According to Africa Contemporary Record, in 1984 the Angolan armed forces numbered 43,000 (40,000 in the army, 1,500 in the navy and 1,500 in the air force) (1985, B616). The following year the armed forces totalled 39,500 (36,000 in the army, 1,500 in the navy and 2,000 in the air force) (Africa Contemporary Record 1986, B625).The number rose in 1986 to 50,000 and included some 10,000 "Guerilla Forces." The 1986 totals for army, navy and air force personnel remained the same as for 1985 (Africa Contemporary Record 1987, B625).

For more details on military equipment and army divisions and sub-divisions of the Angolan army, please consult the attachments from Africa Contemporary Record. The attached page from the World Defence Almanac for December 1986 also gives details on the size, equipment and organization of the Angolan armed forces. The attachment from the Europa Year Book gives a limited number of defence statistics from 1985. The remaining attachments do not specifically cover the period from 1984 to 1986, but they provide additional information about the Angolan armed forces that may be useful.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Africa Contemporary Record 1987-1988: Annual Survey and Documents. 1989. Edited by Colin Legum and Marion E. Doro. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

Africa Contemporary Record 1985-1986: Annual Survey and Documents. 1987. Edited by Colin Legum. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

Africa Contemporary Record 1984-1985: Annual Survey and Documents. 1986. Edited by Colin Legum. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

Africa Contemporary Record 1987-1988: Annual Survey and Documents. 1989. Edited by Colin Legum and Marion E. Doro. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

Africa Contemporary Record 1985-1986: Annual Survey and Documents. 1987. Edited by Colin Legum. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

Africa Contemporary Record 1984-1985: Annual Survey and Documents. 1986. Edited by Colin Legum. New York: Africana Publishing Company.

The Europa World Year Book 1986. 1986. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications Ltd.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies. 1990. The Military Balance 1990-1991. London: Brassey's Defence Publishing. Laffin John. 1989.

The World in Conflict 1989: War Annual 3. New York: Brassey's Defence Publishing.

World Defence Almanac: 1986-87 Military Technology [Bonn, Germany]. January 1990. No. 1/90. "Sub-Saharan AfricaAngola."

. December 1986. No. 13/86. "Sub-Saharan AfricaAngola."