Angola | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

Infoplease has everything you need to know about Angola. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Angola's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags.

Facts & Figures

  • President: José Eduardo dos Santos (1979)

    Prime Minister: position abolished (2012)

    Total area: 481,350 sq mi (1,246,699 sq km)

    Population (2014 est.): 19,088,106 (growth rate: 2.78%); birth rate: 38.97/1000; infant mortality rate: 79.99/1000; life expectancy: 55.29

    Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Luanda, 5.068 million

    Other large cities: Huambo, 1.098 million

    Monetary unit: New Kwanza

    National name: Republica de Angola

    Current government officials

    Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

    Ethnicity/race: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

    Religions: Indigenous 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

    Literacy rate: 70.4% (2011 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $131.8 billion; per capita $6,300. Real growth rate: 5.6%. Inflation: 8.9%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 3.29%. Agriculture: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish. Labor force: 9.018 million; agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 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. Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium. Exports: $70.84 billion (2013 est.): crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton. Imports: $26.09 billion (2013 est.): machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods. Major trading partners: U.S., China, India, South Africa, Portugal, Brazil (2012)

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 303,000 (2012); mobile cellular: 9.8 million (2012). Broadcast media: state controls all broadcast media with nationwide reach; state-owned Televisao Popular de Angola (TPA) provides terrestrial TV service on 2 channels; a third TPA channel is available via cable and satellite; TV subscription services are available; state-owned Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) broadcasts on 5 stations; about a half dozen private radio stations broadcast locally (2008). Internet hosts: 20,703 (2012). Internet users: 606,700 (2009).

    Transportation: Railways: total: 2,764 km (2008). Highways: total: 51,429 km; paved: 5,349 km; unpaved: 46,080 km (2001). Waterways: 1,300 km (2011). Ports and harbors: Cabinda, Luanda, Lobito, Namibe. Airports: 176 (2013).

    International disputes: Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments.

    Major sources and definitions