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Angola, a country situated in South West Africa famous for its gemstones, was formerly a
In 1994, a peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces.
A national unity government was installed in April 1997, but serious fighting resumed late in 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. However, the death of insurgent leader Jonas Savimbi in 2002 and a subsequent cease-fire with UNITA may bring back the country on the peace path.
Angola is bound by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and is bordered by Namibia to the south and Zambia and Zaire to the east and north. Along the northeast, Angola is bound by Congo (Kinshasa). Angola's 1,600 km-long coastline and its four major ports make it a natural trans-shipment point for the entire region.
Physical Map of Angola
Angola is made up of narrow coastal plain that rises abruptly to vast interior plateau. Angola is bordered by Democratic Republic of the Congo that stretches to 2,511 km, by 1,376 km of
Namibia and 1,110km of Zambia. Angola is made up of narrow coastal plain that rises abruptly to vast interior plateau. Angola is bordered by Democratic Republic of the Congo that stretches to 2,511 km, by 1,376 km of Namibia and 1,110km of Zambia.
The flag of Angloa is made up of two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem, consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle).
Climate of Angola
The climate of Angola is semiarid in nature towards south and along the coast to Luanda while the north has cool, dry season from May to October and hot, rainy season from November to April.
History of Angola
The first inhabitants of the area that is now Angola are believed to have been members of the hunter-gatherer Khoisan group. The Portuguese first explored coastal Angola in the late 15th century and except for a short occupation from 1641 to 1648 by the Dutch, it was under Portugal's control until they left the country late in the 20th cent.
Although they failed to discover the gold and other Precious Metals they were seeking, the Portuguese found in Angola an excellent source of slaves for their colony in Brazil. The modern development of Angola began only after World War II. In 1951 the colony was designated an overseas province, and Portugal initiated plans to develop industries and hydroelectric power. Although the Portuguese professed the aim of a multiracial society of equals in Angola, most Africans still suffered repression. Inspired by nationalist movements elsewhere, the native Angolans rose in revolt in 1961.
In April 1974, the Portuguese government was overthrown in a military uprising. In May that year the new government proclaimed a truce with the guerrillas in an effort to promote peace talks. Later in the year Portugal seemed intent on granting Angola independence and finally the country became independent in 1975.
A new peace treaty was signed in November 1994 but little was gained. In August 1997, a new government of national unity was formed, including several UNITA deputies. But the year 1998 again saw renewed fighting and Angola's ruling MPLA put the country's coalition government on hold, saying that UNITA had failed to meet its peace-treaty obligations. It suspended all UNITA representatives from parliament and declared that it would no longer deal with UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi, instead recognizing a splinter group, UNITA Renovada.
In 1999, the United Nations voted to pull out all remaining troops stationed in the country, while continuing humanitarian relief work with over a million refugees. UNITA was able to finance its activities, including an estimated 30,000 troops stationed in neighboring Zambia and Congo (Kinshasa), with some $500 million a year in Diamond revenues from mines it controlled in the country's northeast. Fighting continued, with Angola's army inflicting several defeats on UNITA beginning in late 1999, weakening UNITA's still sizable forces. International restrictions (2001) on sales of diamonds not certified as coming from legitimate sources also hurt UNITA, and the death of Savimbi in battle in 2002 was a severe blow to the rebels, who subsequently signed a cease-fire agreement. As many as one million people have died in the fighting since 1975, and the country's infrastructure has yet to recover from the effects of the warfare.
People of Angola
The majority of the population is made up of people from African descent. The Ovimbundu, Kimbundu, and Bakongo form the largest ethnic groups while a sizable mixed-race population is also present in Angola. Roman Catholics are in majority while Protestant forms a small section in the society. The official language is Portuguese but most of them speak a Bantu language.
Arts and Crafts
In Angola, art plays a very important role and the country's ethno-linguistic groups each have their own distinct artistic style, and various raw materials such as wood, clay, bronze, and malachite that they use to create beautiful works-of-art. These handicrafts have in turn played an important role in furthering commerce by developing a popularity among the tourists.
Economy of Angola
Decades of war has played havoc with the economy of Angola. The rich agricultural sector of Angola was formerly the mainstay of the economy and even currently provides employment for the majority of the people. But food still needs to be imported in large quantities because of the disruptions caused by the civil war. All areas of production have suffered since fighting began in 1975.
But oil production and the supporting activities are very vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of exports. To fully take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to continue reforming government policies. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from 325% in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Increased oil production is expected to bring about 6% GDP growth in Angola.
