Long-form name: People's Republic of Angola

Type: Marxist people's republic

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)

Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978 and 11 August 1980

Legal system: formerly based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; being modified along socialist model

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Branches: the official party is the supreme political institution; legislative--National People's Assembly

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jose Eduardo dos SANTOS (since 21 September 1979)

Suffrage: universal adult

Elections: none held to date

Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labor Party (MPLA-Labor Party), led by dos Santos, is the only legal party; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), lost to the MPLA in immediate postindependence struggle, now carrying out insurgency

Member of: AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, INTELSAT, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: none

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 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Angola Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Angola Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.