{
"Introduction": {
"Background": {
"text": "From the late 14th to the mid 19th century a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony.
Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since 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 in 1993. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - during the more than a quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018."
}
},
"Geography": {
"Location": {
"text": "Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo"
},
"Geographic coordinates": {
"text": "12 30 S, 18 30 E"
},
"Map references": {
"text": "Africa"
},
"Area": {
"total": {
"text": "1,246,700 sq km"
},
"land": {
"text": "1,246,700 sq km"
},
"water": {
"text": "0 sq km"
}
},
"Area - comparative": {
"text": "about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas"
},
"Land boundaries": {
"total": {
"text": "5,369 km"
},
"border countries": {
"text": "Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province); Republic of the Congo 231 km; Namibia 1,427 km; Zambia 1,065 km"
}
},
"Coastline": {
"text": "1,600 km"
},
"Maritime claims": {
"territorial sea": {
"text": "12 nm"
},
"contiguous zone": {
"text": "24 nm"
},
"exclusive economic zone": {
"text": "200 nm"
}
},
"Climate": {
"text": "semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)"
},
"Terrain": {
"text": "narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau"
},
"Elevation": {
"highest point": {
"text": "Moca 2,620 m"
},
"lowest point": {
"text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m"
},
"mean elevation": {
"text": "1,112 m"
}
},
"Natural resources": {
"text": "petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium"
},
"Land use": {
"agricultural land": {
"text": "45.7% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: arable land": {
"text": "arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: permanent crops": {
"text": "permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
"text": "permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)"
},
"forest": {
"text": "54.3% (2018 est.)"
}
},
"Irrigated land": {
"text": "860 sq km (2014)"
},
"Major rivers (by length in km)": {
"text": "Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Okavango river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
},
"Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
"text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)"
},
"Major aquifers": {
"text": "Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin"
},
"Population distribution": {
"text": "most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda as shown in this population distribution map"
},
"Natural hazards": {
"text": "locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau"
},
"Geography - note": {
"text": "the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo"
}
},
"People and Society": {
"Population": {
"text": "35,981,281 (2023 est.)"
},
"Nationality": {
"noun": {
"text": "Angolan(s)"
},
"adjective": {
"text": "Angolan"
}
},
"Ethnic groups": {
"text": "Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%"
},
"Languages": {
"text": "Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6%; note - data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2014 est.)"
},
"Religions": {
"text": "Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)"
},
"Demographic profile": {
"text": "
More than two decades after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 30 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 48% are under the age of 15 as of 2022 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate.
Of the estimated 550,000 Angolans who fled their homeland during its civil war, most have returned home since 2002. In 2012, the UN assessed that conditions in Angola had been stable for several years and invoked a cessation of refugee status for Angolans. Following the cessation clause, some of those still in exile returned home voluntarily through UN repatriation programs, and others integrated into host countries.
" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "47.18% (male 8,503,242/female 8,473,889)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "50.49% (male 8,730,015/female 9,435,581)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "2.33% (2023 est.) (male 350,059/female 488,495)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "91.5" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "86.5" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "20.1 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "15.9 years" }, "male": { "text": "15.4 years" }, "female": { "text": "16.4 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "3.34% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "41.42 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "68.7% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.93 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.72 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "19.4 years (2015/16 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "222 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "57.2 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "62.37 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "51.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "62.51 years" }, "male": { "text": "60.44 years" }, "female": { "text": "64.65 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "5.76 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "2.84 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "13.7% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 81.3% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 36.5% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 66.5% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 18.7% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 63.5% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 33.5% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "2.9% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 93.7% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 30.3% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 72.7% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 6.3% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 69.7% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 27.3% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "very high (2023)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "dengue fever, malaria" }, "water contact diseases": { "text": "schistosomiasis" }, "animal contact diseases": { "text": "rabies" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "8.2% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "5.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "1.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "19% (2015/16)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "55.7% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "7.9%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "30.3%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "6% (2016 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "71.1%" }, "male": { "text": "82.6%" }, "female": { "text": "62.4% (2015)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "18.5%" }, "male": { "text": "18.2%" }, "female": { "text": "18.8% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "27.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "34.69 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "23.28 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Climate": { "text": "semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "45.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "54.3% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "68.7% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Okavango river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 kmAngola-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): DRC accuses Angola of shifting monuments
Angola-Namibia: none identified
Angola-Republic of Congo: (Kabinda Exclave) none identified
Angola-Zambia: because the straight-line segments along the left bank (Zambian side) of the Cuando/Kwando River do not conform with the physical alignment of the unstable shoreline, Zambian residents in some areas have settled illegally on sections of shoreline that fall on the Angolan side of the boundary
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa
" } } }