Angola

Angola is a land of contrast. It has abundant natural resources—petroleum, diamonds, phosphates, timber, uranium, copper, gold, and fish. It also has numerous rivers for hydroelectric energy and fertile farmland. The people are resilient and keen to improve their socioeconomic status. Although, Angola has suffered through five hundred years of Portuguese colonialism and war, peace has reigned since 2002, yet problems remain. The farmland rife with landmines. In 2022, experts estimate that eleven hundred active land-mine fields remain, with somewhere between a half million to one million land mines buried. Many former combatants remain unemployed, with 159,000 awarded a pension of sixty-seven dollars per month, but budgetary constraints have limited disbursement. Many displaced Angolans still reside in neighboring nations or have been removed from their tribal home areas. Health problems are on the rise with polio and malaria, yet HIV/AIDS is contained. Democracy has yet to fully take root in Angola as the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) continues to dominate the political system. Angola could have a bright future, but first the nation must exorcise the ghosts of the past. On a more positive note, Angola’s artistic culture is reviving through poetry, novels, and theater. More and more Angolan writers, artists, and filmmakers are beginning to explore the rich variety of their nation’s long, varied history and the personalities who shaped it. The government is making a concerted effort to increase tourism.