Kongo

African oil leader and OPEC member; fairly stable currency; widespread poverty; emerging African finance and investment capital; systemic public corruption and lack of oversight; massive foreign direct investment recipient

$203.868 billion (2021 est.)

$201.65 billion (2020 est.)

$213.612 billion (2019 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 67

1.1% (2021 est.)

-5.6% (2020 est.)

-0.7% (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 181

$5,900 (2021 est.)

$6,000 (2020 est.)

$6,600 (2019 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 164

$97.261 billion (2019 est.)

25.75% (2021 est.)

22.27% (2020 est.)

17.08% (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 217

Fitch rating: CCC (2020)

Moody's rating: Caa1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020)

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

agriculture: 10.2% (2011 est.)

industry: 61.4% (2011 est.)

services: 28.4% (2011 est.)

household consumption: 80.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 15.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 10.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -1.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 25.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -30.7% (2017 est.)

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

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

-8.34% (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 197

14.462 million (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

agriculture: 85%

industry: 15% (2015 est.)

industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

8.53% (2021 est.)

8.33% (2020 est.)

7.42% (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 142

total: 18.5%

male: 18.2%

female: 18.8% (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

32.3% (2018 est.)

51.3 (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

on food: 48.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 1.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

lowest 10%: 0.6%

highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)

revenues: $17.899 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $17.244 billion (2019 est.)

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

country comparison to the world: 189

65% of GDP (2017 est.)

75.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 68

10.09% (of GDP) (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 191

calendar year

$8.399 billion (2021 est.)

$871.918 million (2020 est.)

$5.137 billion (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 28

$33.675 billion (2021 est.)

$21.004 billion (2020 est.)

$35.18 billion (2019 est.)

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

country comparison to the world: 72

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

crude petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, refined petroleum, asphalt mixtures (2021)

$18.845 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$15.146 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$22.299 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

country comparison to the world: 91

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

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

$14.468 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

$13.782 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

$16.335 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

$42.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$27.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -

631.442 (2021 est.)

578.259 (2020 est.)

364.826 (2019 est.)

252.856 (2018 est.)

165.916 (2017 est.)

electrification - total population: 43% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 61% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 6% (2019)

installed generating capacity: 7.344 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 11.815 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.741 billion kWh (2019 est.)

fossil fuels: 28.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 70.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

total petroleum production: 1,197,600 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 133,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

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.)

53,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 80

30,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

111,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 50

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

consumption: 860.887 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

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

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 343.001 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

19.362 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 17.673 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 1.689 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

11.693 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

total subscriptions: 119,826 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

country comparison to the world: 132

total subscriptions: 15,327,864 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

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)

domestic: less than one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 44 telephones per 100 persons (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)

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

.ao

total: 11.55 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 33% (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

total: 230,610 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.7 (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 116

number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 55

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,516,628 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 78.16 million (2018) mt-km

D2

102 (2021)

country comparison to the world: 54

32

civil airports: 3

military airports: 1

joint use (civil-military) airports: 2

other airports: 26

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

70

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

1 (2021)

352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1,065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)

total: 2,761 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

123 km 0.600-mm gauge

country comparison to the world: 60

total: 26,000 km (2018)

paved: 13,600 km (2018)

unpaved: 12,400 km (2018)

country comparison to the world: 102

1,300 km (2011)

country comparison to the world: 57

total: 58

by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 37 (2022)

country comparison to the world: 115

major seaport(s): Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe

LNG terminal(s) (export): Angola Soyo

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)

Ministry of Interior: National Police, Border Guard Police  (2023)

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

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

most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian or of Soviet-era origin; in recent years, Russia has been the principal supplier of military hardware to Angola (2023)

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; 24-month conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy is entirely staffed with volunteers (2023)

in 2023, Angola agreed to send 500 troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for 12 months as part of an African regional force to assist with security in the eastern part of the country where the DRC military is combating a rebel group known as M23

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 current force is responsible for country’s external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities, including border protection, expulsion of irregular migrants, and small-scale counterinsurgency operations against groups like the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda separatists in Cabinda; the Army is one of the largest in the region with 6 infantry divisions spread amongst 6 military regions; it is also one of the better equipped, with a significant portion of its units being motorized and supported by approximately 300 Soviet-era tanks, largely acquired in the 1980s and 1990s; the Air Force is also one of the largest and best equipped in the region with a fleet of approximately 100 combat aircraft, plus a substantial inventory of transport aircraft and helicopter gunships; while naval modernization has received more attention in recent years, the Navy remains a small force of fast attack and coastal patrol craft (2023)

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Angola are a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2022, five attacks against commercial vessels were reported, an increase from the four attacks in 2021; most of these occurred in the main port of Luanda while ships were berthed or at anchor

Angola-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): DRC accuses Angola of shifting monuments

Angola-Namibia: none identified

Angola-Republic of Congo: (Kabinda Exclave) none identified

Angola-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

refugees (country of origin): 23,235 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,272 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania) (2023)

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