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Angola was embroiled in civil war
for virtually the entire quarter century since
independence. The death
of a veteran rebel leader and the resulting ceasefire
have reawakened hopes for lasting peace.
Although a growing oil producer - at
times the eighth-largest supplier to the United States -
Angola is one of the world's poorest countries and its
life expectancy is among the lowest on the continent.
The ruling Popular Movement
for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the rebel group
Unita were bitter rivals since before the country gained
independence from Portugal in 1975. The Soviet Union and
Cuba supported the then-Marxist MPLA, while the US and
white-ruled South Africa backed Unita as a bulwark
against Soviet interests in Africa.
After 16 years of fighting which
killed up to 300,000 people, a peace deal made it
possible for elections to be held. But Unita rejected
the outcome and resumed the war, in which hundreds of
thousands more were killed. Another peace accord was
signed in 1994, after which UN sent in peacekeepers.
However, the fighting
steadily worsened again and in 1999 the peacekeepers
withdrew, leaving behind a country rich in natural
resources but littered with landmines and ruins of war.
The connection between the
civil war and the unregulated diamond trade - or "blood
diamonds" - was a source of international concern. The
UN imposed a freeze on bank accounts used to trade in
the gems. The death of
Unita leader Jonas Savimbi in a gunfight with government
forces in February 2002 raised the prospect of peace.
The Angolan army and Unita rebels signed a formal
ceasefire in Luanda in April 2002 to end the 27-year
conflict.
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ANGOLA FACTS |
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Population:
13.6 million (UN, 2003) |
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Capital:
Luanda |
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Major languages:
Portuguese (official), Umbundu,
Kimbundu, Kikongo |
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Major religion:
Christianity |
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Life expectancy:
39 years (men), 41 years (women)
(UN) |
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Monetary unit:
1 Kwanza = 100 lwei |
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Main exports:
Oil, diamonds, minerals, coffee, fish,
timber |
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Average annual
income: US $500 (World Bank, 2001) |
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Internet domain:
.ao |
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International
dialling code: +244 |
President: Jose
Eduardo dos Santos
President Dos
Santos
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Dos Santos
became president at the age of 37, replacing the
country's first president, Agostinho Neto, when he died
in 1979. Born in 1942, he
enlisted in the MPLA's guerrilla army at age 19. In the
former Soviet Union he gained qualifications in
petroleum engineering and radar telecommunications. He
held ministerial posts before becoming president.
In the 1992 presidential elections
he narrowly beat Unita leader Jonas Savimbi, who
rejected the result and resumed his guerrilla war.
Dos Santos said in 2001
that he plans to step down before the next elections.
Prime minister: Fernando da Piedade
Dias dos Santos Nando
Defence minister: General Kundi
Paihama
Foreign minister: Joao Bernardo
de Miranda
Finance minister: Jose Pedro de
Morais
The government-controlled
media dominate the scene. The country's only news
agency, Angop, and the only daily newspaper, Jornal de
Angola, are state-owned and they all carry little
criticism of the government.
The constitution provides for freedom
of expression but the government does not always respect
this and the few independent media continue to be
attacked, harassed and threatened.
Nevertheless, several independent
newspapers and private radio stations have recently
grown increasingly bold in their criticism of the
government.
Pay-TV services are operated by
Multichoice Angola, and include Brazilian and
Portuguese channels.
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