The People's Republic of Angola (Portuguese: República Popular de Angola) covers the period of Angolan history as a self-declared socialist state established in 1975 after it was granted independence from Portugal, akin to the situation in Mozambique. The newly founded nation enjoyed friendly relations with the Soviet Union, Cuba, and the People's Republic of Mozambique.[1] The country was governed by the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which was responsible for the transition into a Marxist-Leninist one party state. The group was backed by both Cuba and the Soviet Union.