ANGOLA

The Republic of Angola is a southwestern, coastal African nation. It is bordered by

Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo. Angola
gained its independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975. Since its independence,
Angola has endured civil war paired with numerous corrupt elections. The Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) government has been holding power since
1979. The current president of Angola's republic is Jose Eduardo Dos Santos. Roughly 19
million people live in Angola, with about 59% living in urban areas. Angola is rich is natural
resources, including oil and diamonds, and as a result its economy is one of the fastest
growing in the world. However, the impoverished population has yet to see the benefits
of increased prosperity, and the country is still in a state of reconstruction after decades
of civil war.
Allies: Cuba, U.S. and Namibia.
Enemies: Zaire and Zambia.
During the 27 years of civil war, Angolas relations with its neighbors,
particularly Mobutus Zaire and Zambia, were poor because
both countries had links with UNITA. During the late 1990s Zambia had
emerged as UNITA's primary point of supply, despite UN sanctions.
Relations have since been normalised. Relations with its southern
neighbour, Namibia, have always been excellent since Angola allowed
SWAPO to use Angolan territory during its liberation struggle. Zaire also
intervened in the conflict, as it had a long-standing border dispute with the
Angolan government.