Angola’s History

Angola is a country in southwestern Africa that has been inhabited for thousands of years. The first known inhabitants were the San hunter-gatherer societies, who were later joined by Bantu peoples from the north. By the 13th century, the Kingdom of Kongo had emerged as a major power in the region, controlling a vast territory that stretched from modern-day Gabon to the Kwanza River in Angola.

Portuguese explorers first arrived in Angola in the 15th century, and they quickly established trading posts along the coast. In the 16th century, the Portuguese began to expand their control inland, and by the early 20th century, they had established a colony that covered the entire territory of modern-day Angola.

Portuguese colonization was brutal and exploitative. The Portuguese enslaved millions of Angolans and forced them to work on plantations and in mines. They also imposed a system of forced labor and racial discrimination on the indigenous population.

The Angolan people resisted Portuguese rule from the beginning. In 1961, a group of Angolan nationalists launched a guerrilla war against the Portuguese colonial government. The war lasted for 14 years and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

In 1975, Angola gained independence from Portugal. However, the country immediately descended into a civil war between three rival nationalist movements. The civil war lasted for 27 years and was one of the bloodiest conflicts in African history.

In 2002, the Angolan government and the main rebel group signed a peace agreement, which ended the civil war. Since then, Angola has made significant progress in rebuilding its economy and infrastructure. However, the country still faces many challenges, including poverty, corruption, and inequality.

Key Events in Angolan History:

• 1482: Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reaches Angola.
• 1575: Portuguese settlers establish the city of Luanda.
• 16th-19th centuries: Portuguese colonial rule in Angola.
• 1961-1975: Angolan War of Independence.
• 1975: Angola gains independence from Portugal.
• 1975-2002: Angolan Civil War.
• 2002: Peace agreement ends Angolan Civil War.

Angola Today:

Today, Angola is a republic with a presidential system of government. The current president is João Lourenço, who was elected in 2017. Angola is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

Angola is a rich country in natural resources, including oil, diamonds, and gold. However, the country’s economy is heavily dependent on oil, and it has been hit hard by the recent decline in oil prices.

Angola is still recovering from the long civil war, and it faces many challenges, including poverty, corruption, and inequality. However, the country has made significant progress in recent years, and it is now one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa.