CapitalLuanda
Population38,984,796
Area1,246,700 km²
GDP per capita$7,300
LanguagesPortuguese , Umbundu, Kikongo, Kimbundu, Chokwe, Nhaneca, Nganguela, Fiote, Kwanhama, Muhumbi, Luvale, other
Currencykwanza
Life Expectancy62.9 yr
Governmentpresidential republic
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
land
1,246,700 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
1,246,700 sq km
Climate
The southern region and coastal areas near Luanda experience a semiarid climate; the northern part endures a cool, dry period from May to October, followed by a hot, rainy season from November to April.
Terrain
A narrow coastal strip ascends sharply to a vast plateau in the interior.
Land use
other
11.5% (2023 est.)
forest
51.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
36.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 32.4% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Southern Africa, it lies adjacent to the South Atlantic Ocean, positioned between Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Coastline
1,600 km
Elevation
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Moco 2,620 m
mean elevation
1,112 m
Irrigated land
860 sq km (2014)
Major aquifers
Includes the Congo Basin, as well as the Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin.
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total
5,369 km
border countries
The border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo measures 2,646 km (with 225 km representing the boundary of the disconnected Cabinda Province); it shares 231 km with the Republic of the Congo; 1,427 km with Namibia; and 1,065 km with Zambia.
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
Localized intense rainfall can lead to occasional flooding in the plateau regions.
Geography - note
Cabinda province is an exclave, isolated from the main territory of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Natural resources
Natural resources include petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, and uranium.
Area - comparative
Its area is approximately eight times larger than Georgia and slightly less than twice that of Texas.
Geographic coordinates
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Population distribution
A majority of the population resides in the western half of the nation; urban centers, especially the capital Luanda, have the highest population densities.
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage
Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
The Zambezi River (Rio Zambeze), which is shared with Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, extends for 2,740 km; the source of the Okavango River (Rio Cubango), also shared with Namibia and Botswana, measures 1,600 km.
note: [s] indicates river source after the country name; [m] indicates river mouth after the country name.
People & Society
Literacy
male
83.8% (2015 est.)
female
51.9% (2015 est.)
total population
66.2% (2015 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.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (estimate for 2014)
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
total population
0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.72 male(s)/female
Birth rate
39.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
15.8 years
total
16.6 years (2025 est.)
female
16.8 years
Population
male
19,115,781
total
38,984,796 (2025 est.)
female
19,869,015
Nationality
noun
Angolan(s)
adjective
Angolan
Urbanization
urban population
68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
Ethnic groups
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico (a blend of European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Child marriage
men married by age 18
6% (2016)
women married by age 15
7.9% (2016)
women married by age 18
30.3% (2016)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
95.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
90 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
19.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
5.1 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.8 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 27.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 57.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 71.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 72.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 42.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
6.5% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
60.7 deaths/1,000 live births
total
46.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
50.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
3.32% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
2.68 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
a majority of the population resides in the western region of the nation; urban centers, especially the capital Luanda, exhibit the greatest population densities
Life expectancy at birth
male
60.8 years
female
65.1 years
total population
62.9 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
183 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 30.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 73.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 69.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 26.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
5.84 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.)
Major urban areas - population
9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.2% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.4 years (2015/16 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
57.2% (2016 est.)
Environment
Climate
the southern and coastal regions near Luanda are characterized as semiarid; in the northern areas, there exists a cool, dry period from May to October, followed by a hot, rainy season spanning November to April
Land use
other
11.5% (2023 est.)
forest
51.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
36.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 32.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
68.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions
other
78.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
123 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy
1,009.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
374.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
4.214 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
19% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
excessive grazing leading to soil erosion; desertification; the tropical rainforest is being depleted due to global timber demand and local fuel needs; a decline in biodiversity; soil erosion exacerbating water pollution and sedimentation in rivers and reservoirs; insufficient availability of clean drinking water
Total water withdrawal
municipal
319.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
239.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
146.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
19.66 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
2.441 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.)
Particulate matter emissions
27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
148.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental 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
Government
Flag
description: two horizontal bands of equal size, red on the top and black below, featuring a yellow emblem at the center that consists of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel, intersected by a machete (reminiscent of the hammer and sickle)
meaning: red represents liberty while black signifies the African continent; the emblem denotes workers and peasants
Capital
name
Luanda
etymology
the city was originally called São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda) by the Portuguese; over time, it was abbreviated to "Luanda," which is thought to originate from a Bantu term meaning "tax" or "duty," referring to local individuals fulfilling their obligations to the king of the Congo
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
does not observe daylight savings time
geographic coordinates
8 50 S, 13 13 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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
Constitution
history
previously enacted in 1975 and 1992; the most recent law was passed by the National Assembly on 21 January 2010 and adopted on 5 February 2010
amendment process
either proposed by the president of the republic or supported by a minimum of one third of the National Assembly members; to be passed, it requires a two-thirds majority vote from the Assembly and is subject to prior review by the Constitutional Court if requested by the president of the republic
Country name
former
People's Republic of Angola
etymology
in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers took the name from the title "N'gola," which was used by the kings of the Ndongo
local long form
Republica de Angola
local short form
Angola
conventional long form
Republic of Angola
conventional short form
Angola
Independence
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Legal system
civil legal framework rooted in Portuguese civil law; there is no judicial review of legislation
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (comprising the court president, vice president, and at least 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (composed of 11 judges)
subordinate courts
provincial and municipal courts
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president based on recommendations from the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member group led by the president; judge tenure is not applicable; Constitutional Court judges consist of 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by the National Assembly, 2 elected by the Supreme National Council, and 1 selected through competitive submission of curricula; judges serve a single 7-year term
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
election results
Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election
head of government
President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
most recent election date
24 August 2022
election/appointment process
the candidate representing the winning party or coalition from the last legislative election assumes the presidency; the president holds office for a 5-year term (eligible for a subsequent consecutive or non-consecutive term)
expected date of next election
2027
National holiday
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
National color(s)
red, black, yellow
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Mbanza-Kongo
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 - this party has two factions
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (the largest opposition party)
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA; note - the ruling party in power since 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
220 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Assembly (Assembleia nacional)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
8/24/2022
expected date of next election
August 2027
percentage of women in chamber
39.1%
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)
National anthem(s)
title
"Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)
history
adopted 1975
lyrics/music
Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
National symbol(s)
giant black sable antelope (Palanca negra gigante)
Administrative divisions
21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando, Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Icolo e Bengo, Luanda, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Moxico Leste, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 822-9049
chancery
2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 785-1156
chief of mission
Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 30 June 2023)
consulate(s) general
Houston, New York
email address and website
[email protected]
https://angola.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[244] (222) 64-1000
embassy
Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda
telephone
[244] (222) 64-1000
mailing address
2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550
chief of mission
Ambassador (position currently vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Shannon Nagy CAZEAU (since 2 October 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://ao.usembassy.gov/
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
International law organization participation
has not provided a declaration for ICJ jurisdiction; is a non-party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$18.117 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures
$13.871 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$50.12 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$36.961 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$36.924 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$28.564 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$23.688 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$22.683 billion (2024 est.)
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
Labor force
15.961 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
75.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
0% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
578.259 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
631.442 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
460.568 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
685.02 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
869.846 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$45.299 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
a middle-income, oil-reliant economy in Africa characterized by widespread poverty, increasing inflation, and currency devaluation; efforts toward diversification through agricultural production; significant corruption within public institutions; major infrastructure investments from China and the United States; withdrawal from OPEC in 2023
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
14.7% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
14.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
14.5% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
China 40%, India 9%, UAE 6%, Spain 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 19%, Portugal 10%, UAE 7%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$7,400 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$7,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$7,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.4% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, tomatoes, pineapples, onions, potatoes, citrus fruits (2023)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, ships, refined petroleum (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, wheat, ships, cars, trucks (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
$11.763 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$4.185 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$6.31 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
10.1% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$80.397 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
55.3% (2024 est.)
government consumption
6.3% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
0% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
25% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
37.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-24.4% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
32.3% (2018 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
50% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
1.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
21.4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
13.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
28.2% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$263.61 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$266.452 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$278.239 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
30.2% (2024 est.)
total
27.9% (2024 est.)
female
25.7% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$13.655 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$13.942 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$14.243 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
44.2% (2024 est.)
services
39.3% (2024 est.)
agriculture
16.4% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.3% (2018 est.)
highest 10%
39.6% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
51.3 (2018 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
1.175 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
121,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
16.214 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
7.6 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
1.725 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
exports
4.928 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
5.984 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
1.244 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
343.002 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
7.3% (2018 est.)
electrification - urban areas
76.2%
electrification - total population
48.5% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
9.146 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
23.6% 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.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
45% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
media controlled by the state are predominant; merely four privately owned newspapers remain in physical print; the state-operated Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) is the sole provider of programming in indigenous languages like Bantu; while private radio stations function in urban areas, such as Catholic Radio Ecclesia, RNA stands as the only radio station with extensive national reach (2023)
Internet country code
.ao
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
80,300 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2024 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
26.4 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
70 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
137,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
8
medium
0
key ports
Cabinda, Estrela Oil Field, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo Oil Terminal, Namibe, Palanca Terminal, Takula Terminal
very small
13
total ports
21 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
17
Airports
107 (2025)
Railways
total
2,761 km (2022)
narrow gauge
2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge
Heliports
2 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
64 (2023)
by type
general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 43
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
D2
Military & Security
Military - note
The Angolan Armed Forces were established in 1991 following the Bicesse Accords, which were signed by the Angolan Government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). This military force is tasked with the external defense of the nation and also holds certain domestic security duties, including the protection of borders. Furthermore, it is involved in international military exercises and regional peacekeeping missions, such as the deployment of several hundred troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023. In recent years, there has been a heightened focus on maritime security and the safeguarding of offshore resources, projected for 2025.
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1% of GDP (2024 est.)
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)
Military service age and obligation
The age range for compulsory military service is between 20 and 45 years for men, and 18 to 45 years for voluntary service. Women can also serve voluntarily within the same age range of 20 to 45 years. The conscription period lasts for 24 months, while the Navy comprises entirely of volunteer personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The majority of the military's weaponry and equipment is derived from Russian or Soviet-era sources, though there are smaller quantities obtained from suppliers such as China, Brazil, Israel, Italy, South Africa, and the UAE (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
The active duty personnel in the Armed Forces is approximately 100,000 (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
75,308 (2024 est.)
refugees
55,542 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
The National Space Program Office (Gabinete de Gestão do Programa Espacial Nacional, GGPEN), established in 2013, is projected to be active until 2025.
Space program overview
It has developed a national space strategy aimed at enhancing capabilities, building space infrastructure, investing in the domestic space industry, fostering socioeconomic development, and forming partnerships with international technical and scientific organizations in the space sector. The office engages in contracts with foreign enterprises to construct and launch satellites, operates its own satellites, and collaborates with various international space agencies and industries, including those from France, Portugal, Russia, the United States, and several other African nations. It is a member of the African Space Agency as of 2025.
Key space-program milestones
2017 - The inaugural communications satellite, AngoSat-1, was constructed, launched, and managed by Russia, but it failed in 2018.
2022 - The second communications satellite, AngoSat-2, featuring a payload built in France, was integrated and launched by Russia.
2023 - The office signed the US-led Artemis Accords, which define best practices for space exploration.
2024 - A national maritime coordination and surveillance center, along with the country's first satellite mission control center, was inaugurated.
2025 - A financial agreement was reached with France for the development of the nation’s inaugural high-resolution remote sensing satellite, ANGEO-1.
