Angola Independence Day

This date celebrates the country’s independence from Portugal in 1975. The region was first visited by Portuguese explorer Diogo Cao in 1484. Over the following centuries, the Portuguese established settlements and trading posts along the Angolan coast. It was not until the 20th century that Portuguese control extended to the interior region of Angola. The first movement towards independence began in the 1950s with the creation of political groups wanting self-determination for Angola. The Portuguese refused at the time to acknowledge independence, and this led to the Angolan War of Independence in 1961. The war only came to an end when a military coup in Portugal in April 1974 overthrew the regime of Estado Novo. The new government then called a cease-fire and stopped all military action in the African colonies, declaring its intention to grant their independence. The three main guerrilla groups formed a traditional government in January 1975, but fighting soon broke out. With support from Cuba, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola took control of the country’s capital Luanda, and declared independence on 11th November 1975. It is celebrated with festivals, parades and formal ceremonies.