Angola
is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002.
Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
(MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, and the National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas Savimbi, followed
independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when
Angola held national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being
beaten by the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been
lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of
fighting.
Portuguese
is the official language; Bantu and other African languages are also
spoken.