History of Angola

The first settlers in the geographical space currently known as Angola were the San hunter-gatherers, after which the northern domains such as Ndongo and Kongo settled there. Located in southwestern Africa, the country derives its name, Angola; meaning “king” from Kimbundu, a Bantu language.
Portuguese colonists began trading in Angola in the 15th century before another settlement was established at Luanda, the country`s capital in the 16th century. Right from 1655, Angola became a Portuguese colony, and was a peaceful colony until the quest for independence began.
The Angolan War of Independence began on the 4th of February, 1961, and ended in 1974. The country gained independence a year after, on the 11th of November, 1975. Just a few months after independence, a civil war broke out in Angola and lasted until 2002. Angola is bordered by the Republic of the Congo to the far northwest, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and northeast, and by Zambia to the southeast. To the south is Namibia, and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of over 32 million people, Angola has various ethnic groups, some of which are the Bantu, the Ovimbundu, the Kimbundu, and the Bakongo people. Among the country`s numerous ethnic groups, there are about 50 languages, however, Portuguese is the country`s official language. The most common religions in Angola are Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and traditional religions, however, it is highly populated with Christians.