Angola is approximately twice the size of Texas with about half the population (10,366,000 people). It is potentially one of the richest countries in the world with natural resources such as diamonds, gold, petroleum, copper, and uranium. The political history of Angola is tangled and complex like the politics of many African nations. In summary, Angolans have known war for over two generations. Beginning in the early 60's, Angola faught the Portuguese for independence. Since independence (November 11, 1975) there has been civil unrest over which governing party should lead the nation. The two main parties fighting today are the MPLA (The Popular Liberation Movement of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola). The MPLA, the legitimate government since 1975, controls the capital and the surrounding area in the north. UNITA, on the other hand, controls areas in the south and the east. Over the decades, 10 million landmines have been planted in Angola thus making Angola one of the heavily mined countries in the world. Between civil war and the AIDS epidemic, the the life expectancy has dropped to only 39 years.