Countries of Africa: All 54 and How to Learn Them on the Map
There are 54 countries in Africa. The largest is Algeria and the smallest is the Seychelles. The easiest way to learn them is region by region: 6 in North Africa, 16 in West Africa, 9 in Central Africa, 18 in East Africa and 5 in Southern Africa, starting with the big countries and placing the small ones between them.
North Africa (6)
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt line the Mediterranean from west to east, and Sudan lies south of Egypt. Algeria is the largest country in Africa. Learn these first: they give you the whole top of the map.
West Africa (16)
West Africa has the most countries packed together. Follow the coast from north-west to south-east: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria. Inland lie Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and out in the Atlantic the islands of Cabo Verde.
Remember The Gambia as the thin strip inside Senegal, along the Gambia River. Practise this region on the Africa map quiz.
Central Africa (9)
Chad, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, plus the island country of São Tomé and Príncipe. Keep the two Congos apart: the DR Congo is the huge one in the middle (the second-largest country in Africa), the Republic of the Congo is the smaller one to its west.
East Africa (18)
The Horn of Africa is Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. Around Lake Victoria are Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, with tiny Rwanda and Burundi to the west. Further south come Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and South Sudan lies north of Uganda. In the Indian Ocean: Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, and the small island countries Comoros, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Southern Africa (5)
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini. Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, and Eswatini sits between South Africa and Mozambique. Both are small, so zoom in to tap them.
Islands and landlocked countries
- 6 island countries: Cabo Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
- 16 landlocked countries: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Largest: Algeria, the DR Congo, Sudan. Smallest: the Seychelles, São Tomé and Príncipe, and on the mainland The Gambia.
How to learn all 54
- Learn the North Africa row and the biggest countries first (Algeria, the DR Congo, Sudan, Libya, Chad, Niger, Angola, Mali, South Africa, Ethiopia).
- Place the coasts: the Horn of Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, the Mozambique Channel.
- Fill in the small countries between the big ones, one region a day.
- Test yourself: the Africa map quiz starts with the big countries and moves to the small ones as you clear levels, and Hard asks you to name each country.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are in Africa?
54.
What is the largest country in Africa?
Algeria. The DR Congo and Sudan come next.
What is the smallest country in Africa?
The Seychelles. On the mainland, The Gambia is the smallest.
How many African countries are landlocked?
16, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia and Mali.
Which country is surrounded by South Africa?
Lesotho.
How can I learn the countries of Africa fast?
Learn them region by region and test yourself on a map game such as the Africa map quiz.