List of African countries by area

Below is a list of countries in Africa by area.[1] Algeria has been the largest country in Africa and the Arab world since the division of Sudan in 2011. The largest African country not located in the Arab world is the Democratic Republic of the Congo located in Central Africa, which is also the second largest in the continent. Africa is the second largest continent in the world by area, even though having a slightly smaller population than India. Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa overall, with The Gambia being the smallest country on continental Africa.[2]

Country %
total		 Africa area
in km2 (mi2)
1  Algeria 7.9% 2,381,741 (919,595) [a]
2  DR Congo 7.7% 2,344,858 (905,355)
3  Sudan 6.2% 1,861,484 (718,723) [b]
4  Libya 5.8% 1,759,540 (679,360)
5  Chad 4.2% 1,284,000 (496,000) [c]
6  Niger 4.2% 1,267,000 (489,000)
7  Angola 4.1% 1,246,700 (481,400) [d]
8  Mali 4.1% 1,240,192 (478,841)
9  South Africa 4.0% 1,221,037 (471,445) [e]
10  Ethiopia 3.6% 1,104,300 (426,400)
11  Mauritania 3.4% 1,030,700 (398,000)
12  Egypt 3.1% 1,002,450 (387,050) [f]
13  Tanzania 3.1% 945,087 (364,900)
14  Nigeria 3.1% 923,768 (356,669)
15  Namibia 2.7% 825,615 (318,772)
16  Mozambique 2.6% 801,590 (309,500)
17  Zambia 2.5% 752,612 (290,585)
18  South Sudan 2.1% 644,329 (248,777)
19  Somalia 2.1% 637,657 (246,201) [g]
20  Central African Republic 2.1% 622,984 (240,535)
21  Madagascar 1.9% 587,041 (226,658) [h]
22  Botswana 1.9% 581,730 (224,610)
23  Kenya 1.9% 580,367 (224,081)
24  Cameroon 1.6% 475,442 (183,569)
25  Morocco 1.5% 446,550 (172,410) [i]
26  Zimbabwe 1.3% 390,757 (150,872)
27  Republic of the Congo 1.1% 342,000 (132,000)
28  Ivory Coast 1.1% 322,460 (124,500)
29  Burkina Faso 0.9% 274,223 (105,878)
30  Gabon 0.9% 267,668 (103,347)
 Western Sahara 0.9% 266,000 (103,000) [j]
31  Guinea 0.8% 245,857 (94,926)
32  Uganda 0.8% 241,550 (93,260)
33  Ghana 0.8% 238,533 (92,098)
34  Senegal 0.6% 196,722 (75,955)
35  Tunisia 0.5% 163,610 (63,170)
36  Malawi 0.4% 118,484 (45,747)
37  Eritrea 0.4% 117,600 (45,400)
38  Benin 0.4% 114,763 (44,310)
39  Liberia 0.4% 111,369 (43,000)
40  Sierra Leone 0.2% 71,740 (27,700)
41  Togo 0.2% 56,785 (21,925)
42  Guinea-Bissau 0.1% 36,125 (13,948)
43  Lesotho 0.1% 30,355 (11,720)
44  Equatorial Guinea 0.1% 28,051 (10,831) [k]
45  Burundi 0.1% 27,834 (10,747)
46  Rwanda 0.1% 26,338 (10,169)
47  Djibouti 0.1% 23,200 (9,000)
48  Eswatini 0.1% 17,364 (6,704) [l]
49  Gambia 0.04% 11,295 (4,361) [m]
50  Cape Verde 0.01% 4,033 (1,557)
51  Mauritius 0.01% 2,239 (864) [n]
52  Comoros 0.01% 2,235 (863) [o]
53  São Tomé and Príncipe 0.003% 964 (372)
54  Seychelles 0.001% 452 (175)
Total 100% 30,265,522 km2 (11,685,583 sq mi)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Largest country in the Arab world and tenth-largest country in the world.
  2. ^ With a former area of 2,505,813 km2 (967,500 sq mi), Sudan was the largest country in Africa until South Sudan split from North Sudan in 2011.
  3. ^ Largest landlocked country in Africa.
  4. ^ Including the exclave of Cabinda. Largest country in Africa completely in the Southern Hemisphere, and fourth-largest country in the world completely in the Southern Hemisphere.
  5. ^ Including the Prince Edward Islands. Second-largest country in Africa completely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the fifth-largest country in the world completely in the Southern Hemisphere.
  6. ^ 1,002,450 km2 (387,048 sq mi) when including the Sinai Region, geographically part of Western Asia.[3]
  7. ^ Including Somaliland.
  8. ^ Excluding the disputed islands of Bassas da India, Europa Island, the Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island, currently administered by France. Largest island country in Africa.
  9. ^ Not including Western Sahara.
  10. ^ A disputed territory with undetermined political status.[4] Formerly Spanish Sahara up to 1976, administration is currently split between Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, both of which claim the entire territory. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic's administrative control is limited to approximately 30% of the territory, with the remaining 70% of the territory occupied by Morocco.[5] The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara is the United Nations peacekeeping mission to the territory (see Western Sahara conflict).
  11. ^ Including the offshore islands of Annobón, Corisco, Elobey Grande, and Elobey Chico.
  12. ^ Smallest landlocked country in Africa.
  13. ^ Smallest country on the African mainland.
  14. ^ Includes Agaléga, and Saint Brandon, which add 70 km2 (27 sq mi)[6] and 190 km2 (73 sq mi),[7] respectively.
  15. ^ 2,052 km2 (792 sq mi) including the disputed islands of the Glorioso Islands[8] and Mayotte,[9] currently administered by France.

References

  1. ^ Source unless otherwise specified: Demographic Yearbook – Table 3: Population by sex, rate of population increase, surface area and density (PDF) (Report). United Nations Statistics Division. 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2023. Entries in this table giving figures other than the figures given in this source are explained in the associated Note.
  2. ^ "The 10 Smallest Countries in Africa". WorldAtlas. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  3. ^ "Sinai Peninsula". Britannica. Oct 16, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  4. ^ BBC News: Western Sahara profile
  5. ^ City Population: Western Sahara (disputed territory)
  6. ^ "Agalega Islands". Britannica. Dec 28, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  7. ^ "About Saint Brandon Island". Mauritius Attractions. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  8. ^ "Glorioso Island". CIA World Factbook. 10 Feb 2005. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "Mayotte". CIA World Factbook. 10 Feb 2005. Retrieved May 21, 2023.