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ECA Scroller
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Southern Africa
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 16 August 2007 |
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SOUTH AFRICA
Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe
 The European influence began with slave trade and quickened later in 19th century, when the discovery of a huge mineral wealth secured South Africa’s economic dominance.
The struggle against the white minority led to conflict in
Namibia,
Zimbabwe, and the former Portuguese territories of
Angola and
Mozambique.
South Africa’s apartheid laws, which denied basic human rights to more than 75% of the people, led to international exclusion until 1994, when the democratic elections began a new era of racial justice.
At
Victoria Falls, the
Zambezi
River has cut out a spectacular gorge. A wide range of crops, such as tea, cotton, sisal, tobacco, grapes, citrus fruits, corn, cassava, legumes, and potatoes, are grown here, some with the help of irrigation systems, such as the Orange River Project, which supplements the irregular rainfall. Source: http://www.africanculturalcenter.org/1_2south.htm |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 August 2007 )
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 August 2007 )
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
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Angola - History
In 1482, when the Portuguese first landed in what is now northern
Angola, they encountered the Kingdom of the Kongo, which stretched from modern
Gabon in the north to the
Kwanza
River in the south. Mbanza Kongo, the capital, had a population of 50,000 people. South of this kingdom were various important states, of which the
Kingdom of
Ndongo, ruled by the ngola (king), was most significant. Modern
Angola derives its name from the king of Ndongo.
Portuguese Colonist:
The Portuguese gradually took control of the coastal strip throughout the 16th century by a series of treaties and wars. The Dutch occupied
Luanda from 1641-48, providing a boost for anti-Portuguese states. In 1648, Brazilian-based Portuguese forces re-took
Luanda and initiated a process of military conquest of the
Congo and Ndongo states that ended with Portuguese victory in 1671. Full Portuguese administrative control of the interior did not occur until the beginning of the 20th century.
The Slave Trade:
Portugal's primary interest in
Angola quickly turned to slavery. The slaving system began early in the 16th century with the purchase from African chiefs of people to work on sugar plantations in São Tomé, Principé, and
Brazil. Many scholars agree that by the 19th century,
Angola was the largest source of slaves not only for
Brazil, but also for the
Americas, including the
United States.
Click to View CIA Facts Book on Angola Link:
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 August 2007 )
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