LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Angola
built 657 days ago
Angola was settled by Portuguese in the 15th century and remained a Portuguese colony until it received independence in 1975. The first European to reach Angola was the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cao, who landed at the mouth of the Congo River in 1483. The country was then ruled by an African monarch, the King of the Kongo, whose capital became the present day M'banza-Congo (Sao Salvador). In 1490, the Portuguese sent a small fleet of ships carrying priests, skilled workers, and tools to the King of the Kongo. Soon... the slave trade led to the deterioration of Portugal's relations with King Afonso and his successors, and internal revolts hastened the decline of the Kongo Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Portuguese expanded their contacts southward along the coast, founding Luanda in 1576.
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Owing mainly to the rapid increase in oil production and the high price of crude oil on the world market, Angola's economy continued to be buoyant in 2006. By the end of April, the country was challenging Algeria for the title of Africa's second largest oil producer and had already become China's largest supplier of crude oil. Chinese expertise and financial backing continued to play a vital role in providing a wide range of developments, including the construction of a new airport on the outskirts of Luanda, the restoration of the Benguela railway, and the rebuilding of the country's road network. China ... negotiated the offer of a $3 billion loan. Other countries that invested in Angola included Brazil, Spain, Portugal, and India, and in September Venezuela offered expert assistance for the country's oil industry.
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Angola