The Republic of Angola was under Portuguese colonization until November 1975, when it gained its independence. Afterwards, the Civil War ravaged the country for 27 years, until it finally ended in 2002, leaving the country with a myriad of socioeconomic problems. Nowadays, Angola is a presidential republic, divided into 18 provinces, and is still trying to recover. The official language of the country is Portuguese.
After 2002, the country reached more or less economic stability, its GDP still wavering from 103 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 to an estimated 95 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, and back to 124 billion U.S. dollars the following year. It is estimated to exceed roughly 154 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, making Angola's economy one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide.
An OPEC member, Angola produces around 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, making it one of the most important countries in terms of oil production. The diamond and natural gas sectors account for a large part of the country’s industry. One of the import partners is China, with whom Angola predominantly trades petroleum products. Another major share of its oil products is shipped to the United States.
