Immigration History Of Angola: A Complex Journey

Angola's immigration history is largely characterised by the country's colonial past with Portugal, which has resulted in a significant population of Portuguese descendants in Angola and a large Angolan diaspora in Portugal.

The Portuguese established their primary early trading post in Soyo, Angola, in the 16th century, and went on to set up several other settlements, forts, and trading posts along the Angolan coast. The Portuguese Empire was heavily involved in the Atlantic slave trade, with local slave dealers providing a large number of slaves, usually in exchange for manufactured goods from Europe.

Following Angola's independence in 1975, a large community of Portuguese left the country, with only a small minority remaining. However, in recent years, Angola has seen an increase in Portuguese immigrants, largely driven by economic factors, such as the oil boom in Angola and the financial crisis in Portugal.

Angola has also experienced immigration from other African countries, with an estimated 12,100 refugees and 2,900 asylum seekers in the country by the end of 2007, largely from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In addition, Angola has a history of slavery, with many Angolans being transported as slaves to the United States during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Portuguese established their primary trading post in Angola in the 16th century, which led to the Atlantic slave trade

In the 16th century, the Portuguese established their primary trading post in Angola at Soyo, now the country's northernmost city. This marked the beginning of the Atlantic slave trade, which would continue until Brazil's independence in the 1820s.

Paulo Dias de Novais founded São Paulo de Loanda (Luanda) in 1575 with a hundred settler families and four hundred soldiers. The Portuguese also established several forts and trading posts along the Angolan coast, where they traded manufactured goods from Europe for slaves, who were then sent to plantations. Local slave dealers provided a large number of slaves to the Portuguese Empire, and the slave trade formed the basis of the Kingdom of Kongo's economy.

The Portuguese sought to monopolise the spice trade and took advantage of rivalries between Hindus and Muslims to establish forts and trading posts in Asia and Africa. They also established trading ports in far-flung locations like Goa, Ormuz, Malacca, Kochi, the Maluku Islands, Macau, and Nagasaki, dominating trade between Asia and Europe, as well as within Asia.

The slave trade was abolished in Angola in 1836, and in 1854, the colonial government freed all its slaves. However, these decrees were largely unenforceable, and the slave trade continued until the late 19th century, with slavery persisting in the interior well into the 20th century.

Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975 caused a mass exodus of Portuguese Angolans

Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975 was preceded by a 14-year-long war that began in 1961. The war was fought between the Portuguese colonial authorities and three nationalist movements: the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA). The conflict was devastating for the Portuguese economy, and anti-war sentiment in Portugal grew as the war dragged on. The Portuguese armed forces increasingly felt that they could not defeat the relentless insurgence in the colonies.

These factors led to the overthrow of the authoritarian Estado Novo regime in Portugal in April 1974, in what became known as the Carnation Revolution. The new revolutionary government of Portugal proclaimed a truce with the pro-independence African guerrillas and began promoting peace talks and independence.

The events in Portugal prompted a mass exodus of Portuguese citizens from Angola. The vast majority of the Portuguese Angolans left after independence, creating hundreds of thousands of destitute refugees. By November 1975, when Angola became a sovereign state, the Portuguese community in the country had shrunk from around 350,000 to a small minority.

Angola's civil war from 1975 to 2002 led to a large number of refugees and asylum seekers

Angola's civil war, which lasted from 1975 to 2002, was a power struggle between two former anti-colonial guerrilla movements: the communist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the anti-communist National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The war was also fought between the MPLA and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), which had fought alongside the MPLA during the Angolan War of Independence.

The civil war was characterised by violent internal dynamics and an exceptional degree of foreign military and political involvement. The war is widely considered a Cold War proxy conflict, with the Soviet Union and the United States, along with their respective allies Cuba and South Africa, assisting the opposing factions.

The civil war led to a massive displacement of Angolans, with 4.28 million people, or one-third of the country's population, becoming internally displaced. The war also resulted in the deaths of between 500,000 and 800,000 people, and over one million people were internally displaced.

The civil war devastated Angola's infrastructure and severely damaged public administration, the economy, and religious institutions. The war also left a legacy of landmines, which continue to cause civilian casualties.

Post-2008, Portugal's financial crisis and Angola's economic growth led to reciprocal migration between the two countries

Following the 2008 financial crisis in Portugal, there was a significant increase in migration from Portugal to Angola, its former colony. This was driven by the economic growth in Angola, fuelled by its vast oil reserves, and the relative prosperity it offered in comparison to Portugal. Angola's economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world, and its oil wealth has attracted many Portuguese companies and investors. This has resulted in a significant Portuguese population in Angola, with estimates of at least 220,000 Portuguese living there as of 2008.

On the other hand, Angola has also experienced an increase in emigration to Portugal. This is due to the educational opportunities that Portugal offers, as well as the economic crisis and political instability in Angola. Angolan students view Portugal as a desirable destination for higher education because of the language (Portuguese is the official language in both countries) and the perceived higher quality of Portuguese universities. Additionally, the economic crisis and political instability in Angola have prompted some Angolans to seek better opportunities in Portugal.

This reciprocal migration between Angola and Portugal is shaped by their shared colonial history and the resulting cultural, linguistic, and economic ties. It also highlights the complex dynamics of global migration, where the movement of people is influenced by a range of factors, including economic conditions, educational opportunities, and historical connections.

Angola's economic growth and development have attracted migrants from China, Portugal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other African countries

Angola's economic growth and development have attracted migrants from various parts of the world, including China, Portugal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other African countries. Here is an overview of the immigration trends from these regions:

China

China is Angola's largest trading partner in Africa, and the economic relationship between the two countries has resulted in significant Chinese migration to Angola. As of 2013-2014, there were an estimated 250,000 to 259,000 Chinese migrants living in Angola, making it one of the most significant destinations for Chinese expatriates in Africa. This migration has been a topic of interest for ethnographic fieldwork, with studies exploring the discourse and impact of Chinese globalization in Angola.

Portugal

Portugal has a long historical presence in Angola, dating back to the establishment of its primary trading post in Soyo in the 16th century. The Portuguese colony of Angola was officially founded in 1575 by Paulo Dias de Novais, who arrived with a hundred families of colonists and four hundred soldiers. Luanda, the current capital, was established during this early period of Portuguese settlement. In the 19th century, Angola was declared a formal Portuguese province, and in the early 20th century, large-scale white emigration and settlement were encouraged by the mainland government. By 1960, there were up to 172,000 Portuguese settlers in Angola, contributing significantly to its economy. However, the number of Portuguese Angolans decreased sharply during and after the Angolan War of Independence (1961-1975). Many Portuguese left the country, and by 1976, only 30,000 to 40,000 remained. Following Angola's abandonment of the socialist regime in 1991, and the subsequent economic boom, many Portuguese Angolans returned, and new migrants were attracted by economic opportunities. As of 2013, there were an estimated 200,000 Portuguese nationals in Angola.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo share a 2,646-kilometer border and have a complex historical relationship. There has been a significant flow of Congolese migrants to Angola, with an estimated 400,000 Congolese migrant workers in the country as of 2008. However, Angola has also conducted regular mass expulsions of irregular Congolese immigrants since 2003, with human rights organizations documenting cases of degrading and inhuman treatment during these expulsions. The two countries' political ties have fluctuated over time, with Angola supporting the Congolese government during conflicts but also prioritizing stability over the Congolese president's attempts to remain in power, leading to a cooling of relations.

Other African Countries

While the migration from the above-mentioned regions is significant, Angola has also attracted migrants from other African countries. This includes refugees and asylum seekers, such as the 12,100 refugees and 2,900 asylum seekers in Angola by the end of 2007, 11,400 of whom were from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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