The country of Angola is the seventh largest in Africa. It is located on the southwestern coast of the continent. It is bordered by the Congo on the northwest, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, Zambia on the southeast, Namibia on the south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. The small area of Cabinda lies to the northwest and is separated from the rest of Angola by a strip of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital and largest city is Luanda. Angola has rich natural resources, but the country has long been ravaged by the problems of colonialism and by civil war. It was a colony of Portugal for almost 500 years and beginning in 1975 suffered from decades of civil warfare. GeographyAngola has an area of 481,354 square miles (1,246,700 square kilometers). It extends about 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) from north to south and averages 675 miles (1,090 kilometers) east to west. - Rock formations are a feature of the eroded landscape south of Luanda, Angola.
Most of Angola consists of a plateau covered by open grasslands and small bushes. There are lowlands along the coast and in the north near the Congo River. The coastal lowlands rise to a mountainous section. East of the mountains is the plateau that covers two thirds of the country. Angola has a tropical climate, with a rainy season that lasts from October to mid-May. The southwest is desertlike, while the northeastern parts of the country are humid. Temperatures in Angola are determined more by elevation than by season. Overall, however, the temperatures are moderate, ranging from 60° F (16° C) to 79° F (26° C). Plants and animalsAngola was once covered by dense rain forests, but many of the trees have been cut down by loggers and farmers. Most of Angola's surface is now covered with different kinds of savanna (grasslands with scattered trees). Wildlife is abundant in much of Angola, but many species are endangered by human activities. The civil war damaged the habitats of some animals, and hunters have reduced the numbers of others. The endangered species include the African elephant, the black rhinoceros, the giant sable antelope, and the Angolan giraffe. The country also has leopards, lions, hyenas, elephants, hippopotamuses, zebras, and buffaloes. The land is rich in bird species and has a wide variety of reptiles, including crocodiles. People and cultureBantu-speaking peoples make up most of Angola's population. The two largest groups are the Ovimbundu and the Mbundu. Groups of San live in the southeast. Portuguese is the official language. Local languages such as Bantu, Umbundu, and Kimbundu and their dialects are also spoken. Traditional religions have largely given way to Christianity. A majority of the Christians in Angola are Roman Catholics. Although the country has several daily newspapers, many people get their news from wall newspapers. Angola also has radio and television broadcasting services. The country has a rich oral literature, and Angolan artisans produce sculptures in wood, ivory, clay, and copper. Football and basketball are popular sports. EconomyAngola has a mixed economy based largely on agriculture and on the extraction of petroleum and mineral resources. Farmers raise cassava, sugarcane, corn, bananas, sweet potatoes, millet, and palm oil. Some cattle are raised in the plateau areas. Angola's primary exports are crude oil and refined petroleum products, diamonds, and liquefied petroleum gas. The imports include consumer goods and transport equipment. Among the country's principal trading partners are the United States, Portugal, Brazil, and France. HistoryBefore European domination, various societies were established in what is now Angola. Bantu-speaking peoples developed powerful kingdoms that traded in iron and other products. The most important of these kingdoms was the Kongo. The economy was based on farming, cattle raising, hunting and fishing, and the production of tools and household goods. Portuguese explorers first reached Angola in 1483. The capital, Luanda, was founded in 1576. Portugal's colonization of the area was slow, but they soon established a flourishing slave trade. By the early 17th century Portugal was transporting 5,000 to 10,000 slaves from Luanda every year. By the time World War I began in 1914, Portugal had conquered all of the area. Under Portuguese rule, economic opportunities for Africans were limited. Forced labor was common, and economic development was undertaken for Portugal's benefit. In 1961 Angolans took up arms against Portugal, and violent guerrilla fighting lasted for 14 years. The two principal independence groups were the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Cuban troops and Soviet arms supported the MPLA, while South Africa and the United States provided military aid to UNITA. Angola became independent on November 11, 1975, but the MPLA and UNITA proclaimed rival republics. The MPLA gained control of the government, and the country was immediately plunged into civil war. There were several attempts to end the fighting, but it continued for more than 20 years. Under pressure from the United States and Soviet officials, the MPLA and UNITA signed a cease-fire agreement in 1991. The MPLA won the elections of September 1992. Refusing to accept defeat, UNITA then renewed the fighting. The government and UNITA came to terms in November 1994. A United Nations peacekeeping force attempted to maintain the agreement, but fighting broke out again in 1998. Population (2001 estimate), 10,366,000. |