Angola's Coastal Control: Who's In Charge?

Angola is a country located on the west coast of Southern Africa. It has a coastline of 1,610 kilometres (1,000 miles) on the South Atlantic Ocean. The country has a total area of 1,246,700 square kilometres (481,351 square miles) and is bordered by Namibia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. Angola's capital, Luanda, is located on the north-central coastline. The country gained independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975 and has vast reserves of minerals and petroleum. Angola's economy is heavily reliant on the oil industry, which accounts for a significant portion of its exports.

Angola's coastline

Angola is located on the western coast of Southern Africa and has a coastline of 1,610 kilometres (1,000 miles) on the South Atlantic Ocean. It borders Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo to the north. Angola's coastline is characterised by a narrow coastal plain that rises abruptly to a vast interior plateau. The coastal plain varies in width from approximately 125 miles (200 km) in the area south of Luanda to about 15 miles (25 km) near Benguela.

The coastal plain consists of alluvia, chalk, and sand, with oil-bearing formations in the northern two-thirds. The coastal region is rich in oil palms and mangroves, with dense forests in the northern part of the province and dense thorn scrub in the south towards the Kunene River. The coast is mostly flat, with occasional low cliffs and bluffs of red sandstone. Lobito, one of the country's five major ports, has sufficient water depth to allow large ships to unload close to the shore.

Angola has four principal natural regions: the arid coastal lowland, stretching from Namibia to Luanda; green hills and mountains rising inland from the coast; a large area of high inland plains of dry savanna, called the high plateau; and rainforests in the north and in the Cabinda exclave. The highest point in Angola is Morro de Moco, at 2,620 metres (8,596 feet).

Angola's maritime trade

Angola has a 1600km-long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, which offers significant potential for maritime transportation and trade. The country has six ports: Luanda, Lobito, Cabinda, Soyo, Namibe, and Ambriz. The Port of Luanda is Angola's main port, handling over 70% of the country's imports and 70-80% of its non-petroleum foreign trade.

The Angolan government has prioritised the development of its maritime sector, including fisheries and sea ports, in its 2018-2022 national development plan. Fisheries represented less than 3.7% of Angola's GDP in 2017, with a production volume of approximately 532,014 tons. The government aims to increase this sector's growth to between 4.7% and 8.3% until 2022. To achieve this, the government is focusing on both coastal and aquaculture value-added production, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations.

The country has four main ports for semi-industrial and industrial fishing: Namibe, Benguela, Porto Amboim, and Luanda. Some fishing activity also extends to the Zaire and Cabinda provinces in the north. Angola has a large artisanal fishing fleet, with around 100,000 people working in the fishery sector, including 50,000 artisanal fishermen organised into groups that share equipment. The coasts of Benguela and Luanda provinces have the highest concentration of artisanal fishing.

To support the fishing industry, the Angolan government provides microcredit and regional support centres with facilities for boat and gear maintenance, fish processing, and docks. The government also works to address illegal fishing by operating patrol vessels procured from China, France, and the Netherlands, with installed vessel tracking technology. Additionally, Angola collaborates with Namibia and South Africa to protect and survey the fishing grounds through a Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional program.

In terms of sea ports, Angola has been working to increase cargo capacity and competitiveness by developing two new greenfield ports: the Caio Port and the Port Dande. The Caio Port is a public-private partnership project with a 30-year concession from the Ministry of Transportation. It is a deep-water natural port located in Cabinda province, adjacent to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo. The Port Dande project, on the other hand, has been put on hold due to funding issues and a slowdown in cargo traffic.

The process of importing goods into Angola can be time-consuming and bureaucratic. Importers must be registered with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and obtain an import license for sensitive products such as food, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural inputs. Customs procedures are subject to periodic changes, and customs broker rates are regulated, not exceeding 2% of the product's CIF value.

Angola's natural resources

Angola has a wealth of natural resources, including:

• Petroleum and natural gas: Angola has large reserves of petroleum and natural gas, with production largely concentrated off the coast of its Cabinda exclave. Angola is the second-largest producer of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa, with reserves of 9 billion barrels of oil and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
• Diamonds: Diamonds are one of Angola's most vital mineral resources, with alluvial diamonds found across the northeastern quarter of the country. Angola was once the fourth-largest diamond exporter in the world, and the industry is slowly recovering after being targeted during the civil war.
• Arable land: Angola's soils are some of the most fertile in Africa, with arable land accounting for close to 4% of the nation's total area.
• Iron ore: There are large reserves of iron ore in the southwestern part of the country, although the quality is low grade.
• Other minerals: Angola is considered one of the richest African nations in terms of mineral resources. In addition to diamonds and iron ore, the country has commercially viable quantities of copper, manganese, gold, phosphates, uranium, feldspar, platinum, and tin.
• Hydroelectric power: Angola has one of the largest hydroelectric potentials in Africa, with most of its electricity coming from dams on major rivers.
• Forests: Forests cover around 18.4% of Angola's total area, with the Maiombe forest in Cabinda being one of the most significant.
• Fish: Fishing is an important part of the Angolan economy, dating back to the colonial era. Angola has a long coastline that is rich in sardines, tuna, and mackerel.
• Agriculture: Angola has the potential for agricultural development, with fertile land and a favourable climate. Before the civil war, Angola was nearly agriculturally self-sufficient. Today, some of the main crops include coffee, bananas, and cassava.

Angola's economy

Angola has vast mineral and petroleum reserves. Oil production and supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and 90% of exports. Control of the oil industry is consolidated in the Sonangol Group, a conglomerate owned by the Angolan government. However, Angola's economy is highly dependent on the oil sector, which has increased its vulnerability to external shocks and undermined macroeconomic stability. In 2017, the oil sector accounted for over 90% of exports by value and 64% of government revenue.

Angola's other natural resources include diamonds, gold, copper, iron ore, phosphates, bauxite, uranium, and rich wildlife. Diamonds provided much of the revenue for Jonas Savimbi's UNITA rebellion through illicit trade. Angola is the third-largest producer of diamonds in Africa and has only explored 40% of its diamond-rich territory. However, the country has struggled to attract foreign investment due to corruption, human rights violations, and diamond smuggling.

Agriculture and forestry are areas of potential opportunity for Angola. Angola requires 4.5 million tonnes of grain per year but only grows about 55% of the maize, 20% of the rice, and 5% of the wheat it needs. Less than 3% of Angola's abundant fertile land is cultivated, and the economic potential of the forestry sector remains largely unexploited.

Industry is the most important sector in Angola's economy, accounting for 53% of GDP. The three most important industrial sectors are mineral resources, energy, and manufacturing. Angola is a regional player in energy production, coordinating the energy policy for the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC). Hydroelectric power has been a priority for the Angolan government, with 75.03% of the electricity produced in 2000 being hydro-generated.

Angola's population

Angola has a population of approximately 38 million people, with an estimated 37.2 million in 2023. The population is very young, with only 3% of the population over 65 years old, and 43% under 15 years old. The median age in Angola is 16.5 years. The population is growing, with a yearly growth rate of 2.15% in 2000, and the total fertility rate is 5.54 children per woman.

Angola is the second-largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world in terms of population, and the seventh-largest country in Africa. The capital, Luanda, is the most populous city, with over a quarter of a million inhabitants.

The population of Angola is multicultural and multiethnic, with the largest groups being the Ovimbundu (37%), Ambundu (23%), and Bakongo (13%). Portuguese is the official language, and is spoken by 71.1% of the population, while indigenous languages such as Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo are also widely spoken.

Angola has a low standard of living, with high infant mortality and low life expectancy. However, the economy is growing fast, driven by the oil sector, and Angola is now the second-largest producer of oil in sub-Saharan Africa.

Frequently asked questions