Portuguese navigators arrived in Angola in 1483 and soon began the colonization of the territory. The settlers created commercial warehouses which were later used for slave trade.

The pacification of the territory by the settling power was a time consuming and complex task. Until 1930, the resistance movements in the interior of the country continued to fight against the colonial regime and the 1950s saw the beginning of nationalist movements. In the 1960s and 1970s, liberation movements fought against the presence of Portugal and, as a result of the revolution of April 25th 1974, independence was achieved on November 11th 1975. After the decolonization process, the country fell into a devastating civil war (1975-1991). Rivalry between the Movimento Popular para a Libertação de Angola (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola), the MPLA (the national government party, formed by the Mbundu), and the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (National Union for Total Independence of Angola), the UNITA (the party of the Ovimbundu), originated thirty years of continuous war.

Relying on Cuban and Soviet support, MPLA won the first official elections after the independence in 1975 and took over the control of the capital and the areas of oil exploitation, whereas UNITA, relying on North American and South African support was responsible for the control of the oriental and meridional areas of the country.

In 1989, the Cuban troops retreated and in 1991 the MPLA and the UNITA signed a peace agreement sponsored by Portugal, the USA and the Soviet Union. Multiparty free elections took place the following year, under the watching eye of the international community. After the victory of MPLA, led by José Eduardo dos Santos, UNITA refused to accept the result of the elections, claiming there had been a fraud. The fight started once more with hostility, especially in the capital. The progressive detente (despite clear scepticism between both parties) enabled, in due course, the pacification of the country. After complex and time consuming negotiations evolving, among other issues, the definition of the status of Jonas Savimbi, leader of UNITA, in April 1997 the Governo de Unidade e Reconciliação Nacional (Government for National Union and Reconciliation) took office, integrating representatives from both parties.

The death of Jonas Savimbi in 2002 and the following ceasefire with UNITA led to the stability of the country even though there are still guerrilla groups in Cabinda.