Angola
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Angola (officially "Republic of Angola") is a large nation in south-central Africa that fronts the South Atlantic Ocean. Despite significant revenue from oil and diamonds, Angola is one of the poorest nations in the world, with a life expectancy of just 38 years and low rankings in most aspects of human development (Its Human Development Index is 162nd of 177 nations). This is due, in part to a long civil war, and significant corruption.
Angola's major environmental issues include: 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.
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 announced plans to hold presidential elections in 2009.
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
Area: 1,246,700 km2 (1,246,700 km2 land and 0 km2 water)
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 97.12% (2005)
Land Boundraies: 5,198 km. Border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Coastline: 1,600 km
Maritime Claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural Hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Terrain: Narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau. Its lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean (0 metres) and its highest point is Morro de Moco (2,620 metres)
Climate: Semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Government
Government Type: republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital: Luanda
Independence Date: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Legal System: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets; has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction
International Environmental Agreements
Angola is party to international agreements on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, and Ship Pollution.
People and Society
Population: 12,531,357 (July 2008 est.)
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 2,760,264/female 2,707,665)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 3,416,914/female 3,302,552)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 151,609/female 192,353) (2008 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 2.136% (2008 est.)
Birthrate: 44.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death Rate: 24.44 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth: 37.92 years
Total Fertility Rate: 6.2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Literacy: 67.4% (male: 82.9% - female: 54.2% (2001 est.)
Water
Total Renewable Water Resources: 184 cu km (1987)
Freshwater Withdrawal: Total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23% domestic, 17% industrial, 60% agricultural). Per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000)
Agriculture
Agricultural Products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Irrigated Lands: 800 sq km (2003)
Resources
Natural Resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium.
Energy
| Production | Consumption | Exports | Imports | Reserves | |
| Electricity | 2.585 billion kWh (2005) | 2.201 billion kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) | |
| Oil | 1.26 million bbl/day (2005 est.) | 50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) | 1.021 million bbl/day (2004) | 18,290 bbl/day (2004) | 25 billion bbl (2007 est.) |
| Natural Gas | 767.3 million cu m (2005 est.) | 767.3 million cu m (2005 est.) | 0 cu m (2005 est.) | 0 cu m (2005 est.) | 44 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Source: CIA Factbook | |||||
Conflict
International Disputes: Cabindan separatists continue to return to the Angolan exclave from exile in neighboring states and Europe since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement.
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (country of origin): 12,615 (Democratic Republic of Congo), internally displaced people: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2007)
Economy
Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 15% per year from 2004 to 2007. 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. Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas Savimba in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit, since increased to $7 billion, from China to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects were completed in 2006. Angola also has large credit lines from Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to under 13% in 2007, the stabilization policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. 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, somewhat less than the 2-2.5 million bbl Angola's government had wanted. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to implement government reforms, increase transparency, and reduce corruption. The government has rejected a formal IMF monitored program, although it continues Article IV consultations and ad hoc cooperation. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, and the negative effects of large inflows of foreign exchange, are major challenges facing Angola.
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $91.29 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (Official Exchange Rate): $61.36 billion (2007 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 21.1% (2007 est.)
GDP-per capita (PPP): $5,600 (2007 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.5%
industry: 65.8%
services: 24.6% (2007 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line: 70% (2003 est.)
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
Exports: crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Export Partners: US 34.8%, China 32%, France 6.4%, Taiwan 6.1% (2006)
Imports: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Import Partners: Portugal17.9%, US 9.9%, South Korea 9.9%, China 9.4%, Brazil 8.1%, South Africa6.5%, France 5.8%, UK 4.4% (2006)
Economic Aid Recipient: $441.8 million (2005)
Currency: kwanza (AOA)
Ports and Terminals: Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
Further Reading