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Physical geography
Narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau.
Local timeLuanda ·
Africa / Middle Africa · Card 002
Angola
Angola is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Luanda.
Find Angola
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Luanda
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Currency
- Angolan kwanza (AOA)
- Population
- 39.0 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 1,246,700 km²481,353 square miles
- Independence
- 1975from Portugal
Angola in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Luanda; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Portuguese.
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Location
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Flag
Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem of a five-pointed star inside half a cogwheel, crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
History & independence
Angola became independent from Portugal on 11 November 1975 after an armed liberation struggle and Portugal’s 1974 revolution. Rival liberation movements then fought a civil war, which ended in 2002.
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Armed struggle against Portuguese rule begins
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Independence from Portugal
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The civil war ends
Economy
Main activities
Oil is a major source of export earnings. Diamond mining, agriculture, fishing and food processing also contribute to the economy; reducing reliance on oil remains an important policy objective.
Industry and production
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
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people39.02025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5,852,788 | 5.853 |
| 1980 | 8,133,872 | 8.134 |
| 1990 | 11,626,360 | 11.626 |
| 2000 | 16,194,869 | 16.195 |
| 2010 | 23,294,825 | 23.295 |
| 2020 | 33,451,132 | 33.451 |
| 2025 | 39,040,039 | 39.040 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars109.32025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 31,101,122,148 | 31.101 |
| 1991 | 31,409,446,015 | 31.409 |
| 1992 | 29,575,674,381 | 29.576 |
| 1993 | 22,482,416,932 | 22.482 |
| 1994 | 22,783,538,204 | 22.784 |
| 1995 | 26,201,068,941 | 26.201 |
| 1996 | 29,749,838,599 | 29.750 |
| 1997 | 31,913,924,371 | 31.914 |
| 1998 | 33,411,053,302 | 33.411 |
| 1999 | 34,139,911,994 | 34.140 |
| 2000 | 35,182,758,019 | 35.183 |
| 2001 | 36,662,544,314 | 36.663 |
| 2002 | 41,672,733,512 | 41.673 |
| 2003 | 43,125,991,915 | 43.126 |
| 2004 | 48,050,921,278 | 48.051 |
| 2005 | 54,852,422,288 | 54.852 |
| 2006 | 61,347,946,236 | 61.348 |
| 2007 | 69,324,828,860 | 69.325 |
| 2008 | 76,802,645,841 | 76.803 |
| 2009 | 78,335,311,068 | 78.335 |
| 2010 | 82,482,120,583 | 82.482 |
| 2011 | 85,446,420,442 | 85.446 |
| 2012 | 92,712,034,533 | 92.712 |
| 2013 | 97,239,220,009 | 97.239 |
| 2014 | 101,766,409,288 | 101.766 |
| 2015 | 102,543,067,841 | 102.543 |
| 2016 | 102,304,063,581 | 102.304 |
| 2017 | 102,135,580,393 | 102.136 |
| 2018 | 101,618,061,916 | 101.618 |
| 2019 | 100,545,753,429 | 100.546 |
| 2020 | 95,243,481,886 | 95.243 |
| 2021 | 96,282,191,775 | 96.282 |
| 2022 | 99,707,423,109 | 99.707 |
| 2023 | 101,023,726,479 | 101.024 |
| 2024 | 106,027,106,966 | 106.027 |
| 2025 | 109,349,503,922 | 109.350 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.616Medium human developmentRank 148 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.391
20100.528
20200.610
20230.616
64.6 yearsLife expectancy at birth
6.0 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. National Assembly (Assembleia nacional) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Angola.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which city is identified as the capital of Angola?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.