List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa
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This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa. It includes both fully recognized states, states with limited recognition, and dependent territories of both African and non-African states. It lists 54 sovereign states and 10 non-sovereign territories.
Malta and parts of France, Italy, Portugal and Spain are located on the African continental plate, some considerably closer to the African than European mainland, but politically are generally considered European by convention. Similarly, the island of Socotra is also on the African plate and much closer to Africa, but is politically part of the Asian state of Yemen. Egypt, although extending into Asia through the Sinai Peninsula, is considered an African state.
Contents
Sovereign states[edit]
Recognised states[edit]
The following 54 fully recognised states are all members of the United Nations,[1] and as of 2015, all except Morocco and the Central African Republic are members of the African Union.[2][3][4]
| * | = Membership Withdrawn[n 1] |
| * | = Membership Suspended[n 2] |
| Flag | Map | English short and formal names [5][6][7] |
Domestic short and formal names[5][6] | Capital [7][8][9] |
Population[a][b] [10] |
Area[a][b] [11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Algeria People's Democratic Republic of Algeria |
Arabic: الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية — الجزائر (al-Jazāʼir — al Jumhū̄rī̄yah al Jazā̄ʼirī̄yah ad Dī̄muqrāţ̧īyah ash Sha‘bī̄yah) | Algiers Arabic: الجزائر (al-Jazā’er) |
33,333,267 | 2,381,740 km2 (919,595 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Angola Republic of Angola |
Portuguese: Angola — República de Angola | Luanda Portuguese: Luanda |
16,941,000 | 1,246,700 km2 (481,354 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Benin Republic of Benin |
French: Bénin — République du Bénin | Porto-Novo French: Porto-Novo |
8,439,000 | 112,622 km2 (43,484 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Botswana Republic of Botswana |
English: Botswana — Republic of Botswana Tswana: Botswana — Lefatshe la Botswana |
Gaborone English: Gaborone Tswana: Gaborone |
1,839,833 | 581,726 km2 (224,606 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Burkina Faso | French: Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou French: Ouagadougou |
13,228,000 | 274,000 km2 (105,792 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Burundi Republic of Burundi |
Kirundi: Burundi — Republika y'u Burundi French: Burundi— République du Burundi |
Bujumbura Kirundi: Bujumbura French: Bujumbura |
7,548,000 | 27,830 km2 (10,745 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Cameroon Republic of Cameroon |
English: Cameroon — Republic of Cameroon French: Cameroun — République du Cameroun |
Yaoundé English: Yaoundé French: Yaoundé |
17,795,000 | 475,442 km2 (183,569 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Cape Verde Republic of Cabo Verde |
Portuguese: Cabo Verde — República de Cabo Verde | Praia Portuguese: Praia |
420,979 | 4,033 km2 (1,557 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Central African Republic | Sango: Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka French: République centrafricaine |
Bangui French: Bangui |
4,216,666 | 622,984 km2 (240,535 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Chad Republic of Chad |
Arabic: تشاد — جمهورية تشاد (Tshā̄d — Jumhū̄rī̄yat Tshā̄d) French: Tchad — République du Tchad |
N'Djamena Arabic: نجامينا (Nijāmīnā) French: Ndjamena |
10,146,000 | 1,284,000 km2 (495,755 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Comoros Union of the Comoros |
Arabic: جمهورية القمر المتحدة — جزر القمر (Juzur al Qamar — Jumhūrīyat al Qamar al Muttaḩidah) Comorian: Komori — Udzima wa Komori French: Comores — Union des Comores |
Moroni Arabic: موروني (Mūrūnī) French: Moroni |
798,000 | 2,235 km2 (863 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo[n 3] | French: République démocratique du Congo | Kinshasa French: Léopoldville |
75,507,308 | 2,344,858 km2 (905,355 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Republic of the Congo[n 4] | French: République du Congo | Brazzaville French: Brazzaville |
4,012,809 | 342,000 km2 (132,047 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Djibouti Republic of Djibouti |
Arabic: جمهُوِ َّرية بوت — جي ُ ِ بوت (Jī̄bū̄tī̄ — Jumhū̄rī̄yat Jī̄bū̄tī̄) French: Djibouti — République de Djibouti |
Djibouti City Arabic: (مدينة جيبوتي) French: Ville de Djibouti |
906,000 | 23,200 km2 (8,958 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Egypt Arab Republic of Egypt[n 5] |
Arabic: جمهُوِ َّرية مص — مص (Miş̧r — Jumhū̄rī̄yat Miş̧r al ‘Arabī̄yah) | Cairo Arabic: القاهرة (al-Qāhirah) |
84,550,000 | 1,001,449 km2 (386,662 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Equatorial Guinea Republic of Equatorial Guinea |
French: Guinée équatoriale — République de Guinée équatoriale Portuguese: Guiné Equatorial — República da Guiné Equatorial Spanish: Guinea Ecuatorial — República de Guinea Ecuatorial |
Malabo[n 6] French: Malabo Portuguese: Malabo Spanish: Malabo |
504,000 | 28,051 km2 (10,831 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Eritrea State of Eritrea |
Arabic: دولة إرتريا — إريتريا (Irī̄trī̄yā — Dawlat Irī̄trī̄yā) English: Eritrea — State of Eritrea Tigrinya: ኤርትራ — ሃገረ ኤርትራ (Ertra — Hagere Ertra) |
Asmara |
5,880,000 | 117,600 km2 (45,406 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Ethiopia Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia |
Amharic: Iትዮጵያ — የIትዮጵያ ፈደራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ (Ītyōṗṗyā — Ītyōṗṗyā Fēdēralāwī Dēmōkrāsīyāwī Rīpeblīk) | Addis Ababa |
85,237,338 | 1,104,300 km2 (426,373 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Gabon Gabonese Republic |
French: Gabon — République gabonaise | Libreville French: Libreville |
1,384,000 | 267,668 km2 (103,347 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Gambia Republic of the Gambia |
English: Gambia — Republic of the Gambia | Banjul English: Banjul |
1,517,000 | 10,380 km2 (4,008 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Ghana Republic of Ghana |
English: Ghana — Republic of Ghana | Accra English: Accra |
23,000,000 | 238,534 km2 (92,098 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Guinea[n 7] Republic of Guinea |
French: Guinée — République de Guinée | Conakry French: Conakry |
10,057,975 | 245,857 km2 (94,926 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Guinea-Bissau Republic of Guinea-Bissau |
Portuguese: Guiné-Bissau — República da Guiné-Bissau | Bissau Portuguese: Bissau |
1,586,000 | 36,125 km2 (13,948 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Ivory Coast Republic of Côte d'Ivoire |
French: Côte d'Ivoire — République de Côte d'Ivoire | Yamoussoukro French: Yamoussoukro |
17,654,843 | 322,460 km2 (124,503 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Kenya Republic of Kenya |
English: Kenya — Republic of Kenya Swahili: Kenya — Jamhuri ya Kenya |
Nairobi English: Nairobi Swahili: Nairobi |
34,707,817 | 580,367 km2 (224,081 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Lesotho Kingdom of Lesotho |
English: Lesotho — Kingdom of Lesotho Sotho: Lesotho— Muso oa Lesotho |
Maseru English: Maseru Sotho: Maseru |
2,067,000 | 30,355 km2 (11,720 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Liberia Republic of Liberia |
English: Liberia — Republic of Liberia | Monrovia English: Monrovia |
4,128,572 | 111,369 km2 (43,000 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Libya State of Libya |
Arabic: | Tripoli Arabic: |
6,036,914 | 1,759,540 km2 (679,362 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Madagascar Republic of Madagascar |
French: Madagascar — République de Madagascar Malagasy: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara |
Antananarivo French: Antananarivo Malagasy: Antananarivo |
18,606,000 | 587,041 km2 (226,658 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Malawi Republic of Malawi |
Chichewa: Malaŵi — Dziko la Malaŵi English: Malawi — Republic of Malawi |
Lilongwe Chichewa: Lilongwe English: Lilongwe |
12,884,000 | 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Mali Republic of Mali |
French: Mali — République du Mali | Bamako French: Bamako |
13,518,000 | 1,240,192 km2 (478,841 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Mauritania Islamic Republic of Mauritania |
Arabic: | Nouakchott Arabic: |
3,069,000 | 1,030,700 km2 (397,955 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Mauritius Republic of Mauritius |
English: Mauritius — Republic of Mauritius French: Maurice — République de Maurice Mauritian Creole Moris — Republik Moris |
Port Louis English: Port Louis French: Port-Louis Mauritian Creole Port Louis |
1,219,220 | 2,040 km2 (788 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Morocco Kingdom of Morocco |
Arabic: Berber: |
Rabat Arabic: Berber: |
35,757,175 | 446,550 km2 (172,414 sq mi)[n 8] |
 |
 |
Mozambique Republic of Mozambique |
Portuguese: Moçambique — República de Moçambique | Maputo Portuguese: Maputo |
20,366,795 | 801,590 km2 (309,496 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Namibia Republic of Namibia |
English: Namibia — Republic of Namibia | Windhoek English: Windhoek |
2,031,000 | 825,418 km2 (318,696 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Niger Republic of Niger |
French: Niger — République du Niger | Niamey French: Niamey |
13,957,000 | 1,267,000 km2 (489,191 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Nigeria Federal Republic of Nigeria |
English: Nigeria — Federal Republic of Nigeria | Abuja English: Abuja |
174,507,539 | 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Rwanda Republic of Rwanda |
English: Rwanda — Republic of Rwanda French: Rwanda — République du Rwanda Kinyarwanda Rwanda — Repubulika y'u Rwanda |
Kigali English: Kigali French: Kigali Kinyarwanda Kigali |
7,600,000 | 26,798 km2 (10,347 sq mi) |
 |
 |
São Tomé and Príncipe Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe |
Portuguese: São Tomé e Príncipe — República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe | São Tomé Portuguese: São Tomé |
183,176 | 964 km2 (372 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Senegal Republic of Senegal |
French: Sénégal — République du Sénégal | Dakar French: Dakar |
11,658,000 | 196,723 km2 (75,955 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Seychelles Republic of Seychelles |
English: Seychelles — Republic of Seychelles French: Seychelles — République des Seychelles Seychellois Creole Sesel— Repiblik Sesel |
Victoria English: Victoria French: Victoria Seychellois Creole Victoria |
80,654 | 451 km2 (174 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Sierra Leone Republic of Sierra Leone |
English: Sierra Leone — Republic of Sierra Leone | Freetown English: Freetown |
6,144,562 | 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Somalia Federal Republic of Somalia |
Arabic:(Jumhūrīyat aṣ-Ṣūmāl al-Fidirālīyah)جمهورية الصومال الفدرالية Somali:Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya |
Mogadishu Somali: Xamar Arabic: مقديشو |
9,832,017 | 637,657 km2 (246,201 sq mi) |
 |
 |
South Africa Republic of South Africa |
Afrikaans: Suid-Afrika — Republiek van Suid-Afrika 10 other official names
|
Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative), and Pretoria (executive) |
52,981,991 | 1,221,037 km2 (471,445 sq mi) |
 |
 |
South Sudan Republic of South Sudan |
English: South Sudan — Republic of South Sudan | Juba English: Juba |
8,260,490 | 644,329 km2 (248,777 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Sudan Republic of Sudan |
Arabic: English: |
Khartoum |
36,787,012 | 1,861,484 km2 (718,723 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Swaziland Kingdom of Swaziland |
English: Swaziland — Kingdom of Swaziland Swati: eSwatini — Umbuso weSwatini |
Lobamba (royal and legislative) Mbabane (administrative) English: Swati: |
1,032,000 | 17,364 km2 (6,704 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Tanzania United Republic of Tanzania |
English: Tanzania — United Republic of Tanzania Swahili: Tanzania — Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania |
Dodoma English: Dodoma Swahili: Dodoma |
44,929,002 | 945,203 km2 (364,945 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Togo Togolese Republic |
French: Togo — République Togolaise | Lomé French: Lomé |
7,154,237 | 56,785 km2 (21,925 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Tunisia Tunisian Republic |
Arabic: | Tunis Arabic: |
10,102,000 | 163,610 km2 (63,170 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Uganda Republic of Uganda |
English: Uganda — Republic of Uganda Swahili: Uganda — Jamhuri ya Uganda |
Kampala English: Kampala Swahili: Kampala |
27,616,000 | 236,040 km2 (91,136 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Zambia Republic of Zambia |
English: Zambia — Republic of Zambia | Lusaka English: Lusaka |
14,668,000 | 752,614 km2 (290,586 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Zimbabwe Republic of Zimbabwe |
English: Zimbabwe — Republic of Zimbabwe | Harare English: Harare |
13,010,000 | 390,757 km2 (150,872 sq mi) |
States with limited recognition[edit]
Further information: List of states with limited recognition
The following are states that have established themselves in Africa as sovereign states, but remain limited in official recognition and are not members of the United Nations. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic however, is a member of the African Union.
| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic[n 9] | Claimed as the southernmost provinces of Morocco. Recognized by the African Union and 84 UN members as the representative government of Western Sahara. | Arabic: الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية (al-Jumhūrīyah al-‘Arabīyah aṣ-Ṣaḥrāwīyah ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah) Spanish: República Árabe Saharaui Democrática |
El Aaiún (proclaimed)[n 10] Arabic: العيون (al-ʿuyūn) Spanish: El Aaiún |
266,000 | 267,405 km2 (103,246 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Somaliland Republic of Somaliland[12][13] |
State within the Federal regions of Somalia.[14] Recognized by no UN member.[15][16] | Arabic: جمهورية أرض الصومال — أرض الصومال (Jumhūrīyat Arḍ aṣ-Ṣūmāl) Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland |
Hargeisa Arabic: هرجيسا Somali: Hargeysa |
4,000,000 | 137,600 km2 (53,128 sq mi) |
Non-sovereign territories[edit]
There are 10 non-sovereign territories currently located in Africa.
Dependent territories[edit]
Further information: Dependent territory
This list contains territories that are politically administered as external dependencies of other nations.
| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status[17] | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
_(small_islands_magnified).svg) |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands[n 11] | French overseas territory | Saint-Pierre[n 12] | No permanent population[18] | 38.60 km2 (15 sq mi) | |
 |
 |
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | British overseas territory | Jamestown | 5,661 | 420 km2 (162 sq mi) |
Other areas[edit]
This list contains territories that are administered as incorporated parts of a primarily non-African state.
| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status[17] | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Canary Islands | Spanish autonomous community | Spanish: Islas Canarias | Santa Cruz and Las Palmas[19] Spanish: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria |
2,205,247 | 7,447 km2 (2,875 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Ceuta Autonomous City of Ceuta |
Spanish autonomous city | Spanish: Ceuta — Ciudad autónoma de Ceuta | Ceuta Spanish: Ceuta |
76,861 | 28 km2 (11 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Madeira Autonomous Region of Madeira |
Portuguese autonomous region | Portuguese: Maderia — Região Autónoma da Madeira | Funchal Portuguese: Funchal |
245,806 | 828 km2 (320 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Mayotte Department of Mayotte |
French overseas department | French: Mayotte — Département de Mayotte | Mamoudzou French: Mamoudzou |
186,452 | 374 km2 (144 sq mi) |
 |
|
Melilla Autonomous City of Melilla |
Spanish autonomous city | Spanish: Melilla — Ciudad autónoma de Melilla | Melilla Spanish: Melilla |
72,000 | 20 km2 (8 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Plazas de soberanía | Spanish overseas territory | Spanish: Plazas de soberanía | N/A | 74 | |
|
|
 |
Réunion Réunion Island |
French overseas region | French: Réunion — Îles Réunion | Saint-Denis French: Saint-Denis |
793,000 | 2,512 km2 (970 sq mi) |
 |
 |
Pelagie Islands | Italian territory | Italian: Isole Pelagie Sicilian: Ìsuli Pilaggî |
Lampedusa e Linosa[n 13] Italian: Lampedusa e Linosa Sicilian: Lampidusa e Linusa |
6,304 | 21.4 km2 (8 sq mi) |
See also[edit]
- List of African countries by population
- List of African countries by population density
- List of African countries by GDP
- List of African countries by GDP (PPP)
Notes[edit]
- ^ Morocco withdrew its membership from the preceding Organization of African Unity in 1984 due to the OAU's recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as the government of Western Sahara. Morocco remains withdrawn from the African Union for the same reason.
- ^ Central African Republic was suspended from the African Union on 25 March 2013 due to the ongoing Central African Republic conflict.
- ^ Also known as Congo-Kinshasa and formerly as Zaire.
- ^ Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
- ^ Some territory could be argued to be a part of Asia or Africa.
- ^ Oyala is to be the future capital of Equatorial Guinea; currently under construction.
- ^ Also known as Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from neighboring Guinea-Bissau.
- ^ The area 446,550 km2 (172,410 sq mi) excludes all disputed territories, while 710,850 km2 (274,460 sq mi) includes the Moroccan-administered parts of Western Sahara (claimed as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic by the Polisario Front).
- ^ Occupies part of the territory of Western Sahara, disputed with Morocco.
- ^ Currently under Moroccan administration. Tifariti is the factual temporary capital, but Tindouf located in Algeria is tha place of some government and military facilities.
- ^ Only the Îles Éparses are considered part of the African continent. The remaining four districts lie outside the continental shelf in the Indian Ocean or Antarctica.
- ^ The main station on the Îles Éparses is on Tromelin. The headquarters of the district chief, however, is Saint-Pierre, in Réunion.
- ^ Geographically part of the archipelago (Lampedusa and Lampione) belongs to the African continent; politically and administratively, the islands fall within the Province of Agrigento in Sicily
References[edit]
- ^ "Member States". United Nations. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ "Member States". African Union. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ "African Union Welcomes South Sudan as the 54th Member State of the Union". StarAfrica.com. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ "African Union suspends Central African Republic after coup". Los Angeles Times. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Field Listing :: Names". CIA. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ a b "UNGEGN List of Country Names" (PDF). United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ a b "List of countries, territories and currencies". Europa. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Field Listing :: Capital". CIA. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ "UNGEGN World Geographical Names". United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ "Country Comparison :: Population". CIA. July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
- ^ a b c "Field Listing :: Area". CIA. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ Name used in The Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland
- ^ Susan M. Hassig, Zawiah Abdul Latif, Somalia, (Marshall Cavendish: 2007), p.10.
- ^ "The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic" (PDF). University of Pretoria. 1 February 2004. Retrieved 2 February 2010. "The Somali Republic shall have the following boundaries. (a) North; Gulf of Aden. (b) North West; Djibouti. (c) West; Ethiopia. (d) South south-west; Kenya. (e) East; Indian Ocean."
- ^ Lacey, Marc (5 June 2006). The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia. The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ "UN in Action: Reforming Somaliland's Judiciary" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-05-29.
- ^ a b "Field Listing :: Dependency Status". CIA. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "French Southern and Antarctic Lands". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "Estatuto de Autonomía de Canarias en la Página Web Oficial del Gobierno de Canarias". .gobiernodecanarias.org. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
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