Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional): first nationwide, multiparty
elections were held 29-30 September 1992 with disputed results
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, is a legal party despite its history of 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,
GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, 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 Goncalves Martins PATRICIO embassy: 1819 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 400 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Edmund T. DE JARNETTE embassy: 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda mailing address: C.P. 6484, Luanda; American Embassy, Luanda, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-2550 (pouch) telephone: [244] (2) 345-481, 346-418 FAX: [244] (2) 347-884
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)
@Angola:Economy
Overview: Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80%-90% of the population but accounts for less than 15% of GDP. Oil production is vital to the economy, contributing about 60% to GDP. Despite the signing of a peace accord in November 1994 between the Angola government and the UNITA insurgents, sporadic fighting continues and many farmers remain reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food requirements must still be imported. Angola has rich natural resources - notably gold, diamonds, and arable land, in addition to large oil deposits - but will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies if it is to achieve its potential.