Angola explained to kids

Angola is a country in southern Africa. It is the seventh-largest country in Africa and is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, and Zambia to the east. Its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city. Angola is a former Portuguese colony that gained independence in 1975. A civil war then raged for almost 30 years. The country has only recently begun to recover. Angola is rich in oil and diamonds but most Angolans live in poverty. Angola is a beautiful country with a lot of history. Portuguese explorers first arrived in Angola in the 1400s. They set up trading posts and brought Christianity to the country. Angola was a Portuguese colony for centuries. But in the 1960s, Angolan people started to fight for their independence. After a long and bloody war, Angola finally became independent in 1975. But the country was soon plunged into another civil war. This war lasted for almost 30 years. Tens of thousands of people were killed. Many more were forced to flee their homes. Angola is now at peace. But the country is still very poor. Most Angolans live on less than $2 a day. The government is working to improve the economy and to provide more opportunities for the people of Angola.