The African country that was the site of a long and brutal civil war from 1975 to 2002 is Angola. The war began shortly after Angola gained independence from Portugal, with various factions, primarily the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola), fighting for control. The conflict was exacerbated by Cold War dynamics, receiving support from the Soviet Union and the United States, respectively. The war resulted in immense human suffering, displacement, and destruction. It finally ended with a peace agreement in 2002, allowing Angola to begin a challenging process of reconstruction and recovery.