Transport in Angola

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Transport in Angola comprises:

[edit] Railways

total: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: mainly 2,638 km of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) (Cape gauge). There is also 123 km of 600 mm (1 ft 11+⁵⁄₈ in) gauge (2002)

There are three separate lines which do not link up. The major railway is the Benguela railway. A fourth system once linked Gunza and Gabala.

Railways in Angola suffered a lot of damage in the civil war, particularly the Benguela railway. A $4b project is proposed to restore the lines, and even to extend the system. It was reported in January 2008 that the repair of the Northern Line (a.k.a. Luanda Railway), started in October 2003 will be completed by August 2008. The work was carried out by the Chinese firm MEC-TEC.^[1]

A link to Namibia is partly under construction.

[edit] Railway links to adjacent countries

Republic of Congo - no - same 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge
- Republic of Congo
DR Congo - no - Lobito - Lubumbashi restoration of link proposed.
- DR Congo
Namibia - no - same gauge - links proposed and partially under construction in 2005.
- Namibia
Zambia - no
- Zambia

[edit] Maps

[edit] Towns served by rail

Main article: Railway stations in Angola

[edit] North line (Luanda Railway)

(originally 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+³⁄₈ in) gauge, converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1950s)

Luanda - port - capital
Caxito - branch terminus
Ndalatando
Golungo Alto - branch terminus
Zenza do Itombel - junction
Dondo - branch terminus
Malanje - terminus
Musseques
Viana

[edit] Middle line

(610 mm (2 ft) gauge)

Gunza - port
Gabala - terminus at mine

[edit] Central line (Benguela Railway)

( Always 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge)

Benguela - port
Lobito - port
Cubal
Ganda - junction
Huambo - workshops
Kuito
Camacupa
Cuemba
Chicala
Luena
Luau - border with Congo
Dilolo, Congo

[edit] South Line (Moçâmedes Railway)

( originally 600 mm (1 ft 11+⁵⁄₈ in) gauge but was converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in the 1950s. ^[2] )

Namibe - port
Bibala
Lubango - (246 km) - junction
Matala - intermediate station
Dongo - (500 km) - junction
Cubango
Cuchi
Menongue - terminus (756 km)

Lubango - junction
Chiange - branch terminus (150 km) which may be extended to link with Namibia.

Dongo, Huila, Angola - junction
Cassinga - iron ore
Chamutete - branch terminus

[edit] Proposed

[edit] Timeline

[edit] 2008

July 2008 - 1000 km connection to Republic of Congo proposed ^[3]

[edit] 2007

26 October, 2007 - talks between Angola and Namibia regarding the link between Namibia and Chamutete. ^[4]

[edit] Specifications

Brakes: Air - twin pipe for passenger cars
Couplers: Alliance with 10A contour ^[5]

[edit] Highways

total: 52,429 km

country comparison to the world: 79

paved: 5,349 km
unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Travel on highways outside of towns and cities in Angola (and in some cases within) is often not best advised for those without four-by-four vehicles. Whilst a reasonable road infrastructure has existed within Angola, time and the war have taken their toll on the road surfaces, leaving many severely potholed, littered with broken asphalt. In many areas drivers have established alternate tracks to avoid the worst parts of the surface, although careful attention must be paid to the presence or absence of landmine warning markers by the side of the road.

The Angolan government has contracted the restoration of many of the country's roads, though. Many companies are coming into the country from China and surrounding nations to help improve road surfaces. The road between Lubango and Namibe, for example, was completed recently with funding from the European Union, and is comparable to many European main routes. Progress to complete the road infrastructure is likely to take some decades, but substantial efforts are already being made in the right directions.

[edit] Waterways

1,300 km navigable (2008)

country comparison to the world: 36

[edit] Pipelines

gas, 2 km; crude oil 87 km (2008)

[edit] Ports and harbors

[edit] Atlantic Ocean

[edit] Merchant marine

total: 6

country comparison to the world: 128

by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
foreign owned: 1 (Spain)
registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas) (2008)

Statistics for the Shipping Industry of Angola

Total: 4 ships (1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over)

Totalling: 4,343 GRT/4,643 metric tons deadweight (DWT)

67

10

1

Petroleum tanker ships

1

Passenger ships

Combined passenger/cargo

2

Foreign Ownership and Documentation
Note: 5 ships registered in the Bahamas. 2006 estimates.

Source: This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.

[edit] Airports

211 (2008)

[edit] Airports - with paved runways

total: 30
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2008)

[edit] Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 181 (2008)
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 42 (2008)

[edit] National Airline

TAAG Angola Airlines

[edit] History

Angola had an estimated total of 43 airports as of 2004, of which 31 had paved runways as of 2005. There is an international airport at Luanda. International and domestic services are maintained by TAAG, Air France, Air Namibe, Sabena, South African Airways, TAP (Portugal) and several regional carriers. In 2003, domestic and international carriers carried 198,000 passengers. There are airstrips for domestic transport at Benguela, Cabinda, Huambo, Namibe, and Catumbela.

[edit] References

This article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2003.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.

[aa20080122-0] Angola: Repair of Luanda Railway Complete in August

[1] ttp://53.1911encyclopedia.org/Angola_%28Portuguese_West_Africa%29

[2] Railways Africa - NORTHERN ANGOLAN RAIL LINK-UP

[3] Railways Africa - ANGOLA-NAMIBIA LINK

[4] ttp://www.icf.gov.in/html/angola_write-up.pdf

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