Angola

Related Categories: City Symbols    World Flags and Symbols    USA State Symbols   

Flag of Angola Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle).

Angola is slowly 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. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2006. - CIA World Factbook.

Symbols of The Republic of Angola
The cog wheel, the machete and the star shall be yellow, symbolizing the country's wealth.
www.angola.org.uk/law_symbols.htm

Angola - Fotw
Description of the flag, Coat of Arms, Presidential flag.
www.fotw.us/flags/ao.html

Angola - wikipedia.org
Angola's motto is "Virtus Unita Fortior", a Latin phrase meaning "Virtue is stronger when united."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola

Angola - U.S. Department of State
Estimates of Angola’s population vary widely, as there has been no census for many years, but it is estimated at no less than 13 million. Angola has three main ethnic groups, each speaking a Bantu language: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, and Bakongo 13%. Other groups include Chokwe, Lunda, Ganguela, Nhaneca-Humbe, Ambo, Herero, and Xindunga. In addition, mixed racial (European and African) people amount to about 2%, with a small (1%) population of whites, mainly ethnically Portuguese. Portuguese make up the largest non-Angolan population, with at least 30,000 (though many native-born Angolans can claim Portuguese nationality under Portuguese law). Portuguese is both the official and predominant language.
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/6619.htm