ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Central and Southern Africa which covers an area of more than 24 million square kilometres, nearly seven times larger than Northern and Western Europe, and comparable in size to Asia. The distribution of religions throughout Central and Southern Africa tends to reflect patterns of colonization based sometimes on trade and sometimes on missionary fervour. There are over 40 political parties, the three most significant being the Peoples Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA). In August 1992 a Grand National Debate was held to discuss the country's political future and agreement was reached to hold future multiparty elections. Eventually in January 1998, UNITA agreed to demilitarization and was transformed into a political party. In 1998 there were civil and student riots in protest against alleged government corruption, and calls for the removal of President Robert Mugabe.
