local long form:Republica de Angola
local short form:
Angola
former:
People's Republic of Angola
Digraph:
AO
Type:
transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
presidential system
Capital:
Luanda
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
Independence:
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Constitution:
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March
1991, and 26 August 1992
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently
modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free
markets
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)
head of government:
Prime Minister Marcolino Jose Carlos MOCO (since 2 December 1992)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional):
first nationwide, multiparty elections were held 29–30 September 1992
with disputed results; further elections are being discussed
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Tribunal da Relacao)
Political parties and leaders:
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose
Eduardo DOS SANTOS, is the ruling party and has been in power since
1975; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led
by Jonas SAVIMBI, remains a legal party despite its return to armed
resistance to the government; five minor parties have small numbers of
seats in the National Assembly
Other political or pressure groups:
Cabindan State Liberation Front (FLEC), N'ZITA Tiago, leader of
largest faction (FLEC-FAC)
note:
FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for
the independence of Cabinda Province
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jose PATRICIO
embassy:
1899 L Street NW, 5th floor, Washington, DC 20038
telephone:
(202) 785–1156
FAX:
(202) 785–1258
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Edmund DE JARNETTE
embassy:
Miramar, Luanda
mailing address:
CP6484, Luanda, Angola (mail international); US Embassy, Luanda,
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521–2550 (pouch)
telephone:
[244] (2) 39–24-98
FAX:
[244] (2) 39–05-15
Flag:
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)
@Angola, Economy
Overview:
Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80–90% of the
population but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is
vital to the economy, contributing about 60% to GDP. Bitter internal
fighting continues to severely affect the economy, and food must be
imported. In 1993, production fell by an estimated 22.6%, mainly
because of the capture by insurgents of the oil town of Soyo and
diamond-producing areas in northeastern Angola. Angola has rich
