# The World Factbook (1990)/Angola

pages 8–9
​Angola
See regional map VII
Geography
Total area: 1,246,700 km²; land area: 1,246,700km²
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 5,198 km total; Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zaire 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline: 1,600 km
Maritime claims:
    Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
    Territorial sea: 20 nm
Disputes: civil war since independence on 11 November 1975
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures; 43% forest and woodland; 32% other
Environment: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on plateau; desertification
Note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire
People
Population: 8,534,483 (July 1990), growth rate 2.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 20 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 158 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 42 years male, 46 years female (1990)
​Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Angolan(s); adjective—Angolan
Ethnic divisions: 37% Ovimbundu, 25% Kimbundu, 13% Bakongo, 2% Mestiço, 1% European
Religion: 47% indigenous beliefs, 38% Roman Catholic, 15% Protestant (est.)
Language: Portuguese (official); various Bantu dialects
Literacy: 41%
Labor force: 2,783,000 economically active; 85% agriculture, 15% industry (1985 est.)
Organized labor: about 450,695 (1980)
Government
Long-form name: People's Republic of Angola
Type: Marxist people's republic
Capital: Luanda
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (províncias, singular—província); Bengo, Benguela, Bié, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huíla, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Mexico, Namibe, Uíge, Zaire
Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978 and 11 August 1980
Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law, but being modified along socialist lines
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Executive branch: president, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President José Eduardo dos SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)
Political parties and leaders: only party—Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labor Party (MPLA-Labor Party), José Eduardo dos Santos; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), lost to the MPLA with Cuban military support in immediate post-independence struggle, now carrying out insurgency
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: none held to date
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: none
Flag: 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
Overview: Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80-90% of the population, but accounts for only 10-20% of GDP. Oil production is the most lucrative sector of the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. In recent years, however, the impact of fighting an internal war has severely affected the economy and food has to be imported.
GDP: $5.0 billion, per capita $600; real growth rate 9.2% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues NA; expenditures $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1986 est.)
Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—oil, coffee, diamonds, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton; partners—US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil
Imports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities—capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines; substantial military deliveries; partners—US, USSR, Cuba, Portugal, Brazil
External debt: $3.0 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 506,000 kW capacity; 770 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, mining (phosphate rock, diamonds), fish processing, brewing, tobacco, sugar, textiles, cement, food processing, building construction
Agriculture: cash crops—coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, sugar, manioc, tobacco; food crops—cassava, corn, vegetables, plantains, bananas, and other local foodstuffs; disruptions caused by civil war and marketing deficiencies require food imports
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $263 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $903 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $1.3 billion
Currency: kwanza (plural—kwanza); 1 kwanza (Kz) = 100 Iwei
Exchange rates: kwanza (Kz) per US$1—29.62 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 3,189 km total; 2,879 km 1.067-meter gauge, 310 km 0.600-meter gauge; limited trackage in use because of insurgent attacks; sections of the Benguela Railroad closed because of insurgency
Highways: 73,828 km total; 8,577 km bituminous-surface treatment, 29,350 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, remainder unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 1,295 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 179 km
Ports: Luanda, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda
Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,348 GRT/102,825 DWT; includes 11 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
Civil air: 27 major transport aircraft
Airports: 317 total, 184 usable; 28 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 60 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of wire, radio relay, and troposcatter routes; high frequency used extensively for military/Cuban links; 40,300 telephones; stations—17 AM, 13 FM, 2 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense; paramilitary forces People's Defense Organization and Territorial Troops, Frontier Guard, Popular Vigilance Brigades
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,049,295; 1,030,868 fit for military service; 90,877 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: NA