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 pushed through a new constitution in 2010 and held elections in 2012.

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

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

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

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

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

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

18,056,072 (July 2012 est.)

39.36 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

12.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

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

450 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

5.54 children born/woman (2012 est.)

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2005)

urban: 86% of population

rural: 18% of population

total: 57% of population

urban: 14% of population

rural: 82% of population

total: 43% of population

republic; multiparty presidential regime

18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Kwando Kubango, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza 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 legislation

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

Broad Convergence for Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Abel CHIVUKUVUKU]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Lucas NGONDA]; 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 (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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 its current assigned a production quota of 1.65 million barrels a day (bbl/day). 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 17% 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 that started in 2008 temporarily stalled economic growth. Lower prices for oil and diamonds during the global recession slowed GDP growth to 2.4% 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. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to about 10% in 2012. Higher oil prices have helped Angola turn a budget deficit of 8.6% of GDP in 2009 into an surplus of 12% of GDP in 2012. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, also is a major challenge.

$126.2 billion (2012 est.)

$118.1 billion (2011 est.)

$113.7 billion (2010 est.)

$114.8 billion (2012 est.)

8.468 million (2012 est.)

13.3% of GDP (2012 est.)

48.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

12% of GDP (2012 est.)

17.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

18.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

25% (31 December 2010 est.)

30% (31 December 2009 est.)

16% (31 December 2012 est.)

18.76% (31 December 2011 est.)

$12.93 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$11.58 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$44.65 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$36.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$27.12 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$22.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

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

$17.09 billion (2012 est.)

$15.92 billion (2011 est.)

$71.95 billion (2012 est.)

$65.8 billion (2011 est.)

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

China 38.1%, US 21.2%, India 9.2%, Canada 4.2% (2011)

$22.32 billion (2012 est.)

$19.75 billion (2011 est.)

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

Portugal 20.5%, China 17.8%, US 9.6%, Brazil 6.9%, South Africa 5.7%, France 5.1% (2011)

$34.63 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$27.01 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$19.65 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$18.78 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$115.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$101.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$8.196 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$6.346 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -

4.08 billion kWh (2009 est.)

3.659 billion kWh (2009 est.)

1.155 million kW (2009 est.)

56.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

43.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

1.84 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

1.757 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

15 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

37,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)

79,430 bbl/day (2011 est.)

31,050 bbl/day (2008 est.)

41,480 bbl/day (2008 est.)

734 million cu m (2010 est.)

733 million cu m (2010 est.)

310 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

24.2 million Mt (2010 est.)

9.491 million (2011)

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)

gas 2 km; oil 87 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; under operational control of the Army) (2012)

20-45 years of age for compulsory male and 18-45 years for voluntary male military service (registration at age 18 is mandatory); conscript service obligation - 2 years; 20-45 years of age for voluntary female service; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy (MGA) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2012)

Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments

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