Angola
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Official name: Republic of Angola |
DEMOGRAPHY
ECONOMY |
LIFE & LIBERTY |
unless otherwise indicated, all statistics as at 2005
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Angola is a country in south-central Africa bordering Namibia to the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, and Zambia to the east, and with a west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A former Portuguese colony, it has considerable natural resources, among which oil and diamonds are the most significant. The country is nominally a democracy and is formally named the Republic of Angola (Portuguese: República de Angola, pronounced IPA: [ʁɛ'publikɐ dɨ ɐ̃'gɔlɐ], Kongo: Repubilika ya Ngola).
[edit] Location
At 481,321 mi² (1,246,700 km²[1]), Angola is the world's twenty-third largest country (after Niger). It is comparable in size to Mali and is nearly twice the size of the US state of Texas. Angola's capital, Luanda, lies on the Atlantic coast in the north-west of the country.
Most of Angola is a plateau almost 1000 meters high (over 3,280 ft). From this plateau, rivers flow west across the narrow coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean and east to the Zambezi and Okavango River systems. Natural vegetation on the plateau is mainly woodland, though a few lower areas have tropical forest. Angola has a tropical savanna climate with rain in the hot season (October to March) and a dry cool season (May to August). Temperatures on the plateau are lower than average for their latitude because the land is high. The southern part of the coastal plain is desert.
[edit] Climate
Angola's average temperature on the coast is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 °C) in the winter and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 °C) in the summer.
[edit] Natural Resources
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Peoples
[edit] Provinces
- The Cities of Angola
- Luanda, capital
[edit] Life
- Continual war since 1962 until 2002 has been devastating the country. The psychological, social and spiritual wounds are even more harmful and long-lasting. There is need for the healing of the nation at every level.
- It is striving to tackle the physical, social and political legacy of the 27-year civil war that ravaged the country after independence. Pray for the healing of the nation at every level to continue and for lasting peace and a government sensitive to the well-being of the people.
[edit] Notable statistics
- The mortality rate for children under 5 is 25%
- 45% of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition
- 1 out of 350 people are landmine victims (not including the dead ones), 100,000 amputees
- Between 70-90% of the population lives in poverty
- Billions of dollars from the oil and diamond industry are missing, presumably lining the pockets of corrupt politicians and foreign mercenary wheeler-dealers
- 72,000 km of roads need rebuilding - that's almost twice around the earth at the equator
Source: Jason Mandryk
[edit] Economy
An estimated 80% of annual revenue was diverted into the war, leaving the country impoverished.
Angola's economy has undergone a period of transformation in recent years, moving from the disarray caused by a quarter century of war to being the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the fastest in the world. In 2004, China's Eximbank approved a $2 billion line of credit to Angola. The loan is being used to rebuild Angola's infrastructure, and has also limited the influence of the International Monetary Fund in the country.
Growth is almost entirely driven by rising oil production which surpassed 1.4 million barrels per day in late-2005 and which is expected to grow to 2 million barrels per day by 2007. Control of the oil industry is consolidated in Sonangol Group, a conglomerate which is owned by the Angolan government. In December 2006, Angola was admitted as a member of OPEC. The economy grew 18% in 2005; growth is expected to reach 26% in 2006 and stay above 10% for the rest of the decade. The security brought about by the 2002 peace settlement has led to the resettlement of 4 million displaced persons, thus resulting in large-scale increases in agriculture production.
[edit] History
The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during Bantu migrations. In present-day Angola, Portugal settled in 1483 at the river Congo, where the Kongo State, Ndongo and Lunda existed. The Kongo State stretched from modern Gabon in the north to the Kwanza River in the south. In 1575 Portugal established a colony at Luanda based on the slave trade. The Portuguese gradually took control of the coastal strip throughout the sixteenth century by a series of treaties and wars forming the colony of Angola. The Dutch occupied Luanda from 1641-1648, where they allied with local tribes to consolidate their colonial rule against the remaining Portuguese resistance.
[edit] Colonial era
In 1648, Portugal retook Luanda and initiated a process of reconquest of lost territories, which restored the pre-occupation possessions of Portugal by 1650. Treaties regulated relations with Congo in 1649 and Njinga's Kingdom of Matamba and Ndongo in 1656. The conquest of Pungo Andongo in 1671 was the last great Portuguese expansion, as attempts to invade Congo in 1670 and Matamba in 1681 failed.
Portugal expanded its territory behind the colony of Benguela in the eighteenth century, and began the attempt to occupy other regions in the mid-nineteenth century. The process resulted in few gains until the 1880s. Full Portuguese administrative control of the interior didn't occur until the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1951, the colony was restyled as an overseas province, also called Portuguese West Africa.
Portugal had a colonial presence in Angola for nearly five hundred years, and the population's initial reaction to calls for independence was mixed.
[edit] Independence
After the overthrow of colonial Portugal's government by a socialist-inspired military coup, Angola's nationalist parties began to negotiate for independence in January 1975. An agreement was reached with the Portuguese government, with independence to be declared in November 1975. Almost immediately, a civil war broke out between MPLA, UNITA and FNLA, exacerbated by foreign intervention. Upon independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola's capital and nominal government came under the one-party rule of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
Regional powerhouse, South Africa, soon became involved in the Angolan conflict, ostensibly to protect its interests in its territory of South West Africa, present-day Namibia. The South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) was fighting for independence from South Africa from bases inside Angola. In an attempt to prevent cross-border operations by SWAPO forces, the South African military, the South African Defense Forces, cleared a one-kilometer-wide strip in Angola along nearly half the length of the 1,376 km long border. Zaire, which had provided support to FNLA guerrillas, soon began to furnish support for UNITA as well. In turn, the Soviet Union began to significantly increase military aid to MPLA, providing armored vehicles, aircraft, and advisors, while large numbers of Cuban troops were airlifted by Soviet transport planes into Angola in an undisguised effort to tip the military balance in favor of the MPLA. By October 1975, MPLA and Cuban forces took control of Luanda, and much of the country's infrastructure, forcing UNITA forces to revert to guerrilla actions. The MPLA declared itself unilaterally to be the de facto government of the country when independence was formally declared in November, with Agostinho Neto as the first President.
In 1976, the FNLA was defeated by Cuban troops, leaving the MPLA and UNITA (now backed by the United States of America and South Africa) to fight for power. Since 1979, Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been in control of the country's political leadership. Despite the introduction of a multi-party system in 1991, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has remained in power.
[edit] Civil war
The conflict between MPLA and UNITA raged on in the countryside, fueled by the geopolitics of the Cold War and by the ability of both parties to access Angola's natural resources. The MPLA drew upon the revenues of off-shore oil resources, while UNITA accessed alluvial diamonds that were easily smuggled through the region's very porous borders (LeBillon, 1999).
In 1991, the factions agreed to the Bicesse Accords which were intended to convert Angola from a one-party authoritarian government into a multiparty state with democratic elections in 1992. President dos Santos led the first round of the election with more than 49% of the vote to Jonas Savimbi's 40%. After claims of fraud, civil war again broke out, and the final runoff election never took place.
A 1994 peace accord (the Lusaka protocol) between the government and UNITA provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government. A national unity government was installed in 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. President dos Santos once again suspended moves towards a unity government. Despite the promise of a democratically-elected government and a multi-party system, the Popular Liberation Movement-Labour Party has remained in power.
Angola is frequently in the news headlines due to 31 years of continual warfare followed by a shaky peace. The war has left many scars on this nation, and mamoth challenges for the future. Resettlement of 1.5 million refugees, rehabilitation of 30,000 maimed, care for 20,000 war orphans and reconstruction of roads, railways, homes, hospitals, schools and churches will require enormous resources.
Continual war since 1962 has been devastating. The 25-year civil war has become an unscrupulous battle for power using aid programmes, NGOs and the suffering civilian population as weapons of war. Anti-personnel landmines outnumber the population, and by 1999 there were 100,000 amputees. Forced recruitment of young people is widespread. A large proportion of the rural population has fled to urban areas due to widespread famine. The psychological, social and spiritual wounds are even more harmful and long-lasting.
[edit] Ceasefire with UNITA
On February 22 2002, Jonas Savimbi, the leader of UNITA, was killed in combat with government troops, and a cease-fire was reached by the two factions. UNITA gave up its armed wing and assumed the role of major opposition party. Although the political situation of the country began to stabilize, President dos Santos has so far refused to institute regular democratic processes. Among Angola's major problems are a serious humanitarian crisis (a result of the prolonged war), the abundance of minefields, and the actions of guerrilla movements fighting for the independence of the northern exclave of Cabinda (Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda).
Angola, like many sub-Saharan nations, is subject to periodic outbreaks of infectious diseases. In April 2005, Angola was in the midst of an outbreak of the Marburg virus which was rapidly becoming the worst outbreak of a haemorrhagic fever in recorded history, with over 237 deaths recorded out of 261 reported cases, and having spread to 7 out of the 18 provinces as of April 19, 2005.
[edit] Government
- Angola's motto is "Virtus Unita Fortior", a Latin phrase meaning "Virtue is stronger when united."
- The executive branch of the government is composed of the President, the Prime Minister (currently Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos) and Council of Ministers. Currently, political power is concentrated in the Presidency. The Council of Ministers, composed of all government ministers and vice ministers, meets regularly to discuss policy issues. Governors of the 18 provinces are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the president. The Constitutional Law of 1992 establishes the broad outlines of government structure and delineates the rights and duties of citizens. The legal system is based on Portuguese and customary law but is weak and fragmented, and courts operate in only twelve of more than 140 municipalities. A Supreme Court serves as the appellate tribunal; a Constitutional Court with powers of judicial review has never been constituted despite statutory authorization. Critics have drawn an ironic comparison between Angola's current one-party rule and the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar of Portugal, under whose rule Angolans began their revolt for independence.
- The 27-year-long Angolan Civil War ravaged the country's political and social institutions. The UN estimates of 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), while generally the accepted figure for war-affected people is 4 million. Daily conditions of life throughout the country and specifically Luanda (population approximately 4 million) mirror the collapse of administrative infrastructure as well as many social institutions. The ongoing grave economic situation largely prevents any government support for social institutions. Hospitals are without medicines or basic equipment, schools are without books, and public employees often lack the basic supplies for their day-to-day work.
- The current government has announced an intention to hold elections in 2008. These elections would be the first since 1992 and would serve to elect both a new president and a new National Assembly.
- Six years ago the marvelous prayer breakthrough that brought peace to this nation after three decades of bloody conflict. Since then, he reports that much has been done to resettle war displaced families and in building infrastructure that had been destroyed by the civil war. David shares the following prayer concerns for the upcoming national elections on September 6, 2008:
- “The country’s first elections in its history held in 1992 were contested by the opposition, resulting in the eruption of war in which over one million people were killed and 200.000 families were displaced. The second elections have been convened for September 5 this year with a mixture of optimism and pessimism as to what the outcome of these elections will be.... The fear that these forthcoming elections may again result in bloodshed is a trauma that has to be overcome. We thank God for what He did in the past, bringing peace to our country as the result of your prayers. We once again appreciate your prayer support in following issues:
- 1. That evil spirit powers involved in stirring up violence and destruction will be bound in the authority the Lord gives us in united prayer.
- 2. That a clear framework for elections will be established and that honest good leaders will be raised up to lead the nation.
- 3. Pray for church leadership and for a strong, united prayer response by Christians inside and outside of the country.
- 4. For the healing of trauma and effects of war that still affect many people and families.
- 5. For true peace and stability to come, enabling an end of social injustice, corruption and violence that may continue to hinder the country from obtaining its full potential.
- 6. For the strengthening of the prayer movement which is spreading throughout the country and for raising up and enabling more intercessors.
[edit] Religion
[edit] Hinduism
[edit] Islam
[edit] Jews
[edit] Christianity
[edit] History
The first Catholic mission to the Congo kingdom arrived in 1491 and centered on northern Angola's São Salvador. The initial group consisted of Franciscans, Dominicans, Canons of St. John the Evangelist, and secular priests. A widespread church was formed during the next century under the remarkable Christian King, Afonso I. Afonso's son, Henrique, became the first black African bishop in Catholic history. After a promising beginning, the ravages of the slave trade caused the disintegration of both kingdom and church. Since 1940, Catholicism has grown in Angola, and Vatican II has made the Catholics less hostile toward Protestants.
The first Protestant mission to arrive was the British Baptists who opened a mission at São Salvador among the Bakongo of northern Angola in 1878. Two smaller groups, founded by independent missionaries, have also worked among the Bakongo--the Angola Evangelical Mission which arrived in Cabinda and the coastal area south of the Congo estuary in 1897, and the North Angola Mission which entered Uige (Carmona) in 1925.
Several missions have been active among the Ovimbundu. The Evangelical Church of Central Angola unites the work originally begun by the American Board in 1880 and the United Church of Canada in 1886.
The region west of the plateau and extending south to Sá da Bandeira (now Lubango) was occupied by the Phil-Africaine Mission, which began in 1897 and since 1908 has been supported by the Swiss Reformed Churches. Adventists, who first appeared in 1922, are also found among the Ovimbundu although they have extensive work in the Moxico and Lunda of eastern Angola as well. Brethren missionaries have worked among the Chokwe and Lunda of the northeast since 1884. Southern Angola under comity was assigned to the Africa Evangelical Fellowship. Originally called the South Africa General Mission, the AEF is a faith mission, which entered Angola in 1914. The Alliance of Evangelicals was founded in 1974 and is now composed of ten denominations.
The Bakongo have become the most Christianized people in Angola (in 1960, 55.8% Catholic and 42.7% Protestant) with only 1.5% remaining traditionalist. There are hardly any Protestants in southwestern Angola, and Protestant activity was actually prohibited in the Kwanyama area along the southern border from 1914 to 1960.
[edit] Churches
- Congregations have multiplied, services are packed, and despite their desperation and destitution hundreds of thousands have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ.
[edit] Church and State Relations
[edit] Mission
- See Missions in Angola.
[edit] Broadcasting
[edit] Councils and Networks
[edit] Future Trends
[edit] For More Reading
