Angola
Angola officially the Republic of Angola is a country in south-central Africa bordering Namibia to the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, and Zambia to the east, and with a west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Country Name
- conventional long form:
- conventional short form: Angola
- local long form: Republica de Angola
- local short form: Angola
- former: People's Republic of Angola
Nationaltiy
- noun: Angolan(s)
- adjective: Angolan
capital
- name: Luanda
- geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 14 E
- time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Independence
- 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Poputalion
- 12,531,357 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate
- 2.136% (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
- 3.9% (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups:
- 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
- definition: age 15 and over can read and write
- total population: 67.4%
- male: 82.9%
- female: 54.2% (2001 est.)
- Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
- total: 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
- semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda
- north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
- petroleum
- diamonds
- iron ore
- phosphates
- copper
- feldspar
- gold
- bauxite
- uranium
- 21.1% (2007 est.)
- $5,600 (2007 est.)
- republic
- multiparty presidential regime
Religions
language
Literacy
Location
Area comperetive
Land boundries
Climate
Natural Resourses
Enviorment Current Issue
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 bioh3ersity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Economy over View
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 SAVIMBI 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 Real Growth Rate
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Government type
Background
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 UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. 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 has announced legislative elections will be held in September 2008, with presidential elections planned for sometime in 2009.
For more info please contact:
African Studies
(310) 825-3686
africa@international.ucla.edu
Date Posted: 9/4/2008
