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Research Library: Angola

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Map | Country Information | Statistics | Web Resources
  

Last Updated Jun 16, 2008

Country Information

Government

  • Angola functions as a republic with a president serving as both chief of state and head of state. There is also a prime minister, however, the president holds the majority of power in the government. The president is elected by a universal ballot to serve a term of five years. The unicameral National Assembly has 220 seats with members elected by proportional vote to serve a four-year term.
  • President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, from the ruling MPLA, has been president since 1979. He was originally elected without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections in September 1992. Prime Minister Fernando de Piedade Dias Dos Santos was appointed to office on December 6, 2002.

Political Stability

  • Angola recently emerged from a constant state of civil war that lasted 27 years, since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975. In 1994 an agreement was made between the MPLA (government) and UNITA (the main opposition party). However, in 1998, the civil war reemerged with UNITA attempting to seize power, which caused great instability for the country.
  • On April 4, 2002, UNITA and the Angolan government signed the Luena Memorandum of Understanding that officiated the cease-fire to the civil war. The 27-year-long civil war ravaged the country's political and social institutions. However, with the end of the war, Angola changed from a one-party Marxist-Leninist system governed by the MPLA to a multi-party democracy, which brought increased stability to the nation.

Current Government Policies

  • Currently, Angola¿s government is focused on repairs to roads and railways, as many villages and towns are inaccessible. Tackling crime and corruption are two other major problems for the government.

International Reputation

  • From 1975 to 1989 Angola was aligned with the Soviet Union and Cuba. Since that time, it has focused mainly on building ties with the Western countries, cultivating links with other Portuguese-speaking countries, and asserting its own interests in Central Africa. Angola is active in the Southern African Development Community, the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries , and various UN councils.

Economics

  • Angola has a fast growing economy mainly as a result of an oil boom; however, it also ranks in the bottom 10% of most socioeconomic indicators. The country¿s 27-year-long civil war damaged much of the country¿s infrastructure. Despite a rising per capita GDP and abundant natural resources, Angola is placed 161st of 177 countries on the 2006 UN Development Program¿s Human Development Index.
  • Angola¿s high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, which contributes roughly 85% of GDP. It remains beset by corruption and economic mismanagement. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country¿s food is still imported. Exports include crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, and fish products.

Foreign Aid

Politically-Active Ethnic Groups
Data provided by the Minorities at Risk Project of the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland


Statistics
Click on statistic name for source information.

Demographic

Population    16.56 million 2006
Population Age 15 and Younger
(As % of total) 		   46.4% 2005
Population Age 65 and Older
(As % of total) 		   2.4% 2005
Population Growth Rate    2.8% 2006
Life Expectancy    41 years 2006
Life Expectancy (male)    40 years 2006
Life Expectancy (female)    43 years 2006
Urban Population
(As % of total) 		   53.3% 2005
 

Economic

Gross Domestic Product
(In US$) 		   $67.61 billion 2008
Gross Domestic Product per capita
(In US$) 		   $4,022 2008
Economic Inequality
(Ratio of income/consumption of richest 10% to poorest 10%) 		   Not Available
National Budget
(In US$) 		   $27.18 billion 2008
Total Debt Service as % of GDP    6.8% 2005
Imports
(In US$) 		   $11.40 billion 2007
Exports
(In US$) 		   $39.90 billion 2007
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows
(In US$) 		   -$1.14 billion 2006
Unemployment Rate
(As % of labor force) 		   Not Available
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
(% share of world total) 		   0% 2004
 

Military

Military Expenditures
(In US$) 		   $2.49 billion 2006
Military Expenditures as % of GDP    5.7% 2006
 

Social

Human Development Index    0.45 2005
HIV Prevalence
(Ages 15-49) 		   3.7% 2005
Literacy Rate
(Age 15 and above) 		   67.4% 2001
Internet Users
(per 1,000 people) 		   11 2005
 

Web Resources

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