Angola

Article Outline

Introduction; Land and Resources; Population; Economy; Government; History

Natural Resources

Angola is extremely rich in mineral resources, and further geological exploration is likely to add to the list of known mineral reserves. Among the most notable resources are oil, diamonds, iron ore, manganese, copper, uranium, phosphates, and salt.

Plants and Animals

Vegetation varies with the climate. Thick tropical rainforest grows in the north and in the Cabinda exclave. To the south the rainforest gives way to savannah with mixed trees and grasses, which in turn gives way to grasslands to the south and east. Palm trees grow along much of the coast, while sparse desert vegetation is found south of Namibe. The wildlife is as diverse as the vegetation, and includes many of the larger African mammals, such as elephant, rhinoceros, giraffe, hippopotamus, zebra, antelope, lion, and gorilla. Angola also has crocodiles and a diversity of birds and insects.

Environmental Concerns

Population pressure and inadequate infrastructure have led to many environmental difficulties in Angola. Potable water is scarce, especially in the rural areas. Because food production has not kept pace with the country's rapid population growth, much of the national food requirement is now imported. Poor agricultural practices have led to widespread soil erosion and desertification. Siltation of rivers and dams is a serious related problem. Deforestation, especially to supply the international tropical timber market, is rapidly eliminating the rainforests in the north and threatening biodiversity.

A protected area system of parks and nature reserves exists but lacks funding. Only about 6.6 per cent (1997) of the land is significantly protected, and logging, poaching, and agricultural encroachment are continuing threats. The civil war has caused tremendous damage and brought environmental programmes to a halt.

Angola's biodiversity is second only to that of its northern neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 1,200 endemic plant species and a wide range of biomes. Most of the country is covered with dry woodland, savannah, and grassland. The total forest cover is 17.8 per cent (1995). Angola's participation in international conservation efforts has been mainly limited to aid projects, although it has signed agreements concerning law of the sea, biodiversity, climate change, and desertification.

III

Population

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Population Characteristics

Angola’s population is made up of more than 90 ethnic groups. Despite this diversity, ethnic tension is rare; the four most important groups represent about three quarters of the total population. These are the Mbundu (or Ovimbundu) in central and southern Angola, the Bakongo (Kongo) in the north-west, the North Mbundu (or Kimbundu) in the north and centre, and the Chokwe-Lunda in the east. Prior to independence in 1975, Angola had a community of approximately 400,000 Portuguese; more than 90 per cent of these have since returned to Portugal.

The total population of Angola, including Cabinda, is 12,531,357 (2008 estimate). The overall population density was 10 people per sq km (26 people per sq mi). Distribution, however, is uneven, with about 70 per cent of the population concentrated in the north and along the coast. The natural rate of population increase was 2.14 per cent a year in 2008. The population is overwhelmingly rural; only 37 per cent of the people lived in urban areas in 2005. Life expectancy in the late 1980s averaged just over 44 years for men and 49 years for women—one of Africa’s lowest figures. This reflects, in part, the impact of the two decades of civil war and war-induced famine in some areas. In 2008, life expectancy was 37 years for men and 38.9 years for women. The country has one of the world’s highest infant mortality rates (184 deaths per 1,000 live births, 1990 estimate, 182 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2008) and the greatest number of amputees, caused by exploding landmines.

Principal Cities