Angola history, language and culture

Angola was made part of the Congo Kingdom by Wene in the 14th century. It was flourishing a century later, when the first Portuguese explorers reached the country. Relations between the Europeans and the Congo kings were good and missionaries were sent over.

The kings' sons were sent to Lisbon for education until the 17th century, after which the slave trade soured all trust between the two countries. An estimated one million slaves were shipped to Portuguese Brazil between the 16th and 17th centuries. The formal abolition of the slave trade in 1836, following the loss of Brazil, resulted in the Portuguese intensifying colonisation of its other territories, including Angola. The slave trade in Portuguese colonies continued officially until the 1870s and thereafter, barely disguised, until the early 20th century.

Under the fascist government that took power in Lisbon in 1926, Portuguese rule was further consolidated. Opposition was relatively muted until the 1950s when it did emerge, however, the divisions between the liberation movements laid the foundations for the civil war, which has consumed Angola for most of the past four decades.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has led Angola since 1979.