Angola - AO - AGO - ANG - Africa

Last updated: May 07, 2025
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  • Located 40 km (24.9 mi) south of Luanda, Angola, is the stunning geologic formation known as Miradouro da Lua (Portuguese for “Viewpoint of the Moon”). The distinctive tri-color (orange, white, tan) cliffs were carved by wind and rain erosion and to some look like a setting from another planet or, per the name, the moon.

    Located 40 km (24.9 mi) south of Luanda, Angola, is the stunning geologic formation known as Miradouro da Lua (Portuguese for “Viewpoint of the Moon”). The distinctive tri-color (orange, white, tan) cliffs were carved by wind and rain erosion and to some look like a setting from another planet or, per the name, the moon.

  • Luanda Marginal or the Avenida 4 de Fevereiro (Avenue of the Fourth of February) at night. The Marginal is an elevated scenic 5.5 km (3.4 mi) route running parallel to Luanda Bay in Angola.

    Luanda Marginal or the Avenida 4 de Fevereiro (Avenue of the Fourth of February) at night. The Marginal is an elevated scenic 5.5 km (3.4 mi) route running parallel to Luanda Bay in Angola.

  • Fortaleza de Sao Miguel (Saint Michael Fortress) is a Portuguese polygonal-form fortress built in 1575 on a high plateau overlooking Luanda and the bay. The fortress was the administrative center of the colony and a major outlet for the slave trade. Today Fortaleza de Sao Miguel is a major tourist attraction and houses a museum of Angola's armed forces.

    Fortaleza de Sao Miguel (Saint Michael Fortress) is a Portuguese polygonal-form fortress built in 1575 on a high plateau overlooking Luanda and the bay. The fortress was the administrative center of the colony and a major outlet for the slave trade. Today Fortaleza de Sao Miguel is a major tourist attraction and houses a museum of Angola's armed forces.

  • Located some 30 km north of Luanda, Angola's capital, is 2.5 km-long Shipwreck Beach. The area acquired its name in the 1970s when bankrupt companies towed their old ships to this remote beach, forming a ship graveyard. The ships date back to the 1960s; the largest of the more than 20 rusting hulks is an oil tanker named "Karl Marx."

    Located some 30 km north of Luanda, Angola's capital, is 2.5 km-long Shipwreck Beach. The area acquired its name in the 1970s when bankrupt companies towed their old ships to this remote beach, forming a ship graveyard. The ships date back to the 1960s; the largest of the more than 20 rusting hulks is an oil tanker named "Karl Marx."

  • Calandula Falls is a broad, horseshoe-shaped waterfall located in Calandula, Malanje Province, Angola; it is one of the largest waterfalls by volume in Africa. Located on the Lucala River, some 360 km from Angola’s capital city of Luanda, the falls are 105 m (114.8 yd) high and 400 m (437.4 yd) wide.

    Calandula Falls is a broad, horseshoe-shaped waterfall located in Calandula, Malanje Province, Angola; it is one of the largest waterfalls by volume in Africa. Located on the Lucala River, some 360 km from Angola’s capital city of Luanda, the falls are 105 m (114.8 yd) high and 400 m (437.4 yd) wide.

  • Located 40 km (24.9 mi) south of Luanda, Angola, is the stunning geologic formation known as Miradouro da Lua (Portuguese for “Viewpoint of the Moon”). The distinctive tri-color (orange, white, tan) cliffs were carved by wind and rain erosion and to some look like a setting from another planet or, per the name, the moon.

    Located 40 km (24.9 mi) south of Luanda, Angola, is the stunning geologic formation known as Miradouro da Lua (Portuguese for “Viewpoint of the Moon”). The distinctive tri-color (orange, white, tan) cliffs were carved by wind and rain erosion and to some look like a setting from another planet or, per the name, the moon.

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  • Luanda is Angola’s capital and largest city. Located on the northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is the most populous Portuguese-speaking capital in the world and Angola’s chief seaport. Luanda is also one of the oldest colonial cities in Africa, founded in 1576 by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais. The bustling city is shown at sunset.
  • Luanda Marginal or the Avenida 4 de Fevereiro (Avenue of the Fourth of February) at night. The Marginal is an elevated scenic 5.5 km (3.4 mi) route running parallel to Luanda Bay in Angola.
  • Fortaleza de Sao Miguel (Saint Michael Fortress) is a Portuguese polygonal-form fortress built in 1575 on a high plateau overlooking Luanda and the bay. The fortress was the administrative center of the colony and a major outlet for the slave trade. Today Fortaleza de Sao Miguel is a major tourist attraction and houses a museum of Angola's armed forces.
  • Located some 30 km north of Luanda, Angola's capital, is 2.5 km-long Shipwreck Beach. The area acquired its name in the 1970s when bankrupt companies towed their old ships to this remote beach, forming a ship graveyard. The ships date back to the 1960s; the largest of the more than 20 rusting hulks is an oil tanker named "Karl Marx."
  • Calandula Falls is a broad, horseshoe-shaped waterfall located in Calandula, Malanje Province, Angola; it is one of the largest waterfalls by volume in Africa. Located on the Lucala River, some 360 km from Angola’s capital city of Luanda, the falls are 105 m (114.8 yd) high and 400 m (437.4 yd) wide.
  • Located 40 km (24.9 mi) south of Luanda, Angola, is the stunning geologic formation known as Miradouro da Lua (Portuguese for “Viewpoint of the Moon”). The distinctive tri-color (orange, white, tan) cliffs were carved by wind and rain erosion and to some look like a setting from another planet or, per the name, the moon.

Angola Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador James Story (since 23 October 2024)

embassy: Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda

mailing address: 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000

FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000

email address and website:
Consularluanda@state.gov

https://ao.usembassy.gov/

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 8,752,419/female 8,701,422)

15-64 years: 50.7% (male 9,076,080/female 9,795,035)

65 years and over: 2.4% (2024 est.) (male 367,559/female 509,546)
2024 population pyramid
This is the population pyramid for Angola. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Natural hazards

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Area - comparative

about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map

about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Military service age and obligation

20-45 years of age for compulsory and 18-45 years for voluntary military service for men (registration at age 18 is mandatory); 20-45 years of age for voluntary service for women; 24-month conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy is entirely staffed with volunteers (2023)

Background

Bantu-speaking people settled in the area now called Angola in 6th century A.D.; by the 10th century various Bantu groups had established kingdoms, of which Kongo became the most powerful. 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. Angola became a major hub of the transatlantic slave trade conducted by the Portuguese and other European powers -- often in collaboration with local kingdoms, including the Kongo. The Angola area is estimated to have lost as many as 4 million people as a result of the slave trade. The Kingdom of Kongo’s main rival was the Kingdom of Ndongo to its south, whose most famous leader was Nzingha Mbande, the 17th century diplomat to the Portuguese and later Queen, who successfully fought off Portuguese encroachment during her nearly 40-year reign. Smaller kingdoms, such as the Matamba and Ngoyo, often came under the control of the Kongo or Ndongo Kingdoms. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, Portugal and other European powers set Angola’s modern borders, but the Portuguese did not fully control large portions of the territory. Portugal gained control of the Kingdom of Kongo in 1888 when Kongo’s King Pedro V sought Portuguese military assistance in exchange for becoming a vassal. After a revolt in 1914, Portugal imposed direct rule over the colony and abolished the Kongo Kingdom.

The Angolan National Revolution began in 1961, and in 1975, Angola won its independence when Portugal’s dictatorship fell, a collapse that occurred in part because of growing discontent over conflict in Angola and other colonies. Angola’s multiple independence movements soon clashed, with the Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostinho NETO, taking power and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, emerging as its main competitor. After NETO’s death in 1979, Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, also of the MPLA, became president. Over time, the Angolan civil war escalated and became a major Cold War conflict, with the Soviet Union and Cuba supporting the MPLA and the US and South Africa supporting UNITA. 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 did not seek reelection in 2017 and supported Joao LOURENCO’s successful bid to become president. LOURENCO was reelected in 2022. Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since 2002. 

Environment - current issues

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: 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: none of the selected agreements

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Population below poverty line

32.3% (2018 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.3% (2018 est.)

highest 10%: 39.6% (2018 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, ships, refined petroleum (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 40%, India 9%, UAE 6%, Spain 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

Agricultural products

cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, tomatoes, pineapples, onions, potatoes, citrus fruits (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Military and security forces

Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA)

Ministry of Interior: National Police, Border Guard Police (2025)

Budget

revenues: $18.117 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $13.871 billion (2019 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Capital

name: Luanda

geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time

etymology: the Portuguese named the city São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda); over time, it was shortened to "Luanda," which may derive from a Bantu word meaning "tax" or "duty," in reference to local people paying their dues to the king of the Congo

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, wheat, ships, cars, trucks (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Climate

semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Coastline

1,600 km

Constitution

history: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010

amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic

Exchange rates

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
685.02 (2023 est.)
460.568 (2022 est.)
631.442 (2021 est.)
578.259 (2020 est.)
364.826 (2019 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)

head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO 

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term); last held on 24 August 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election

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); red represents liberty and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants

Illicit drugs

used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa

Independence

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms

subordinate courts: provincial and municipal courts

Land boundaries

total: 5,369 km

border countries (4): 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

Land use

agricultural land: 36.8% (2022 est.)

arable land: 4.3% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 32.3% (2022 est.)

forest: 52.5% (2022 est.)

other: 10.6% (2022 est.)

Legal system

civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia nacional)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 220 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 8/24/2022

parties elected and seats per party: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) (124); National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) (90); Other (6)

percentage of women in chamber: 39.1%

expected date of next election: August 2027

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.1%

male: 82.6%

female: 62.4% (2015)

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Nationality

noun: Angolan(s)

adjective: Angolan

Natural resources

petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Geography - note

the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Economic overview

middle-income, oil-dependent African economy; widespread poverty; rising inflation and currency depreciation; seeking diversification through agricultural production; significant corruption in public institutions; major infrastructure investments from China and US; exited OPEC in 2023

Political parties

Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE 
Humanist Party of Angola or PHI 
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party)
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA; note- ruling party in power since 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS 

Railways

total: 2,761 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

123 km 0.600-mm gauge

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Angola’s telecom sector in recent years has benefited from political stability, which has encouraged foreign investment in the sector; the government and regulator have also set in train mechanisms to open up the telecom sector to new competitors, mobile services were launched in April 2022; the MNOs were slow to develop LTE services, instead relying on their GSM and 3G network capabilities; there has been slow progress in LTE network development, with only a small proportion of the country covered by network infrastructure; the Ministry of Telecommunications in early 2021 set up a 5G hub to assess 5G user cases; the regulator in November 2021 granted licenses to various companies offering 5G services, with spectrum in the 3.3-3.7GHz range having been set aside for such services (2022)

domestic: less than one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 44 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

international: country code - 244; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, WACS, ACE and SACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to other countries in west Africa, Brazil, Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29, Angosat-2 satellite expected by 2021 (2019)

Terrain

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Government type

presidential republic

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of Angola

etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers derived the name from the title "N'gola," which was held by kings of the Ndongo

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Irrigated land

860 sq km (2014)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 30 June 2023)

chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049

email address and website:
info@angola.org

https://angola.org/

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Internet users

percent of population: 39% (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.ao

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 9,272 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania) (2023); 22,841 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$84.825 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Total renewable water resources

148.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Broadcast media

State-owned media dominate the media landscape, the many privately owned newspapers that emerged following the advent of multiparty politics in 1992, only four still exist in print form, State-run Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) is the only outlet to offer programs in indigenous languages such as Bantu, private stations operate in cities, including Catholic Radio Ecclesia, but RNA is the only broadcaster with near-national coverage (2023)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 81.3% of population

rural: 36.5% of population

total: 66.5% of population

unimproved:

urban: 18.7% of population

rural: 63.5% of population

total: 33.5% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)

lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO

note: adopted 1975
This is an audio of the National Anthem for Angola. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Major urban areas - population

9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje  (2023)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Physician density

0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

National symbol(s)

Palanca Negra Gigante (giant black sable antelope); national colors: red, black, yellow

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.4 years (2015/16 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

13.7% (2015/16)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 56.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 5.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.8% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 40.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -26.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 96.1 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 91.1 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 19.8 (2024 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Population distribution

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

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 48.5% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas: 76.2%

electrification - rural areas: 7.3% (2018 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D2

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 93.7% of population

rural: 30.3% of population

total: 72.7% of population

unimproved:

urban: 6.3% of population

rural: 69.7% of population

total: 27.3% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Religions

Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)

Languages

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%  (2014 est.)

note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Imports - partners

China 19%, Portugal 10%, UAE 7%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Elevation

highest point: Moca 2,620 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 1,112 m

Current health expenditure

3% of GDP (2021)

Military - note

the Angolan Armed Forces were created in 1991 under the Bicesse Accords signed between the Angolan Government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA); the current force is responsible for country’s external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities, including border protection, expulsion of irregular migrants, and small-scale counterinsurgency operations against separatist groups; the Army and Air Force are some of the largest and better equipped forces in the region (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000 active troops (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian or Soviet-era origin; there are smaller quantities of items originating from such suppliers as China, Brazil, and South Africa (2024)

Military deployments

in 2023, Angola agreed to send 500 troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for 12 months to oversee cantonment of a rebel group known as M23 (2023)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: CCC (2020)

Moody's rating: Caa1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 27.16 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 34.69 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 23.28 megatons (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,213,644 tons (2012 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 50% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 1.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Major aquifers

Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Mbanza-Kongo

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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 rivers (by length in km)

Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Rio Cubango (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

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 7.9%

women married by age 18: 30.3%

men married by age 18: 6% (2016 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 1.175 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 121,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 5.984 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 1.244 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 4.928 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 343.002 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Coal

imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 23.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 74% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.81 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55.7% (2023 est.)

Remittances

0.01% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.02% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Space program overview

has a national space strategy with a focus on capacity building, developing space infrastructure, investing in domestic space sector, supporting socioeconomic growth, and establishing cooperation agreements with foreign technical and scientific institutions in the space industry; contracts with foreign companies to build and launch satellites; operates satellites; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of France, Russia, and the US (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Space agency/agencies

National Space Program Office (Gabinete de Gestão do Programa Espacial Nacional, GGPEN; established 2013) (2024)

Ports

total ports: 21 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 0

small: 8

very small: 13

ports with oil terminals: 17

key ports: Cabinda, Estrela Oil Field, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo Oil Terminal, Namibe, Palanca Terminal, Takula Terminal

Labor force

15.315 million (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 28.2% (2023 est.)

male: 30.7% (2023 est.)

female: 25.8% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 16.3 years (2024 est.)

male: 15.8 years

female: 16.8 years

Debt - external

$46.196 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Maternal mortality ratio

222 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$13.942 billion (2023 est.)
$13.655 billion (2022 est.)
$14.468 billion (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

65% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.62% (2023 est.)
14.69% (2022 est.)
15.8% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

total: 37,202,061 (2024 est.)

male: 18,196,058

female: 19,006,003

Carbon dioxide emissions

19.66 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 17.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 2.441 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Area

total : 1,246,700 sq km

land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

10.09% (of GDP) (2019 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$266.249 billion (2023 est.)
$263.61 billion (2022 est.)
$255.821 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Airports

107 (2025)

Infant mortality rate

total: 55.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 60.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 25.7 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

51.3 (2018 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

13.64% (2023 est.)
21.36% (2022 est.)
25.75% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

$4.185 billion (2023 est.)
$11.763 billion (2022 est.)
$8.399 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$7,200 (2023 est.)
$7,400 (2022 est.)
$7,400 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 137,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.2% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

9.146 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

41.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 7.6 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 16.214 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.725 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 64 (2023)

by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 43

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

19% (2015/16)

Imports

$23.688 billion (2023 est.)
$28.564 billion (2022 est.)
$18.845 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$36.961 billion (2023 est.)
$50.12 billion (2022 est.)
$33.675 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Heliports

2 (2025)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 87,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 62.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 60.8 years

female: 65.1 years

Real GDP growth rate

1% (2023 est.)
3.04% (2022 est.)
1.2% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 14.9% (2023 est.)

industry: 45.3% (2023 est.)

services: 39.8% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Revenue from forest resources

0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

3.33% (2024 est.)
Sources:
Angola - AO - AGO - ANG