| "> | | | | under the rule of Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, the |
| Foreign Relations | | | | country's ruler since 1979, abandoned |
| Did you know- Present-day Angola has an | | | | Marxism-Leninism, along with Benin, Ethiopia, and Sao |
| independent foreign policy since the 1990s. Currently, | | | | Tome & Principe. |
| the modern state of Angola maintains close diplomatic | | | | Language |
| relations with the United States of America. It has also | | | | Did you know- The Portuguese is the official language, |
| excellent ties with Brazil and the People's Republic of | | | | but Angola, a vast nation with a host of ethnic groups, |
| China. In December 2008, the country's ruler Jose | | | | has a large non-Portuguese speaking population. |
| Eduardo dos Santos, a Soviet-trained-engineer, arrived | | | | Ruacana Falls |
| in Beijing, China's capital, for an official visit. During Cold | | | | Did you know- The country is home to the Ruacana |
| War, in the 1970s and early 1980s, it had had rocky | | | | Falls, one of Africa's natural wonders. It is Southern |
| relationship with the White House. During that time, | | | | Africa's fourth-largest waterfalls |
| Luanda forged strong links with the Soviet Union | | | | Famous Visitors |
| (modern-day Russia), Cuba, Bulgaria and the German | | | | Did you know- Pope Benedict XVI visited the country |
| Democratic Republic (now Germany). Due to its | | | | in March 2009; the first visit from a Vatican leader to |
| anti-American policy, the Angolan rule, along with other | | | | Africa since 2000 when John Paul II went to Mount |
| pro-Soviet states, boycotted the 1984 Summer | | | | Sinai, Egypt. By the early 1990s, Pope John Paul II |
| Games in Los Angeles, CA. | | | | travelled to Angola |
| Tourism | | | | Luanda |
| Did you know- This land has important scope for | | | | Did you know- Luanda, one of sub-Saharan Africa's |
| exploiting its potential in fishing, and eco-tourism. There | | | | most important cities, is the national capital of the |
| are several virgin beaches -unknown in the world-- | | | | country. |
| with spectacular landscapes and a favorable climate. | | | | Angola & Miss World |
| Geography | | | | Did you know- At the 2007 Miss World in Sanya |
| Did you know- This former Portuguese colony is | | | | (China), the country's representative Micaela Patricia |
| Africa's seventh-largest country, after Sudan, Algeria, | | | | Reis achieved the highest-ever finish for an Angolan |
| Libya and other countries. Otherwise, the African | | | | beauty queen, first runner-up. Miss Reis had been |
| nation of Angola shares borders with Namibia (former | | | | hand-picked by an international panel of judges. Since |
| South African territory) and Zambia (ex British | | | | the late 1990s, the African nation of Angola has |
| dependency), as well as Congo ( ex French territory), | | | | competed in 11 Miss World contests. |
| and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former | | | | Basketball |
| Zaire).It is one of the most diverse nations on the | | | | Did you know- Astonishingly,Angola, a former war-torn |
| Planet, from tropical jungles, and savannahs to | | | | nation (from 1976 to 1992), has competed, without |
| mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and deserts. | | | | foreign coaches, in five FIBA World Cups (Spain'86, |
| Economics | | | | Argentina'90, Canada'94, USA'02, and Japan'06). In |
| Did you know- Thanks to oil exports, between 1994 | | | | addition, the Angolan men's basketball team will be one |
| and 2004, the country boasted one of the world's | | | | of the 24 squads present at the 2010 FIBA World |
| fastest-growing economies, ahead of several Asian | | | | Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey. By 1986, in the World |
| and Latin American nations. | | | | Championships, the Angolan team, which had beat |
| Modern History | | | | Australia (one of the world's top ten basketball teams) |
| Did you know- Like many Portuguese colonies on the | | | | in the previous round, placed 20th. By the early 2000s, |
| African mainland, the modern country of Angola, once | | | | it finished 11th in the global tournament in Indianapolis |
| the seat of an ancient kingdom, gained its national | | | | (USA), ahead of China, Venezuela and Canada. On |
| independence in the mid-1970s. Then, in the succeeding | | | | the other hand, the nation has competed in five |
| years, it, with Soviet/Cuban backing, became a Marxist | | | | Olympic tournaments (Barcelona'92, Atlanta'96, |
| republic in the Third World, alongside states like the | | | | Sydney'00, Athens'04 and Beijing '08). At the XXV |
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea (also known | | | | Summer Games in Spain, Angola defeated the |
| as North Korea), Laos, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Benin | | | | People's Republic of China 79-69. |
| (former Dahomey). In the subsequent decade, Angola, | | | | |