Rail transport in Angola



Transport in Angola comprises:

Railways

• total: 2,761 km
• narrow gauge: mainly 2,638 km of Cape gauge, 1067 mm or 3’ 6’’. There is also 123 km of 0.600-m 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.

Railway links to adjacent countries

• Republic of Congo - no - same 1067mm gauge
• DR Congo - no - Lobito - Lubumbashi restoration link proposed.
• Namibia - no - same gauge - links proposed and partially under construction in 2005.
• Zambia - no

Maps

• UNJLC Map

• Map

Towns served by rail

Main article: Railway stations in Angola

North line

(Also known as Luanda Railway^[1]) (originally 1000mm gauge converted to 1067mm in 1950s)

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

• Musseques
• Viana

Middle line

(610mm gauge)

• Gunza - port
• Gabala - terminus at mine

Central line (Benguela Railway)

( Always 1067mm gauge)

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

South Line

( originally 600mm gauge but was converted to 1067mm gauge in the 1950s. ^[2] )

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

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

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

Proposed

• Cuvelai
• Ondjiva - provincial capital
• Santa Clara - near border

Timeline

2008

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

2007

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

Highways

• total: 76,626 km
• paved: 19,156 km
• unpaved: 57,470 km (1997 est.)

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 roads 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.

Waterways

• 1,295 km navigable

Pipelines

• crude oil 179 km

Ports and harbors

Atlantic Ocean

• from North to South
• Ambriz
• Cabinda
• Luanda - railhead for Malanje
• Lobito - railhead for Congo
• Malongo
• Namibe - railhead for Menongue
• Porto Amboim
• Soyo

Merchant marine

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 of deadweight (DWT)
Cargo ships
Bulk ships	67
Barge carrier	10
Cargo ship	1
Tanker ships
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.

Airports

• 243 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

• total: 32
• over 3,047 m: 4
• 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
• 914 to 1,523 m: 5
• under 914 m: 1 (2002 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

• total: 211 (2002)
• over 3,047 m: 2
• 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
• 914 to 1,523 m: 95
• under 914 m: 80 (2002 est.)

National Airline

• TAAG Angola Airlines

References

This article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2003.

1. ^ ^{a b} Angola: Repair of Luanda Railway Complete in August
2. ^ http://53.1911encyclopedia.org/Angola_%28Portuguese_West_Africa%29
3. ^ Railways Africa - NORTHERN ANGOLAN RAIL LINK-UP
4. ^ Railways Africa - ANGOLA-NAMIBIA LINK

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

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