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Angola is home to about 40 different people groups and languages. All fall under the Bantu category with the exception of some isolated and nomadic Khoisan (Bushman) people. The last complete census was taken in 1970, so accurate figures are rare. The estimated population of the country is anywhere from 12-16 million and the major people groups of Angola are the Ovimbundu (30%), Mbundu (25%), Bakongo (20%), and Chokwe (8%). The Portuguese are also a very important part of the culture and language of Angola. In contrast to the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, the tribal distinctions in Angola have been significantly blurred. The prolonged wars have caused massive population upheavals; international refugees and internally displaced peoples number in the millions. Urbanization has been huge: over half of the country’s population migrated to the cities in a 40 year period. The resulting mixing of ethnicities has been profound. Inter-tribal marriages are very common, and children all over the country learn Portuguese – not a Bantu language – as their mother tongue. By and large, the tribal identity has been trumped by the national identity; the nation’s story of death and resurrection has replaced traditional folklore as the narrative framework for reality in Angola.
Portuguese
The Portuguese have played an important role in making the country of Angola what it is today. From 1482 to the 1960s, thousands of Portuguese made Angola their home, and many still do. The Portuguese language is the most widely spoken language in Angola. According to a survey done in 1996, 42% of children under 9 years of age speak Portuguese as their “mother tongue.” A much higher percentage speak Portuguese as a second language.
Ovimbundu
The Ovimbundu are the largest and most homogeneous people group represented in Angola. It is estimated that they account for about one third of the population of the country. Umbundu, the language of the Ovimbundu people, is the most widely spoken language in Angola besides Portuguese and is considered to be a sort of trade language in some areas. The Ovimbundu are traditionally from the Central Plateau and make up most of the population of the Huambo and Bié provinces. The Ovimbundu typically backed UNITA, and so bore the brunt of the Civil War violence. The Bié and Huambo Provinces were the battle ground for the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and of Africa in general. Because of the war they have dispersed all around the country and now constitute majorities in several Southern cities.
Mbundu
With about one quarter of Angola's population, the Mbundu people are the second largest people group. A much smaller percentage speak the traditional Kimbundu language because of the strong Portuguese influence in Mbundu territory (around the capital city, Luanda). The Mbundu are known for their “Westernization” by their adoption of Portuguese as a language as well as intermarrying with the European settlers in Luanda. The MPLA party that took control of the country at Independence is made up mostly of Mbundu people.
Bakongo
The Bakongo people group is the third largest in Angola. They speak the Kikongo language. The Bakongo people cover the Northwestern provinces and extend into The Democratic Republic of the Congo. They formerly were a well-developed empire, which the Portuguese successfully dismantled. Bakongo resentment toward the Portuguese eventually led to a nationalistic movement led by Holden Roberto known as the FNLA. Many Bakongo retain ties with their people in the DRC; in the 1960s a mass exodus of Angolan Bakongo people fled the outbreak of war and went to Bakongo territory in the DRC.
Chokwe
The Chokwe people inhabit the northern part of eastern Angola. They can be found in the provinces of Lunda Sul, Moxico, Bié, and Cuando Cubango. The Chokwe were once a part of the great Lunda Empire, from which they broke away. Their successful trading and abundant resources caused them to be one of the wealthiest people groups in Angola. By 1900 the Chokwe had conquered the Lunda kingdom altogether, and the Chokwe language and influence then began to dominate northeastern Angola. The Chokwe people were hit hard by the Civil War. UNITA headquartered many of their operations in Luena and controlled most of the Chokwe territory.
Others
Besides the numerous smaller tribal groups, Angola is also home to small populations of migrant workers from China, the Philippines, the United States, and Europe. Most of these people come to Angola to work in connection with the petroleum industry.
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