Note: Civil war has been the norm since independence on 11 November 1975; a cease-fire lasted from 31 May 1991 until October 1992 when the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) refused to accept its defeat in internationally monitored elections; fighting has since resumed throughout much of the countryside. Nevertheless, the two sides are negotiating the details for holding the second round of presidential elections.
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form:
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form:
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)

NOTE: The information regarding Angola on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Angola Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Angola Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.