Angola

Angola: baseline information

Republic of Angola

  • Population [WHO 2006]: 15.5 million
  • Annual population growth [WHO 2006]: 2.6%
  • HDI (and rank out of 177) [UN 2005]: 0.445 (160th)
  • Life expectancy at birth [WHO 2006]: 40 years
  • Currency: Kwanza
  • Main exports: oil, diamonds, minerals, coffee, fish, timber
  • Capital city: Luanda
  • Provinces/ districts: 18 provinces (Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uíge, Zaire)

Links to more Angola resources

 

Background

Map of Africa, showing location of Angola. Click for a more detailed map of Angola (402KB).Two generations of Angolans have grown up not knowing the meaning of the word “peace”. Four decades of continuous war began with the first battles against colonial forces in the early 1960s, and continued through the transition to independence in 1975, followed by the civil war that has dominated the history of independent Angola.

During this prolonged period of civil war, over 330 000 Angolans fled into neighbouring countries, and many more were displaced within Angola. The war involved widespread destruction of infrastructure, and much of the land now contains landmines. Prior to the war, Angola had been dominated by Portugal for almost 500 years.

Conclusões e recomendações da conferência internacional sobre fiscalização do orçamento geral do estado

Conclusões e recomendações da conferência internacional sobre fiscalização do orçamento geral do estado, disponível em Português pdf [2.9 MB].

Zimbabwe arms shipment still at large

Arms ship heads for Congo

The Times 8/5/2008
The cargo of Chinese arms destined for Zimbabwe is now heading for Congo Brazzaville, according the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, where the union believes a further attempt will be made to unload the weapons ... The Durban-based inspectorate of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which has been monitoring the cargo ship Au Yue Jiang, is itself flying to Brazzaville to make sure that the weapons are not off-loaded there. A Satawu statement issued today said that the union could confirm that the ship docked in the port of Lobito in Angola and off-loaded building materials only ... Satawu said it condemned the Chinese government and the ship owners China Ocean Shipping Company (Cosco) for creating a false impression around the world that they had recalled the vessel. "This so-called recall was clearly only intended to deceive and remove the massive groundswell of political pressure ... "Both the Chinese government and Cosco have regrettably demonstrated that profiteering remains the overriding consideration over human solidarity and saving lives ... Satawu again called on all African governments and dock workers to refuse the vessel docking access and to refuse to handle the weapons with a view to ensuring that the vessel leaves African shores immediately ...

FLEC claims successful attack in Cabinda

'Deadly attack' in Angola enclave
FOXBusiness - USA
A secessionist group in Angola's Cabinda region says it has killed three soldiers and severely wounded a foreign worker in separate ambushes on Monday. A Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave (Flec) spokesman said it would attack anyone who entered the oil-rich enclave without approval. He said the foreigner was employed by a Portuguese firm. There has been no independent confirmation of the attack. Most separatists signed a peace deal in 2006, but one Flec faction did not. The province does not share a border with the rest of Angola - it is sandwiched between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Africa's west coast. A Flec spokesman said the foreigner was targeted because he was travelling area with security officers. We have warned many times people not to enter the territories controlled by our army and people don't respect this," he told the BBC. "They usually get accompanied by bodyguards, the military, so when they do so they become military targets - we are obliged to fight against them." ...

Henry Okah feared dead

Execution fears raise tension in Niger delta
Financial Times - London,England,UK
Claims that a leading militant from Nigeria's oilproducing delta has been killed while in detention have raised fears that violence will escalate in the region, despite assurances from the government that he is still alive. Henry Okah, a prominent member of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, was extradited to Nigeria last week from Angola, where

Epidemiological investigation in Angola

Angola: Epidemiological Investigation Analysed in Seminar
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
The seminar on the preparation and responses for epidemiological emergencies, including cholera, taking place since Monday in Ondjiva, southern Cunene Province, proceeds this Wednesday with the discussion of the theme "Epidemiological Investigation". Participants in this training programme will also analyse the role of municipal

Angola extradites Nigerian militant

Top Nigerian militant extradited
BBC News 18/2/2008
A prominent Niger Delta militant leader, Henry Okah, has been extradited from Angola to Nigeria, according to officials in Angola. A founder of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), he was arrested in Angola five months ago on arms trafficking charges. The group said that Mr Okah had been extradited on Thursday. Mend claimed he was being held at a secret location in northern Nigeria, but ministers in Abuja did not comment ... While other groups have called a ceasefire after being offered government incentives, Mr Okah's faction has remained active. The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says Mr Okah's detention has upset many of his old colleagues, and some have threatened to call off their self-declared truce. What the government does with him now could have a real impact on the prospects of peace in Nigeria's oil-producing region ...

Gas liquefaction project in Angola

Bechtel to build Angola's first LNG plant
Oil & Gas Journal - Houston,TX,USA
HOUSTON, Feb. 5 -- Angola LNG Ltd. is planning Angola's first gas liquefaction facility near Soyo in Zaire Province. The LNG plant will have a nominal capacity of 5.2 million tonnes/year of LNG and will include storage for LNG, LPG,

BP reports more oil off Angola

BP has 15th oil discovery on Block 31 off Angola
Oil & Gas Journal - Houston,TX,USA
HOUSTON, Feb. 5 -- Sonangol EP and BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd., operator, have reported the Portia oil discovery on ultradeepwater Block 31, off Angola. Well test results confirmed the capacity of the reservoir to flow more than 5,000 b/d under production conditions, BP said. The well lies 7 km north of the Titania discovery and 10.5 km southwest