ANGOLA
Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Coastline: 1,600 km
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
Environment—current issues: the 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
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,471,108; female 2,401,631)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,864,152; female 2,831,209)
65 years and over: 3% (male 137,432; female 158,980) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 2.84% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 43.58 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 16.79 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 132.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.86 years
male: 45.6 years
female: 50.23 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)
Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)
Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement for the Liberation
of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], is the ruling party and has
been in power since 1975; National Union for the Total Independence of
Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], is the largest opposition party and engaged
in years of armed resistance before joining the current unity government
in April 1997
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but won few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly
GDP—real growth rate: 9% (1996 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 56%
services: 32% (1994 est.)
Agriculture—products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Exports:
total value: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products,
gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
partners: US 70%, EU
Imports:
total value: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment),
vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial
military supplies
partners: Portugal, Brazil, US, France, Spain
Debt—external: $12.5 billion (1996 est.)
Currency: 1 kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males: 1,246,349 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1.2 billion (1998 est.)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 31% (1993)