Countries In Africa: Full List of African Nations and Regions

How many countries are there in Africa? There are 54 countries in Africa. Africa is a very big continent that spans 30.3 million km2. Furthermore, the African Nations are grouped into 5 regions. These are Northern Africa, Western Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa and Southern Africa. These regions are further subdivided into 54 countries and territories.

The largest country in Africa is Algeria while the smallest is Gabon (officially called the Gabonese Republic). When it comes to both size and population, Africa is second only to Asia. Africa has the most youthful population. In addition, it is the continent with the fastest growing population.

Niger, a country in West Africa, has the highest population growth in the world (in 2020) of 3.8%. The countries in Africa are also the most diverse in any continent. African nations are composed of over 3,000 tribes who speak over 1,000 languages! Moreover, each region of Africa has its own culture, and sub-cultures according to the tribes.

Africa, the second-most populated continent in the world, is estimated to have over 1.3 billion inhabitants who are spread over the 54 African countries. Nigeria, in West Africa, is the most populous nation in Africa. The least populated country in Africa is the island nation called Seychelles, that is located in the Indian Ocean near East Africa.

Countries In Africa: Full List of African Nations, Regions and Territories

The following is the full list of African nations and territories. They are arranged in alphabetical order.

Fun fact: South Sudan is the youngest country in the world. The East African nation gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Despite being an oil exporter, South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in Africa and the world.

Western Sahara in North Africa and the British Indian Ocean Territory near Tanzania in East Africa are two of the territories in Africa. There are two French territories in Africa too. These territories are small islands that are located close to Africa, hence their association with the continent. St. Helena island lies in the South Atlantic Ocean (West of Africa) while the two French territories are found in the Indian Ocean, near the East African island nation of Madagascar.

• Saint Helena (British territory)
• Réunion Island (French Territory)
• Mayotte (French Territory)

Fun fact: Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest Island. The 3 bigger islands are the Danish territory of Greenland, New Guinea in Australia and Borneo, an Asian island.

North African Countries

There are 6 countries in Northern Africa, according to the UN, and one territory. Arabic is the most spoken language in North African countries. The countries of Northern Africa contribute about a third of Africa’s total GDP, and they are blessed with natural resources. Oil and natural gas are the biggest natural resources in Northern Africa.

The following is the list of North African countries and territories.

Fun fact: Despite being the richest region in Africa, deserts occupy most of North Africa. The Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, is located in North Africa. Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa while Egypt is North Africa’s biggest economy. Northern Africa is also home to the oldest country in Africa: Egypt!

Countries in West Africa

There are over 15 countries in West Africa. The region has produced some of the famous footballers in the world.

Another distinguishing feature of Western Africa nations is that several of them have French as a national language. This includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte, d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Guinea and Equatorial Guinea. All in all, French is spoken in over half of all African nations: 29 countries.

Fun fact: West Africa is home to the richest and most populated country in Africa, Nigeria. Nigerians make up almost half of the total population in West Africa. Moreover, the country has over 250 ethnic groups who speak over 500 languages!

Number of Central African Countries

The following is a list of central African countries. Most of the nations in this region have huge deposits of minerals. These include diamonds, uranium, copper, gold and oil. Gabon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea are OPEC members who are also some of the biggest oil producers in the continent.

Central Africa is also the birthplace of one of the popular allergy-free dogs. This is the famous African barkless dog – the non-shedding Basenji. However, some of these Central African nations are sometimes regarded as being in East or Southern Africa.

Fun fact: Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish speaking country in Africa. The small middle-African country is a leading exporter of oil and has one of the highest GDP per capita in Africa.

East African Countries List

There are 3 territories and over 15 countries in East Africa. Somalia is the easternmost country in Africa while Kenya is the biggest economy in East Africa. Agriculture is the main economic activity in this region. Tea, coffee, bananas and other fruits, vegetables, sisal, cotton and animal products are in plenty in East Africa.

Other major economic activities in Eastern Africa include fishing, financial services (such as M-Pesa) and tourism. The following is the list of East Africa countries and territories. Some of these countries are sometimes grouped under Central or Southern Africa.

Mayotte and Réunion Island are French territories that are geographically located very close to Africa. The two are among the 5 overseas departments and regions of France. The other 3 regions are Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, and French Guiana in South America.

Fun fact: Swahili (Kiswahili) is the most-spoken language in East Africa. Other popular languages are English in Southern Africa, Arabic in Northern Africa, and French in West and Central Africa. These are only some of the over 1,500 languages spoken in Africa.

List of South African Countries

There are several countries in South Africa. The main economic activities here includes mining, tourism, forestry and livestock farming. Botswana and South Africa are leading exporters of minerals such as gold and diamonds. Other minerals found in the Southern end of Africa include platinum, chrome, vanadium and Manganese.

Some countries in Southern Africa are sometimes categorized under East and Central Africa. But the following nations are often grouped under the South African region.

Fun fact: South Africa is the biggest economy in Southern Africa. It is also the southernmost nation of Africa. There are two small landlocked countries that share borders with South Africa. Lesotho is completely encircled, while most of Swaziland is encircled, by South Africa.

African Countries and Capitals, Population and GDP

The following is a table of all African nations, their capital cities, population in 2019 and GDP per capita (2019). They are arranged in alphabetical order.

More Interesting Facts about cities in Africa:

These are all the African countries and regions. Contrary to what some foreigners assume, Africa is a continent – not a country. And it is a very big and vibrant continent. Lifestyles also vary greatly in this continent: from modern city life in the capital cities to pastoralism and small-scale agriculture in the villages.

Above all, Africans are proud of their cultures and traditions that are passed-on from one generation to the other. In Africa, it takes a village to raise a child.