Africa is the second largest continent in both size and population. The African continent is located mainly in the Eastern Hemisphere and to the major part in the Northern Hemisphere, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east and south.
Africa covers an area of approximately 30 million km² with a population of 1,394 million (2021). It is home to the world's longest river, the largest hot desert, and extraordinary biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth.
30M
km² Area
1.39B
Population
20%
Earth's Land
54
Countries
3,000+
Ethnic Groups
Nile in Cairo, Egypt. Photo by
Sherif Moharram
on Unsplash
Fun Facts about Africa
World's Longest River
The Nile (6,852 km / 4,258 miles) is the longest river in the world, passing through eleven countries from its source in East Africa all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile (6,852 km / 4,258 miles) is the longest river in the world, passing through eleven countries from its source in East Africa all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
Africa's Biggest Island
Madagascar is the largest island in Africa and the fourth largest island in the world — after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. It hosts thousands of unique species found nowhere else.
Madagascar is the largest island in Africa and the fourth largest island in the world — after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. It hosts thousands of unique species found nowhere else.
Largest & Most Populous
Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area, while Nigeria is the most populous with more than 219 million people — one of the ten most populous countries on Earth.
Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area, while Nigeria is the most populous with more than 219 million people — one of the ten most populous countries on Earth.
World's Largest Hot Desert
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world, covering about 9.2 million km² — roughly the size of the entire United States.
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world, covering about 9.2 million km² — roughly the size of the entire United States.
Incredible Cultural Diversity
Africa has approximately 3,000 distinct ethnic groups. Nigeria alone has around 370 officially recognized tribes, making it one of the most ethnically diverse nations on Earth.
Africa has approximately 3,000 distinct ethnic groups. Nigeria alone has around 370 officially recognized tribes, making it one of the most ethnically diverse nations on Earth.
Satellite & Street Map
Fittotravel Maps | Countries of the WorldInteractive Chart Map of Africa
Countries of Africa
Africa has 54 countries fully recognized by the United Nations, and two independent states with limited or no recognition (Western Sahara and Somaliland).
| # | Country | Population | Subregion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 206,139,589 | Western Africa |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 114,963,588 | Eastern Africa |
| 3 | Egypt | 102,334,404 | Northern Africa |
| 4 | DR Congo | 89,561,403 | Middle Africa |
| 5 | Tanzania | 59,734,218 | Eastern Africa |
| 6 | South Africa | 59,308,690 | Southern Africa |
| 7 | Kenya | 53,771,296 | Eastern Africa |
| 8 | Uganda | 45,741,007 | Eastern Africa |
| 9 | Algeria | 43,851,044 | Northern Africa |
| 10 | Sudan | 43,849,260 | Northern Africa |
| 11 | Morocco | 36,910,560 | Northern Africa |
| 12 | Angola | 32,866,272 | Middle Africa |
| 13 | Mozambique | 31,255,435 | Eastern Africa |
| 14 | Ghana | 31,072,940 | Western Africa |
| 15 | Madagascar | 27,691,018 | Eastern Africa |
| 16 | Cameroon | 26,545,863 | Middle Africa |
| 17 | Côte d'Ivoire | 26,378,274 | Western Africa |
| 18 | Niger | 24,206,644 | Western Africa |
| 19 | Burkina Faso | 20,903,273 | Western Africa |
| 20 | Mali | 20,250,833 | Western Africa |
| 21 | Malawi | 19,129,952 | Eastern Africa |
| 22 | Zambia | 18,383,955 | Eastern Africa |
| 23 | Senegal | 16,743,927 | Western Africa |
| 24 | Chad | 16,425,864 | Middle Africa |
| 25 | Somalia | 15,893,222 | Eastern Africa |
| 26 | Zimbabwe | 14,862,924 | Eastern Africa |
| 27 | Guinea | 13,132,795 | Western Africa |
| 28 | Rwanda | 12,952,218 | Eastern Africa |
| 29 | Benin | 12,123,200 | Western Africa |
| 30 | Burundi | 11,890,784 | Eastern Africa |
| 31 | Tunisia | 11,818,619 | Northern Africa |
| 32 | South Sudan | 11,193,725 | Eastern Africa |
| 33 | Togo | 8,278,724 | Western Africa |
| 34 | Sierra Leone | 7,976,983 | Western Africa |
| 35 | Libya | 6,871,292 | Northern Africa |
| 36 | Congo Republic | 5,518,087 | Middle Africa |
| 37 | Liberia | 5,057,681 | Western Africa |
| 38 | Central African Republic | 4,829,767 | Middle Africa |
| 39 | Mauritania | 4,649,658 | Western Africa |
| 40 | Eritrea | 3,546,421 | Eastern Africa |
| 41 | Namibia | 2,540,905 | Southern Africa |
| 42 | Gambia | 2,416,668 | Western Africa |
| 43 | Botswana | 2,351,627 | Southern Africa |
| 44 | Gabon | 2,225,734 | Middle Africa |
| 45 | Lesotho | 2,142,249 | Southern Africa |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 1,968,001 | Western Africa |
| 47 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,402,985 | Middle Africa |
| 48 | Mauritius | 1,271,768 | Eastern Africa |
| 49 | Eswatini | 1,160,164 | Southern Africa |
| 50 | Djibouti | 988,000 | Eastern Africa |
| 51 | Comoros | 869,601 | Eastern Africa |
| 52 | Cabo Verde | 555,987 | Western Africa |
| 53 | Sao Tome & Principe | 219,159 | Middle Africa |
| 54 | Seychelles | 98,347 | Eastern Africa |
Non-Sovereign Territories
This list contains 4 territories that are administered as incorporated areas of a non-African country.
| Territory | Population | Dependency of |
|---|---|---|
| Réunion | 895,312 | France |
| Mayotte | 272,815 | France |
| Canary Islands | 2,207,225 | Spain |
| Saint Helena | 6,077 | United Kingdom |
Is Malta part of Africa or Europe?
Malta is part of Southern Europe. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily, Italy, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya — an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, Egypt, although it extends into Asia through the Sinai Peninsula, is considered an African state.
