- Country name
- conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers derived the name from the title "N'gola," which was held by kings of the Ndongo - Government type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- name: Luanda
geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: the Portuguese named the city São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda); over time, it was shortened to "Luanda," which may derive from a Bantu word meaning "tax" or "duty," in reference to local people paying their dues to the king of the Congo - Administrative divisions
- 21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando, Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Icolo e Bengo, Luanda, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Moxico Leste, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
- Legal system
- civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation
- Constitution
- history: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic - International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- Citizenship
- citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term)
most recent election date: 24 August 2022
election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election
expected date of next election: 2027 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia nacional)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 220 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 8/24/2022
parties elected and seats per party: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) (124); National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) (90); Other (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 39.1%
expected date of next election: August 2027 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms
subordinate courts: provincial and municipal courts - Political parties
- Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE Humanist Party of Angola or PHI National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factionsNational Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party)Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA; note- ruling party in power since 1975Social Renewal Party or PRS
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 30 June 2023)
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049
email address and website: info@angola.orghttps://angola.org/
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Shannon Nagy CAZEAU (since 2 October 2025)
embassy: Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda
mailing address: 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550
telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000
FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000
email address and website: Consularluanda@state.govhttps://ao.usembassy.gov/ - International organization participation
- ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- Independence
- 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
- Flag
- description: 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)meaning: red stands for liberty and black for the African continent; the emblem symbolizes workers and peasants
- National symbol(s)
- giant black sable antelope (Palanca negra gigante)
- National color(s)
- red, black, yellow
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)
lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
history: adopted 1975 - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Mbanza-Kongo