Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again by 1996. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS held legislative elections in September 2008 and, despite promising to hold presidential elections in 2009, has since pushed through a new constitution that calls for elections in 2012.

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

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Africa

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

1,600 km

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

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

800 sq km (2008)

184 cu km (1987)

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

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

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

13,338,541 (July 2011 est.)

2.034% (2011 est.)

42.91 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

23.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

LUANDA (capital) 4.511 million; Huambo 979,000 (2009)

5.97 children born/woman (2011 est.)

2% (2009 est.)

200,000 (2009 est.)

11,000 (2009 est.)

urban: 60% of population

rural: 38% of population

total: 50% of population

urban: 40% of population

rural: 62% of population

total: 50% of population (2008)

urban: 86% of population

rural: 18% of population

total: 57% of population

urban: 14% of population

rural: 82% of population

total: 43% of population (2008)

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

indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

2.6% of GDP (2006)

republic; multiparty presidential regime

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)

adopted by National Assembly 5 February 2010

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

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

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)

Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional; Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo; Court of Auditions or Tribunal de Contas; Supreme Military Court or Supremo Tribunal Militar; judges for all courts appointed by the president

National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola KABANGU]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party); New Democracy Electoral Union or ND [Quintino de MOREIRA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975); Social Renewal Party or PRS [Eduardo KUANGANA]

Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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, black the African continent, the symbols characterize workers and peasants

Angola's high growth rate in recent years was driven by high international prices for its oil. Angola became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and in late 2007 was assigned a production quota of 1.9 million barrels a day (bbl/day), somewhat less than the 2-2.5 million bbl/day Angola's government had wanted. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Diamond exports contribute an additional 5%. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 15% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, even though peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Since 2005, the government has used billions of dollars in credit lines from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. The global recession temporarily stalled economic growth. Lower prices for oil and diamonds during the global recession led to a contraction in GDP in 2009, and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued $9 billion in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell in 2008 and 2009. Angola abandoned its currency peg in 2009, and in November 2009 signed onto an IMF Stand-By Arrangement loan of $1.4 billion to rebuild international reserves. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to under 14% in 2010, Luanda has been unable to reduce inflation below 10%. The Angolan kwanza depreciated again in mid 2010, which, along with higher oil prices, should boost economic growth in all sectors. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, also is a major challenge.

$107.3 billion (2010 est.)

$105.6 billion (2009 est.)

$103.1 billion (2008 est.)

$85.31 billion (2010 est.)

1.6% (2010 est.)

2.4% (2009 est.)

13.8% (2008 est.)

$8,200 (2010 est.)

$8,300 (2009 est.)

$8,200 (2008 est.)

7.977 million (2010 est.)

NA

40.5% (2006 est.)

15.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

20.3% of GDP (2010 est.)

21.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

13.3% (2010 est.)

13.7% (2009 est.)

30% (31 December 2009)

19.57% (31 December 2008)

15.68% (31 December 2009 est.)

12.53% (31 December 2008 est.)

$8.74 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$9.792 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$24.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$29.04 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$17.52 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$22.06 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish

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

5% (2010 est.)

3.722 billion kWh (2007 est.)

3.173 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

1.948 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

70,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.407 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

28,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

13.5 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

680 million cu m (2008 est.)

680 million cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

271.8 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$2.089 billion (2010 est.)

$-1.668 billion (2009 est.)

$51.65 billion (2010 est.)

$40.08 billion (2009 est.)

crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

China 35.65%, US 25.98%, France 8.83%, South Africa 4.13% (2009)

$18.1 billion (2010 est.)

$15.74 billion (2009 est.)

machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Portugal 18.71%, China 17.39%, US 8.51%, Brazil 8.22%, South Korea 6.72%, France 4.51%, Italy 4.28%, South Africa 4.02% (2009)

$16.89 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$13.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$17.98 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$13.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$91.55 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$79.88 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.883 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$3.933 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -

92.08 (2010)

79.33 (2009)

75.023 (2008)

76.6 (2007)

80.4 (2006)

303,200 (2009)

8.109 million (2009)

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 (2008)

.ao

3,717 (2010)

606,700 (2009)

193 (2010)

gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2010)

1,300 km (2010)

Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe

Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA) (2011)

20-45 years of age for compulsory and 18-45 years for voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required; minimum age for women volunteers is 20; the Marinha de Guerra Angola (Navy) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2011)

3.6% of GDP (2009)

DROC accuses Angola of shifting monuments

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