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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

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

History: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010

Amendments: 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

Legal System

civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation

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); Vice President Esperanca Francisco DA COSTA (since 15 September 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 15 September 2022); Vice President Esperanca Francisco DA COSTA (since 15 September 2022)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections appointments: 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); last held on 24 August 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

Election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency and in multi-seat constituencies by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

Elections: last held on 24 August 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

Election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 51.1%, UNITA 43.9%, FNLA 1.1%, PHA 1%, PRS 1.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - MPLA 124, UNITA 90, FNLA 2, PHA 2, PRS 2; composition - men 146, women 74, percent of women 33.6%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: 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 upon 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 and Leaders

Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Manuel FERNANDES]Humanist Party of Angola or PHI [Florbela MALAQUIAS]National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGUNational Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Adalberto Costa JUNIOR] (largest opposition party)Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note- ruling party in power since 1975Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]

Flag Description

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); red represents liberty and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants

National Symbols

National Anthem

Lyrics music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO

Note: adopted 1975

National Heritage