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government type:
republic. nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system capital: 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) constitution: 11 november 1975; revised 7 january 1978. 11 august 1980. 6 march 1991. and 26 august 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been approved legal system: based on portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets suffrage: 18 years of age; universal executive branch: chief of state: president jose eduardo dos santos (since 21 september 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: president jose eduardo dos santos (since 21 september 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; fernando de piedade dias dos santos was appointed prime minister on 6 december 2002. but this is not a position of real power cabinet: council of ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term; president dos santos originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 september 1992 (next to be held september 2006) election results: dos santos 49.6%. jonas savimbi 40.1%. making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and savimbi's national union for the total independence of angola (unita) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed legislative branch: unicameral national assembly or assembleia nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 september 1992 (next to be held september 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - mpla 54%. unita 34%. others 12%; seats by party - mpla 129. unita 70. prs 6. fnla 5. pld 3. others 7 judicial branch: supreme court or tribunal da relacao (judges are appointed by the president) political parties and leaders: liberal democratic party or pld [analia de victoria pereira]; national front for the liberation of angola or fnla [disputed leadership: lucas ngonda. holden roberto]; national union for the total independence of angola or unita [isaias samakuva]. largest opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; popular movement for the liberation of angola or mpla [jose eduardo dos santos]. ruling party in power since 1975; social renewal party or prs [disputed leadership: eduardo kuangana. antonio muachicungo] note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats and have little influence in the national assembly political pressure groups and leaders: front for the liberation of the enclave of cabinda or flec [n'zita henriques tiago. antonio bento bembe] note: flec is waging a small-scale. highly factionalized. armed struggle for the independence of cabinda province international organization participation: acp. afdb. au. comesa. fao. g-77. iaea. ibrd. icao. icct (signatory). icftu. icrm. ida. ifad. ifc. ifrcs. ilo. imf. imo. interpol. ioc. iom. iso (correspondent). itu. miga. nam. oas (observer). sadc. un. unctad. unesco. unido. upu. wco. wftu. who. wipo. wmo. wtoo. wto diplomatic representation in the us: chief of mission: ambassador josefina perpetua pitra diakidi chancery: 2108 16th street nw. washington. dc 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 fax: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: houston and new york diplomatic representation from the us: chief of mission: ambassador cynthia effird embassy: number 32 rua houari boumedienne (in the miramar area of luanda). luanda mailing address: international mail: caixa postal 6468. luanda; pouch: american embassy luanda. department of state. washington. dc 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (2) 445-481. 447-028. 446-224 fax: [244] (2) 446-924 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) economy - overview: angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector. but record oil prices and rising petroleum production have occurred without improved performance in other parts of the economy. oil production and its supporting activities. contribute about 45% to gdp and more than half of exports. and much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 22 year-long civil war. remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace has been established after the death of rebel leader jonas savimbi in february 2002. subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. but much of the country's food must still be imported. in 2005. the government started using a $2 billion line of credit from china to rebuild angola's public infrastructure. and several large-scale projects are scheduled for completion by 2006. the central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. a policy that was more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings. and has significantly reduced inflation. consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to about 18% in 2005. but the stabilization policy places pressure on international net liquidity. to fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold. diamonds. extensive forests. atlantic fisheries. and large oil deposits - angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption. the government has made sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the imf. such as promoting greater transparency in government spending. and continues to be without a formal monitoring agreement with the institution. increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004 and 14% growth in 2005. gdp (purchasing power parity): $27.66 billion (2005 est.) gdp (official exchange rate): $24.13 billion (2005 est.) gdp - real growth rate: 14.1% (2005 est.) gdp - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2.500 (2005 est.) gdp - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 67% services: 25% (2001 est.) labor force: 5.58 million (2005 est.) labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%. industry and services 15% (2003 est.) unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.) population below poverty line: 70% (2003 est.) household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: na highest 10%: na inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.7% (2005 est.) investment (gross fixed): 30.6% of gdp (2005 est.) budget: revenues: $8.5 billion expenditures: $10 billion. including capital expenditures of $963 million (2005 est.) public debt: 40.9% of gdp (2005 est.) agriculture - products: bananas. sugarcane. coffee. sisal. corn. cotton. manioc (tapioca). tobacco. vegetables. plantains; livestock; forest products; fish 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: 1% (2000) electricity - production: 1.916 billion kwh (2003) electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.4% hydro: 63.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) electricity - consumption: 1.782 billion kwh (2003) electricity - exports: 0 kwh (2003) electricity - imports: 0 kwh (2003) oil - production: 1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.) oil - consumption: 46.000 bbl/day (2003 est.) oil - exports: na (2001) oil - imports: na (2001) oil - proved reserves: 25 billion bbl (2005 est.) natural gas - production: 530 million cu m (2001 est.) natural gas - consumption: 530 million cu m (2001 est.) natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.) natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.) natural gas - proved reserves: 79.57 billion cu m (2005) current account balance: $4.484 billion (2005 est.) exports: $26.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) exports - partners: us 37.7%. china 35.6%. taiwan 6.7%. france 6.4% (2004) imports: $8.165 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) imports - partners: south korea 28.3%. portugal 13.1%. us 9.3%. south africa 7.4%. brazil 5.6%. japan 4.8%. france 4.4% (2004) reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.425 billion (2005 est.) debt - external: $9.879 billion (2005 est.) economic aid - recipient: $383.5 million (1999) currency (code): kwanza (aoa) currency code: aoa exchange rates: kwanza per us dollar - 88.6 (2005). 83.541 (2004). 74.606 (2003). 43.53 (2002). 22.058 (2001) fiscal year: calendar year telephones - main lines in use: 96.300 (2003) telephones - mobile cellular: 130.000 (2002) telephone system: general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; hf radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire. microwave radio relay. and tropospheric scatter international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29; fiber optic submarine cable (sat-3/wasc) provides connectivity to europe and asia (2005) radio broadcast stations: am 21. fm 6. shortwave 7 (2000) radios: 815.000 (2000) television broadcast stations: 6 (2000) televisions: 196.000 (2000) internet country code: .ao internet hosts: 17 (2003) internet service providers (isps): 1 (2000) internet users: 41.000 (2002) airports: 243 (2004 est.) airports - with paved runways: total: 31 over 3.047 m: 5 2.438 to 3.047 m: 8 1.524 to 2.437 m: 12 914 to 1.523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2005 est.) airports - with unpaved runways: total: 212 over 3.047 m: 2 2.438 to 3.047 m: 5 1.524 to 2.437 m: 30 914 to 1.523 m: 95 under 914 m: 80 (2005 est.) pipelines: gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30 km; oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004) railways: total: 2.761 km narrow gauge: 2.638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2004) roadways: total: 51.429 km paved: 5.349 km unpaved: 46.080 km (2001) waterways: 1.300 km (2004) merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1.000 grt or over) 26.123 grt/42.879 dwt by type: cargo 1. passenger/cargo 2. petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 4 (2005) ports and terminals: cabinda. luanda. soyo military branches: army. navy (marinha de guerra. mdg). air and air defense forces (fana) military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001) manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 2.423.221 (2005 est.) manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 1.174.548 (2005 est.) manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 121.254 (2005 est.) military expenditures - dollar figure: $183.58 million (2004) military expenditures - percent of gdp: 10.6% (2004) disputes - international: 90.000 angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004. the remaining refugees in the democratic republic of the congo and zambia are expected to return in 2005; many cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in neighboring states refugees and internally displaced persons: idps: 40.000-60.000 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million idps already have returned) (2004) illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for western europe and other african states
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