Many traditional religions in Angola are giving way to Christianity and Afro-Christian religions. The Roman Catholic and Protestant missionaries started to have a major influence in Angola in the 20th Century.
Catholics make up the majority of the Christian population.
A variety of Protestant groups with American and British links make up the rest of the Christian population. The Marxist government that took over in 1975 suppressed many religious organizations. Schools and clinics were confiscated from churches. People were however free to practice their religions. Other groups that were viewed as dangerous, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, were banned.