Introduction
Background
Bantu-speaking people settled in the area now called Angola in 6th century A.D.; by the 10th 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. The Angola area is estimated to 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 Nzingha Mbande, the 17th century diplomat to the Portuguese and later Queen, 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, Portugal and other European powers set Angola’s modern borders, but the Portuguese did not fully control 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, a collapse that occurred in part because of growing discontent over conflict in Angola and other colonies. Angola’s multiple independence movements soon clashed, 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 Soviet Union and Cuba supporting the MPLA and the US and South Africa supporting UNITA. 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 2002.
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Geography
Location
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references
Africa
Area - comparative
about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries
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
Coastline
1,600 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
Elevation
highest point: Moca 2,620 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,112 m
Natural resources
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use
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.)
Irrigated land
860 sq km (2014)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Rio Cubango (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
Major watersheds (area sq km)
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)
Major aquifers
Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Population distribution
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
Natural hazards
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Geography - note
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
People and Society
Population
total: 37,202,061
male: 18,196,058
female: 19,006,003 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 39; male 42; total 40
Nationality
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan
Ethnic groups
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Languages
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% (2014 est.)
note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
Religions
Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)
Demographic profile
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.
Age structure
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 8,752,419/female 8,701,422)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 9,076,080/female 9,795,035)
65 years and over: 2.4% (2024 est.) (male 367,559/female 509,546)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 91.5
youth dependency ratio: 86.5
elderly dependency ratio: 5
potential support ratio: 20.1 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 16.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 15.8 years
female: 16.8 years
comparison ranking: total 227
Population distribution
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
Urbanization
urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 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 (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.4 years (2015/16 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Infant mortality rate
total: 55.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 60.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 13
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 60.8 years
female: 65.1 years
comparison ranking: total population 214
Gross reproduction rate
2.81 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
13.7% (2015/16)
Drinking water source
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.)
Current health expenditure
2.9% of GDP (2020)
Physician density
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access
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.)
Major infectious diseases
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
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
comparison ranking: total 73
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
55.7% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 7.9%
women married by age 18: 30.3%
men married by age 18: 6% (2016 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.1%
male: 82.6%
female: 62.4% (2015)
Environment
Environment - current issues
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
Environment - international agreements
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
Climate
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Land use
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.)
Urbanization
urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 27.16 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 34.69 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 23.28 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Rio Cubango (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
Major watersheds (area sq km)
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)
Major aquifers
Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
148.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
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)
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
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
Administrative divisions
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
Independence
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Legal system
civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation
Constitution
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO
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
Legislative branch
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%, FNLA 1.1%, PHA 1%, PRS 1.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - MPLA 124, UNITA 90, FNLA 2, PHA 2, PRS 2; composition- men 135, women 85, percentage women 38.6%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (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
Political parties
Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE
Humanist Party of Angola or PHI
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party)
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA; note- ruling party in power since 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS
International organization participation
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), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 30 June 2023)
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://angola.org/
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
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:
[email protected]
https://ao.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
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
National symbol(s)
Palanca Negra Gigante (giant black sable antelope); national colors: red, black, yellow
National anthem
name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)
lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
note: adopted 1975
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Mbanza-Kongo
Economy
Economic overview
middle-income, oil-dependent African economy; widespread poverty; rising inflation and currency depreciation; seeking diversification through agricultural production; significant corruption in public institutions; major infrastructure investments from China and US; exited OPEC in 2023
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$265.868 billion (2023 est.)
$263.611 billion (2022 est.)
$255.821 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 65
Real GDP growth rate
0.86% (2023 est.)
3.05% (2022 est.)
1.2% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 169
Real GDP per capita
$7,200 (2023 est.)
$7,400 (2022 est.)
$7,400 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 158
GDP (official exchange rate)
$84.723 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
13.64% (2023 est.)
21.36% (2022 est.)
25.75% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 192
Credit ratings
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.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 10.2% (2011 est.)
industry: 61.4% (2011 est.)
services: 28.4% (2011 est.)
comparison rankings: services 225; industry 1; agriculture 89
GDP - composition, by end use
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.)
Agricultural products
cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, pineapples, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, citrus fruits (2022)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
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
Industrial production growth rate
-7.18% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 204
Labor force
15.223 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 41
Unemployment rate
14.62% (2023 est.)
14.69% (2022 est.)
15.8% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 187
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 28.2% (2023 est.)
male: 30.7% (2023 est.)
female: 25.8% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 30
Population below poverty line
32.3% (2018 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
51.3 (2018 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 9
Average household expenditures
on food: 49.7% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.5% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.3% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 39.6% (2018 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
0.01% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.02% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $17.899 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $17.244 billion (2019 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
10.09% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 179
Current account balance
$4.21 billion (2023 est.)
$11.763 billion (2022 est.)
$8.399 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 38
Exports
$36.961 billion (2023 est.)
$50.12 billion (2022 est.)
$33.675 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 72
Exports - partners
China 40%, India 9%, Netherlands 7%, France 7%, UAE 7% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, ships, refined petroleum (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$23.676 billion (2023 est.)
$28.564 billion (2022 est.)
$18.845 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 89
Imports - partners
China 24%, Portugal 10%, Netherlands 8%, UAE 5%, India 4% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, wheat, cars, poultry, palm oil (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$13.942 billion (2023 est.)
$13.655 billion (2022 est.)
$14.468 billion (2021 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 68
Debt - external
$42.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$27.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 74
Exchange rates
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
685.02 (2023 est.)
460.568 (2022 est.)
631.442 (2021 est.)
578.259 (2020 est.)
364.826 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 48.5% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 76.2%
electrification - rural areas: 7.3% (2018 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 7.588 million kW (2022 est.)
consumption: 14.986 billion kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.954 billion kWh (2022 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 125; consumption 83; installed generating capacity 76
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 25% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
hydroelectricity: 74.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Coal
imports: 3,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 1.175 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 127,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 5.514 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
consumption: 1.397 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
exports: 4.116 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 343.002 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
19.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 17.069 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 2.741 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 87
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 94,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 136
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 23.978 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 54
Telecommunication systems
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)
Broadcast media
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 26 stations; approximately20 private radio stations broadcast locally
Internet users
total: 11.55 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 33% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 56
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 230,610 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.7 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 116
Transportation
National air transport system
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
Heliports
2 (2024)
Pipelines
352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1,065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)
Railways
total: 2,761 km (2022)
narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge
123 km 0.600-mm gauge
comparison ranking: total 60
Merchant marine
total: 64 (2023)
by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 43
comparison ranking: total 112
Ports
total ports: 21 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 8
very small: 13
ports with oil terminals: 17
key ports: Cabinda, Estrela Oil Field, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo Oil Terminal, Namibe, Palanca Terminal, Takula Terminal
Military and Security
Military and security forces
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 (2024)
Military expenditures
1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 104
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 100,000 active troops (mostly Army; 5-6,000 Air Force and Navy); estimated 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
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)
Military service age and obligation
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)
Military deployments
in 2023, Angola agreed to send 500 troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for 12 months to oversee cantonment of a rebel group known as M23 (2023)
Military - note
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 separatist groups; the Army and Air Force are some of the largest and better equipped forces in the region (2024)
Space
Space agency/agencies
National Space Program Office (Gabinete de Gestão do Programa Espacial Nacional, GGPEN; established 2013) (2024)
Space program overview
has a national space strategy with a focus on capacity building, developing space infrastructure, investing in domestic space sector, supporting socioeconomic growth, and establishing cooperation agreements with foreign technical and scientific institutions in the space industry; contracts with foreign companies to build and launch satellites; operates satellites; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of France, Russia, and the US (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 9,272 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania) (2023); 22,841 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)
Illicit drugs
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa