In particular oil and other minerals are among those prone to poor governance, armed conflict and poor performance in economic and social development. This hypothesis, backed by evidence from many parts of the developing world, postulates that countries with weak institutions (a characteristic of most developing countries) are poorly able to with stand the destructive forces of corruption and conflict unleashed by attempts to control and appropriate the rents accruing to the state from the taxation of oil and other mining operations. Mineral exports drive up the value of the currency, undermining the competitiveness of the rest of the economy (such as agriculture and manufacturing) because imports are cheap. Often, these factors feed on and exacerbate other social cleavages, such as ethnic, regional or religious divisions. Angola also has deposits of numerous other, yet-to-be exploited minerals and, in period, it was a medium-sized producer of iron ore. Substantial gas deposits have but are yet to be productively utilized: most of the gas associated with producing being flared. Angola does indeed have an exceptional resource endowment. It is Sub-Saharan second largest oil producer (after Nigeria), with output currently running at over 9 inch a day (b/d), almost entirely from offshore oil fields along the northern coast. It is a fourth largest producer of diamonds (by value), accounting in 2000 for about 15 world’s production of rough diamonds. The diamond resources, both alluvial and concentrated mainly in the north-east of the country. The West African state of Angola became independent from Portugal on the 11th November 1975, the date of the entry into force of the first constitution of the country, known as the Constitutional Law (CL) to emphasize its transitory character. The Angolan Government's human rights record remained poor in 2001; although there were slight improvements in a few areas, serious problems remain. Citizens have no effective means to change their government. Members of the security forces committed extrajudicial killings, were responsible for disappearances, and tortured, beat, raped, and otherwise abused persons. Verification of these reports was extremely difficult, particularly those emanating from remote areas and those areas affected by active combat. The Government often failed to pay the salaries or to supply necessary provisions to the majority of its security forces, which contributed to the harassment and abuse of civilians as security forces tried to obtain supplies. The poor discipline and poor working conditions of the military made it the worst offender; police units generally had better discipline and a more effective chain of command. Other than those personnel assigned to elite units, the Government gives tacit permission for security personnel to supplement their income by the extortion of civilians. Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening. The Government routinely used arbitrary arrest and detention, and lengthy pretrial detention was a problem. Although the Government made some efforts to discipline members of the security forces for abuses, the Government often did not prosecute nor punish those in the security forces who were responsible for abuses. Impunity was a serious problem. The judiciary is subject to executive influence, only functions in certain parts of the country, and does not ensure due process. The legal code and rules of procedure remain outdated. The Government infringed on citizens' privacy rights and forcibly recruited military-age males. The Government instituted and publicized a new conscription campaign to decrease the recruitment of juveniles.

Angola

Angola itself wasn't colonized until 1575 when the Portugese settled the coastal town of Luanda, to participate in the slave trade that would help supply the labor force for the growing sugar colonies of the Americas.

Angola