Angolan Civil War: Armed conflict in Angola between 1975 and 2002

The Angolan Civil War was a major civil war in the African country of Angola.

It started in 1975 and continued until 2002. The war began right after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. The Civil War was mostly a fight for power between two former liberation movements, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Other countries got involved in the war because they wanted their own ideologies to win. This made the Angolan war part of the Cold War. In 2002 the MPLA won. About 500,000 people died in the war. The war also did a lot of damage to buildings in Angola. Because of all the damage, in 2003 80% of Angolans lacked access to basic medical care, 60% lacked access to water, and 30% of Angolan children would die before the age of 5, with an overall national life expectancy of less than 40 years of age.

Angolan Civil War
Part of the Cold War and the South African Border War
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath
Date1975–2002
Location
Result

MPLA military victory; transition towards

a multiparty political system; dissolution of the armed forces of UNITA and FNLA; participation of these movements, as political parties, in the new political system, from 1991/92 onwards; resistance of FLEC continued beyond 2002
Belligerents

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath MPLA
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Cuba

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath UNITA
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath FNLA
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath FLEC
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath South Africa (until 1989)
Supported by:
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath United States
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath People's Republic of China
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Zaire
Commanders and leaders
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Agostinho Neto
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath José Eduardo dos Santos
Cuba Arnaldo Ochoa
Cuba Leopoldo Cintra
Soviet Union Konstantin Schaganovich
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Jonas Savimbi
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Holden Roberto
Strength

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Angolan troops:

  • 40,000 - 70,000 (1987)
  • 130,000 (2001)

Cuba Cuban troops:

  • 35 000 - 37 000 (1982)
  • 60,000 (1988)

Soviet Union Soviet troops:

  • 1,200 (1985)

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath UNITA militants:

  • 65,000 (1990, highest)

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath FNLA militants:

  • 22,000 (1975)
  • 4,000-7,000 (1976)

Union of South Africa South African troops:

  • 20,000 (1976)
Casualties and losses

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Unknown
Cuba 2,077 killed,
15,000 dead, wounded or missing

Soviet Union 54 killed

Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Unknown
Angolan Civil War: Background, Combatants, Aftermath Unknown

Union of South Africa 2,300 dead
Over 500,000 civilians killed

About 500,000 people died in the war. The war also did a lot of damage to buildings in Angola. Because of all the damage, in 2003 80% of Angolans lacked access to basic medical care, 60% lacked access to water, and 30% of Angolan children would die before the age of 5, with an overall national life expectancy of less than 40 years of age. With the cival war between 1975 to 2002 it was 27 years of fighting.

Background

In 1575, the Portuguese started to colonize parts of what is now Angola. Before, some of the land was part of the Kingdom of Kongo.

Combatants

MPLA

The MPLA was a communist group fighting for Angolan independence. Its leader was Agostinho Neto. They were supported by the Soviet Union.

UNITA

UNITA was an anti-communist group also fighting for Angolan independence. Its leader was Jonas Savimbi.

FNLA

FNLA was another anti-communist independence group. Its leader was Holden Roberto. The US gave them money by funneling it through Zaire.

War

1970s

In 1975, Portugal signed the Alvor Agreement with MPLA, UNITA, and FNLA. The agreement said that Angola would become independent on 11 November 1975.[source?]

Aftermath

The war destroyed a lot of buildings in Angola.[source?] There are still landmines remaining killing and hurting people.[source?]

References

Tags:

Angolan Civil War BackgroundAngolan Civil War CombatantsAngolan Civil War AftermathAngolan Civil WarAngolaCivil warCold WarLife expectancyMPLAPortugalUNITA

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