Africa is one of the 7 continents of the world.Africa has the second-largest population in the world, with an estimated 1 billion inhabitants. This constitutes almost 15% of the world’s population (2009 census). Africa is considered to be the ancestral home of mankind. This lesson contains some brief facts listing all of the African countries, their capital, and the president as well as what they are known for.
There are 55 countries in Africa, all of which are members of the African Union, a political and economic grouping of countries. With a growing population of over 1.2 billion, and having much of the mineral and material resources left on Earth, Africa plays an ever more important part in the world economy.
Africa is blessed with beautiful natural features ranging from very colorful landscapes and different weather contrasts. Due to its beautiful landscape, traditions, the wildlife, the people and culture, it has become one of the most preferred travel destinations in the world.
The abundance of heat, a favorable climate and slightly dissected relief of Africa are the most important prerequisites for possible rapid economic growth.
LIST OF SUB REGIONS IN AFRICA ACCORDING TO UN
The five UN sub-regions include:
NORTH AFRICA
This is the region surrounding the northern portion of the Africa continent, it occupies over 10 million square kilometers on the mainland. Due to its Mediterranean climate, the countries in this sub-region of Africa are very convenient. It’s surrounded by the Sahara desert.
They are one of the most preferred destinations for tourist from around the world
North Africa Countries, Captial, their president and what they are known for
1. Country: Algeria
Capital:Algiers
President: Abdelmajid Tebboune
What they are known for: Tourism, Fossil fuel,Cherries and Date. Also, largest exporter of oat.
2. Country:Egypt
Capital: Cairo
President: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
What they are known for: Ancient civilization
3. Country:Libya
Capital:Tripoli
President: Fayez al-Sarraj
What they are known for: Ancient Greek and Roman ruins and also, it’s Sahara landscapes
4. Country:Morocco
Capital:Rabat
President:Monarch – Mohammed VI, King of Morocco (1999–present)
What they are known for:Morocco is popular due to the regular influx of tourist to the nation. The country has two climatic condition namely; Mediterranean and Subtropical.
5. Country:Sudan
Capital:Khartoum
President:Omar al-Bashir (1989–present)
What they are known for: Tourism
6. Country:Tunisia
Capital: Tunis
President:Beji Caid Essebsi (2014–present)
What they are known for: Olive oil production
7. Country:Mauritania
Capital:Nouakchott
President: Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (2009-present)
What they are known for: Oceans and Tourist destination
EAST AFRICA
This region of Africa is one of the most populous region, it has a population of approximately 300 million people. All of the countries in this region was colonized by Europeans except for Ethiopia. Although, reports show that Italians occupied the country in the 19thcentury but they were not successful in controlling the country.
Since the end of the colonial rule in Africa, Eastern African countries have all experienced major changes in areas such as education, construction, tourism, and other sectors. With their distinct cultures and practices, it has become one of the most visited regions in Africa.
Countries, Capital, president and what they are known for
1. Country:Kenya
Capital: Nairobi
President:Uhuru Kenyatta (2013–present)
What they are known for: Scenic Landscape and vast wildlife reserve
2. Country:Uganda
Capital: Kampala
President:Yoweri Museveni (1986–present)
What they are known for: Agricultural exports
3. Country:Tanzania
Capital:Dodoma
President:John Magufuli (2015–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, Agriculture, Mining and Fishing activities
4. Country:Rwanda
Capital:Kigali
President:Paul Kagame (2000–present)
What they are known for: Tea production
5. Country:Burundi
Capital: Bujumbura
President:Pierre Nkurunziza (2005–present)
What they are known for: Abundant wildlife and green habitations
6. Country:South Sudan
Capital: Juba
President:Salva Kiir Mayardit (2005–present)
What they are known for: Oil exportation ( largest in Africa )
7. Country:Ethiopia
Capital: Djibouti
President:Sahle-Work Zewde (2018–present)
What they are known for: Cattle rearing, birds and distance race running
8. Country:Djibouti
Capital: Djibouti
President:Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (1999–present)
What they are known for: Natural minerals and landscapes
9. Country:Eritrea
Capital:Asmara
President:Isaias Afwerki (1991–present)
What they are known for:
10. Country:Somalia
Capital:Mogadishu
President:Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (2017–present)
What they are known for:
11. Country:Mozambique
Capital:Maputo
President:Filipe Nyusi (2015–present)
What they are known for: Seafoods and music
12. Country:Malawi
Capital: Lilongwe
President:Peter Mutharika (2014–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, wildlife and beaches
13. Country:Madagascar
Capital:Antananarivo
President:Rivo Rakotovao (2018–present)
What they are known for: Wildlife and culture
14. Country:Zambia
Capital: Lusaka
President:Edgar Lungu (2015–present)
What they are known for: Victoria falls, River Zambezi, wildlife and culture
15. Country:Zimbabwe
Capital:Harare
President:Emmerson Mnangagwa (2017–present)
What they are known for:
16. Country:Comoros
Capital: Moroni
President: Azali Assoumani (2016 – present)
What they are known for: Fragrant plant life and scenic beauty
17. Country:Mauritius
Capital:Port Louis
President:Barlen Vyapoory (2018–present)
What they are known for: White beaches and sloppy landscape
18. Country:Seychelles
Capital:Victoria
President:Danny Faure (2016–present)
What they are known for: Beaches and exotic sea life
CENTRAL AFRICA
Central African region, popularly called Middle Africa due to the restructuring of Africa into sub-regions by the United Nations.
Countries, capitals, their presidents and what they are known for
1. Country:Angola
Capital: Luanda
President:João Lourenço (2017–present)
What they are known for: Oil deposits ( Kuwait of Africa ), Diamond, Gold, and Agriculture
2. Country:Cameroon
Capital: Yaoundé
President:Paul Biya (1982–present)
What they are known for: Cocoa exportation, natural mineral deposits and livestock farming
3. Country:The Central African Republic
Capital: Bangui
President:Faustin-Archange Touadéra (2016–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, forest elephants and other wildlife
4. Country:Chad
Capital: N’Djamena
President: Idriss Deby (1990-present)
What they are known for: Lake Chad, agriculture
5. Country:The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Capital:Kinshasa
President: Joseph Kabila (2004 – present)
What they are known for: Natural resources
6. Country:Republic of the Congo
Capital: Brazzaville
President: Denis Sassou Nguesso (1997 – present)
What they are known for: Deposits of Diamond, copper, etc.
7. Country: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Capital: Malabo
President: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (1979 – present)
What they are known for:Wildlife
8. Country:Gabon
Capital: Libreville
President:Ali Bongo Ondimba (2009–present)
What they are known for: Oil production and forest preservation
Country: The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
9. Capital: Sao Tome
President: Evaristo Carvalho (2016-present)
What they are known for:Coffee plantation
WESTERN AFRICA
Western African or the West Africa region is one of the beautiful places in the entire African continent. Regardless of the varying natural attraction sites; the beauty of the place is in the uniqueness of the people. This article will show you the countries that make up the West African region, their capitals, current president and what they are known for.
Countries, Capitals, their presidents and what they are known for.
1. Country: Republic of the Niger
Capital: Niamey
President: Mahamadou Issoufou(2011–present)
What they are known for: Uranium deposits and livestock farming
2. Country: Republic of Mali
Capital: Bamako
President: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita(2013–present)
What they are known for: Agriculture and mining
3. Country: Nigeria
Capital: Abuja
President: Muhammadu Buhari(2015–present)
What they are known for: Oil and gas, agriculture and tourism
4. Country: Côte d’Ivoire
Capital: Yamoussoukro (political) and Abidjan (economic)
President: Alassane Ouattara (2010 – present)
What they are known for: Cocoa ( world largest exporter of cocoa beans )
5. Country: Burkina Faso
Capital: Ouagadougou
President: Roch Marc Christian Kabore(2015–present)
What they are known for: Agricultural exports
6. Country: Ghana
Capital: Accra
President: Nana Akufo-Addo (2017 – present)
What they are known for: Gold, cocoa and oil deposits
Country: Guinea Republic
7. Capital: Conakry
President: Alpha Conde (2010-present)
What they are known for: Bauxite, gold and diamond deposits
8. Country: Benin
Capital: Porto-Novo
President: Patrice Talon (2016-present)
What they are known for:Cotton and palm oil exportation
9. Country: Liberia
Capital: Monrovia
President: George Weah (2018-present)
What they are known for:Rubber and timber exports
10. Country: Senegal
Capital: Dakar
President: Macky Sall (2012-present)
What they are known for: Commodity and natural resources
11. Country: Sierra Leone
Capital: Freetown
President: Julius Maada Bio(2018–present)
What they are known for:Agriculture and mining
12. Country: Togo
Capital: Lome
President: Faure Gnassinge(2005–present)
What they are known for:Agricultural products exportation
13. Country: Guinea Bissau
Capital: Bissau
President: Jose Mario Vaz (2014-present)
What they are known for:Agriculture
14. Country: Gambia
Capital: Banjul
President: Adama Barrow (2017 – present)
What they are known for:Agricultural exportation
14. Country: Cabo Verde
Capital: Praia
President: Jorge Carlos Fonseca (2011-present)
What they are known for:Tropical climate, volcanic island and cuisine
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent according to the United Nations system of geographical areas with a number of independent states includingSouth Africa and Namibia. The region has a wide variety of eco-regions with a large amount of forest life species.
1. Country:Botswana
Capital: Gaborone
President:Mokgweetsi Masisi (2018–present)
What they are known for: Safari’s, diamond mining
2. Country:Lesotho
Capital: Maseru
President:Monarch – Letsie III, King of Lesotho (1996–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, beautiful landscapes
3. Country:Namibia
Capital: Windhoek
President:Hage Geingob (2015–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, wildlife reserves, and skeleton coast
4. Country:South Africa
Capital: Pretoria
President:Cyril Ramaphosa (2018–present)
What they are known for: Tourism, agriculture, science and technology
5. Country:Swaziland
Capital: Mbabane
President:Monarch – Mswati III, King of Swaziland (1986–present)
What they are known for: Tourist destination
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FAQs
Are there 57 countries in Africa? ›
There are 54 countries in Africa today, according to the United Nations.
Why does Africa have 3 capitals? ›According to South Africa Visa, the country has three capitals because its government is divided into three sections. South Africa's three capitals are meant to help ensure that no one part of the government has too much power, much like the checks and balances system in the United States.
Which are the 5 largest cities in Africa? ›| Characteristic | Number of inhabitants in thousands |
|---|---|
| Lagos, Nigeria | 15,388 |
| Kinshasa, Republic of the Congo | 7,786 |
| Cairo, Egypt | 7,734.6 |
| Kano, Nigeria | 4,103 |
The three smallest countries in the world are Vatican City, an enclave within Rome, Italy. Monaco, a principality at the Mediterranean coast and an enclave within Southern France, and Nauru, an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
What is the easiest way to remember countries and capitals? ›- Country name and Capital name are same,
- Capital Names Ending with “Town” South Africa – CapeTown. ...
- Korea's Family. 1) South Korea — Seoul Seoul looks like “Soul” ...
- Sweden — Stockholm. ...
- Jamaica —Kingston. ...
- Iran — Tehran. ...
- Bhutan — Thimpu. ...
- Canada — Ottawa.
The most well-known example of a country with two capital cities is Bolivia. La Paz and Sucre are two cities that have agreed to divide the different parts of the government between them.
Why is there a capital for each country? ›A capital is frequently a country's business, cultural, and population center. Capital cities are often historical centers of trade, communication, and transportation. London, England, and Paris, France, developed hundreds of years ago around large, busy rivers (the Thames in London and the Seine in Paris).
Which country is the smallest in Africa 2022? ›The smallest country in mainland Africa is the Republic of The Gambia. It is almost completely surrounded by Senegal except for its western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.
Which country is bigger USA or Africa? ›...
A Geographical Jigsaw.
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
|---|---|
| Land Area (sq. km) | 9.83 million |
| Land Area (sq. mi) | 3.80 million |
| % of Africa | 32.4% |
Which city is most developed in Africa? ›
1. Cape Town, South Africa. Most Developed Cities In Africa-Cape Town skyline. South Africa's Cape Town is a city of breathtaking natural beauty and undeniable architectural brilliance.
What is the 2nd biggest city in Africa? ›In spite of its bawdy start as a mining shanty town, today Johannesburg is the second largest city in Africa and frequently forms the first port of entry for South African tours.
Which city is the largest in Africa 2022? ›| Rank | City | Date of estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinshasa | 2022 |
| 2 | Lagos | 2022 |
| 3 | Cairo | 2021 |
| 4 | Giza | 2021 |
...
Total private wealth in Africa as of 2021, by country (in billion U.S. dollars)
| Characteristic | Wealth in billion U.S. dollars |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 651 |
| Egypt | 307 |
| Nigeria | 228 |
| Morocco | 125 |
The overall ranking of Best Countries measure global performance on a variety of metrics. Switzerland is the best country in the world for 2022.
What is the richest country in Africa in 2022? ›What is the richest country in Africa in 2022? It is certainly Nigeria. The country is bestowed with bountiful natural resources that have always seen its crude export as the country leading in terms of GDP.
Which is bigger Asia or Africa? ›Asia is the largest continent in the world with a massive 44.58 million km. square landmass and has a total of 48 countries according to the United Nations. Africa, on the other hand, is the second-largest continent at 30.37 million km. square and comprises 54 countries.
What is bigger China or Africa? ›Indeed, Africa is 3 times bigger than China. China is the third (or fourth biggest country, depending on the definintion) in the world with an area of 6.4% of the total of the world.
Which is biggest Asia or Africa? ›The continents are, from largest to smallest: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
Which country is the best for living? ›- Sweden. #1 in Quality of Life. #5 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Denmark. #2 in Quality of Life. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Canada. #3 in Quality of Life. ...
- Switzerland. #4 in Quality of Life. ...
- Norway. #5 in Quality of Life. ...
- Finland. #6 in Quality of Life. ...
- Germany. #7 in Quality of Life. ...
- Netherlands. #8 in Quality of Life.
Which country is the center of the world? ›
2003 calculation of the geographical center of all land surfaces on Earth: İskilip, Turkey. Explained in a different way, it is the location on the surface of Earth where the sum of distances to all locations on land is the smallest.
What's the biggest country in the world? ›The largest country in the world is Russia with a total area of 17,098,242 Km² (6,601,665 mi²) and a land area of 16,376,870 Km² (6,323,142 mi²), equivalent to 11% of the total world's landmass of 148,940,000 Km² (57,510,000 square miles).
How do you teach countries and capitals? ›- Do a jigsaw. Type “geography jigsaw” into Google and you'll find a host of fun jigsaws to do with kids. ...
- Play card games. Play your own geographical version of Snap! ...
- Play a board game. ...
- Find great apps. ...
- Countries worksheets. ...
- Cities worksheets.
- Check out books, novels, short stories, poetry, etc. Learn about the major literary figures and their works.
- Explore language readers and textbooks for cultural information.
- Read non-fiction books on history, geography, politics, etc.
- Seek out travel writing.
Countries in the World:
There are 195 countries in the world today. This total comprises 193 countries that are member states of the United Nations and 2 countries that are non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine.
Uganda comes at number one in the list of African countries where people speak the best English. This landlocked country has a diverse landscape and has a population of 45 million, out of which approximately 29 million speak the English language.
Which country in Africa has the best English speakers? ›Among the several Anglophone countries in Africa, Uganda is widely regarded as the finest English speaker. Since then, they've adopted British-style schooling. In Ugandan schools, English is the primary language, yet the country's population speaks over 60 other languages.
What is the difficult language in Africa? ›Taa, the last vital language of the Tuu language family and formerly called ʻSouthern Khoisan', it is believed to be the world's most difficult language. Part of the Khoisan language group and is spoken in the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa, it is also known as ! Xóõ or !
What two letters have no country? ›In fact, no matter how long you muse and mull over this puzzling problem, there are two letters that no countries in the world start with. See if you can guess which ones they are. Ready for the answer? Drum roll, please: Turns out, no countries in the world start with the letters W or X.
Which country has no capital? ›Nauru, an island in the Pacific Ocean, is the second-smallest republic in the world—but it doesn't even have a capital city.
What is the only country with 3 capitals? ›
South Africa: Pretoria:,Cape Town and Bloemfontein
This is the only country to have three capital cities, a unique arrangement designed to share power across regions.
- Burma and Myanmar. ...
- Czechia and Czech Republic. ...
- Macedonia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. ...
- East Timor and Timor Leste. ...
- Ivory Coast and Côte d'Ivoire. ...
- Holland and the Netherlands. ...
- Great Britain and the United Kingdom. ...
- Swaziland and eSwatini.
The term Third World was originally coined in times of the Cold War to distinguish those nations that are neither aligned with the West (NATO) nor with the East, the Communist bloc. Today the term is often used to describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia/Oceania.
What is the country with the longest name in Africa? ›The longest African country name is Democratic Republic of the Congo at 28 letters.
What country has 2 capitals * Your answer? ›Bolivia. The most well-known example of a country with two capital cities is Bolivia. La Paz and Sucre are two cities that have agreed to divide the different parts of the government between them.
How many countries have no capital? ›Nauru is the only country without a capital. Nauru is the only country in the world without an official capital. Once known as Pleasant Island, it is the third smallest country by area and second smallest by population.
Which city is capital of the world? ›Sorry Singapore. Sorry Hong Kong. For now, London is the world's global capital.
What is the capital of Africa in 2022? ›Cape Town and Pretoria are the two capitals of Africa that are considered to be one of the best places to live in this particular region. Cape Town, Tunis and Cairo are one of the most visited cities of the African continent by the tourists.
What are the 53 countries in Africa alphabetical order? ›The 53 countries in alphabetical order are: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, ...
Is South Africa the only country with 3 capitals? ›South Africa: Pretoria:,Cape Town and Bloemfontein
This is the only country to have three capital cities, a unique arrangement designed to share power across regions.
What are the 5 smallest countries in Africa? ›
All of the five smallest African nations are island nations. These include the Seychelles, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mauritius, Comoros, and Cape Verde.
Which country is largest in Africa? ›Algeria is the biggest country in Africa, with an area exceeding 2.38 million square kilometers as of 2020. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan follow with a total area of around 2.34 million and 1.88 million square kilometers, respectively.
What is the original name of Africa? ›In Kemetic History of Afrika, Dr cheikh Anah Diop writes, “The ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. Alkebu-lan “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden”.” Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin. It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthagenians), and Ethiopians.
Why is Africa called Africa? ›One of the most popular suggestions for the origins of the term 'Africa' is that it is derived from the Roman name for a tribe living in the northern reaches of Tunisia, believed to possibly be the Berber people. The Romans variously named these people 'Afri', 'Afer' and 'Ifir'.
Can you name 5 countries in Africa? ›Eastern Africa, which includes British Indian Ocean Territory, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, French Southern Territories, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Which country has 2nd capital? ›Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya ― Malaysia getting two capitals is a recent thing. Kaula Lumpur acts as the national capital, whereas Putrajaya hosts the federal Government.
Which cities are the three capitals of South Africa and how do they differ? ›Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital; Pretoria, as the seat of the president and cabinet, is the administrative capital; and Bloemfontein is the seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal, is the judicial capital; while the Constitutional Court of South Africa sits in Johannesburg.