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UN Audiovisual LibraryA dramatic change of regime in Portugal in 1974 led to the end of more than a decade of fighting for independence in Portugal's colonized African territories.
Angola acceded to independence on 11 November 1975.
A car abandoned by a departing Portuguese has been converted to play equipment by the children of Luanda in July 1975.
At dusk some of the remaining Portuguese soldiers patrol an area near Luanda in an armoured vehicle. [July 1975]
(Left) In the town of Sá da Bandeira (later Lubango) in southern Angola, people gather to welcome the leader of the National Union for the Total Liberation of Angola, Dr. Jonas Savimbi. The flags of the three liberation movements seen here are, right to left, Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, National Union for the Total Liberation of the Liberation of Angola, and National Front for the Liberation of Angola. [July 1975]
(Right) A garbage collector in Luanda showing his support to the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) on the morning of the independence day [11 November, 1975].
(Left) A young soldier of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in Luanda. [November 1975]
(Right) A soldier of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) on an armoured vehicle at the military parade on the afternoon of the independence day. Seen in the background is a Portuguese statue in Luanda covered with red sheets.
Two happy soldiers, Portuguese and Angolan, one is heading home to relive his freedom and the other is staying home to regain his freedom. On the eve of independence the few remaining Portuguese soldiers left Angola. [10 November 1975]
(Left) Prior to their departure from Angola, Portuguese residents selling their clothes. [July 1975]
(Right) With whatever belongings they could take, the Portuguese residents in Angola waiting at the Luanda Airport for flights to Lisbon. [July 1975]
Members of the Organization of the Women of Angola (OMA) take part in a rally on the independence day [11 November 1975].
Leader of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Dr. Agostinho Neto, gives a speech from the balcony of the City Hall of Luanda in the morning of the independence day [11 November 1975].
(Left) On the independence day in Luanda, supporters of Dr. Agostinho Neto, President of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, showing an enthusiastic response to a speech made by their leader.
(Right) Angolans celebrate their newly-gained independence from Portugal in Luanda [11 November 1975].
Angolan children express their feelings with victory signs [July 1975].
Angola became a Member of the United Nations on 1 December 1976. The photo shows the flag raising ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York.
When the United Nations was founded in 1945, some 750 million people, nearly a third of the world's population, lived in Territories that were under colonial powers. The United Nations was central to the decolonization process and the independence of 80 former colonies – today members of the United Nations.
The UN Photo Library holds an extensive collection of images documenting the work of the United Nations. For detailed information on the images in this photo essay, follow the links below. Images are listed in order of appearance.
UN Photo/Jean Pierre Laffont : UN7539875, UN7540095, UN7539893, UN7539889, UN7539887, UN7539886, UN7539888, UN7539879, UN7539880, UN7539891, UN7539895, UN7539892, UN7540096, UN7694728
UN Photo/Saw Lwin : UN7598137