List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa


This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa. It includes both fully recognised states, states with limited or zero recognition, and dependent territories of both African and non-African states. It lists 56 sovereign states, two non-sovereign territories of non-African sovereign states, and nine sub-national regions of non-African sovereign states.
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. Egypt, although extending into Asia through the Sinai Peninsula, is considered an African state.

Sovereign states

Recognised states

The following 54 fully recognised states are all members of the United Nations and the African Union.
FlagMapEnglish short and formal names
Domestic short and formal namesCapital
Population
Area
Algeria

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
الجزائر — الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية Algiers

الجزائر
Angola
Republic of Angola
Portuguese: Angola—República de AngolaLuanda
Portuguese: Luanda
Benin
Republic of Benin
French: Bénin—République du BéninPorto-Novo
French: Porto-Novo
Botswana
Republic of Botswana
English: Botswana—Republic of Botswana
Tswana: Botswana—Lefatshe la Botswana
Gaborone
English: Gaborone
Tswana: Gaborone
Burkina Faso Republic of Burkina FasoFrench: Burkina FasoOuagadougou
French: Ouagadougou
Burundi
Republic of Burundi
Kirundi: Burundi—Republika y'u Burundi
French: Burundi—République du Burundi
Gitega
Kirundi: Gitega
French: Gitega
Cameroon
Republic of Cameroon
English: Cameroon—Republic of Cameroon
French: Cameroun—République du Cameroun
Yaoundé
English: Yaoundé
French: Yaoundé
includes the Cameroonian-administered parts of Southern Cameroons.
Cape Verde
Republic of Cabo Verde
Portuguese: Cabo Verde—República de Cabo VerdePraia
Portuguese: Praia
Central African RepublicSango: Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka
French: République centrafricaine
Bangui
French: Bangui
Chad

Republic of Chad
تشاد — جمهورية تشاد

French: Tchad—République du Tchad
N'Djamena

نجامينا

French: Ndjamena
Comoros

Union of the Comoros
جزر القمر — جمهورية القمر المتحدة
Comorian: Komori—Udzima wa Komori

French: Comores—Union des Comores
Moroni

موروني
French: Moroni
Democratic Republic of the CongoFrench: République démocratique du CongoKinshasa
French: Kinshasa
Republic of the CongoFrench: République du CongoBrazzaville
French: Brazzaville
Djibouti
Republic of Djibouti
Arabic: جيبوتي — جمهورية جيبوتي
French: Djibouti—République de Djibouti
Djibouti City
Arabic: مدينة جيبوتي
French: Ville de Djibouti
Egypt
Arab Republic of Egypt
Arabic: مصر — جمهورية مصر العربية Cairo
Arabic: القاهرة
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
French: Malabo
Portuguese: Malabo
Spanish: Malabo
Eritrea
State of Eritrea
Arabic: إرتريا — دولة إرتريا
English: Eritrea—State of Eritrea
Tigrinya: ኤርትራ — ሃገረ ኤርትራ
Asmara
Arabic: أسمرة
Tigrinya: ኣስመራ
Eswatini
Kingdom of Eswatini
English: Eswatini—Kingdom of Eswatini
Swazi: eSwatini—Umbuso weSwatini
Lobamba
Mbabane
English: Lobamba, Mbabane
Swazi: Lobamba, ÉMbábáne
Ethiopia
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Amharic: Iትዮጵያ — የIትዮጵያ ፈደራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ Addis Ababa
Amharic: አዲስ አበባ
Gabon
Gabonese Republic
French: Gabon—République gabonaiseLibreville
French: Libreville
The Gambia
Republic of the Gambia
English: The Gambia—Republic of the GambiaBanjul
English: Banjul
Ghana
Republic of Ghana
English: Ghana—Republic of GhanaAccra
English: Accra
Guinea
Republic of Guinea
French: Guinée—République de GuinéeConakry
French: Conakry
Guinea-Bissau
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Portuguese: Guiné-Bissau—República da Guiné-BissauBissau
Portuguese: Bissau
Ivory Coast
Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
French: Côte d'Ivoire—République de Côte d'IvoireYamoussoukro
French: Yamoussoukro
Kenya
Republic of Kenya
English: Kenya—Republic of Kenya
Swahili: Kenya—Jamhuri ya Kenya
Nairobi
English: Nairobi
Swahili: Nairobi
Lesotho
Kingdom of Lesotho
English: Lesotho—Kingdom of Lesotho
Sotho: Lesotho—Muso oa Lesotho
Maseru
English: Maseru
Sotho: Maseru
Liberia
Republic of Liberia
English: Liberia—Republic of LiberiaMonrovia
English: Monrovia
Libya
State of Libya
Arabic: ليبيا
Berber: ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ
Tripoli
Arabic: طرابلس
Berber: ⵟⵔⴰⴱⵍⴻⵙ
Madagascar
Republic of Madagascar
French: Madagascar—République de Madagascar
Malagasy: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
Antananarivo
French: Antananarivo
Malagasy: Antananarivo
Malawi
Republic of Malawi
Chichewa: Malaŵi—Dziko la Malaŵi
English: Malawi—Republic of Malawi
Lilongwe
Chichewa: Lilongwe
English: Lilongwe
Mali
Republic of Mali
French: Mali—République du MaliBamako
French: Bamako
Mauritania
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Arabic: موريتانيا — الجمهورية الإسلامية الموريتانية Nouakchott
Arabic: نواكشوط
Mauritius
Republic of Mauritius
English: Mauritius—Republic of Mauritius
French: Maurice—République de Maurice
Mauritian Creole Moris—Repiblik Moris
Port Louis
English: Port Louis
French: Port-Louis
Mauritian Creole: Porlwi
Morocco
Kingdom of Morocco
Arabic : المغرب — المملكة المغربية
Berber: ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⴰⵖⵔⵉⴱ
Rabat
Arabic: الرباط
Berber: ⴰⵕⴱⴰⵟ
excludes all disputed territories; includes the Moroccan-administered parts of Western Sahara.
Mozambique
Republic of Mozambique
Portuguese: Moçambique—República de MoçambiqueMaputo
Portuguese: Maputo
Namibia
Republic of Namibia
English: Namibia—Republic of NamibiaWindhoek
English: Windhoek
Niger
Republic of the Niger
French: Niger—République du NigerNiamey
French: Niamey
Nigeria
Federal Republic of Nigeria
English: Nigeria—Federal Republic of NigeriaAbuja
English: Abuja
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
12,374, 397
São Tomé and Príncipe
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Portuguese: São Tomé e Príncipe—República Democrática de São Tomé e PríncipeSão Tomé
Portuguese: São Tomé
Senegal
Republic of Senegal
French: Sénégal—République du SénégalDakar
French: Dakar
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
Sierra Leone
Republic of Sierra Leone
English: Sierra Leone—Republic of Sierra LeoneFreetown
English: Freetown
Somalia
Federal Republic of Somalia
Arabic: الصومال — جمهورية الصومال الديموقراطية
Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya
Mogadishu
Somali: Muqdisho
Arabic: مقديشو
South Africa
Republic of South Africa
Afrikaans: Suid-Afrika—Republiek van Suid-Afrika
Bloemfontein,
Cape Town,
and Pretoria
South Sudan
Republic of South Sudan
English: South Sudan—Republic of South SudanJuba
English: Juba
Sudan
Republic of the Sudan
Arabic: السودان — جمهورية السودان
English: Republic of the Sudan
Khartoum
Arabic: الخرطوم
Tanzania
United Republic of Tanzania
English: Tanzania—United Republic of Tanzania
Swahili: Tanzania—Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania
Dodoma
Dar es Salaam
English: Dodoma
Swahili: Dodoma
56,313,438
Togo
Togolese Republic
French: Togo—République TogolaiseLomé
French: Lomé
Tunisia
Tunisian Republic
Arabic: تونس — الجمهورية التونسية Tunis
Arabic: تونس
Uganda
Republic of Uganda
English: Uganda—Republic of Uganda
Swahili: Uganda—Jamhuri ya Uganda
Kampala
English: Kampala
Swahili: Kampala
Zambia
Republic of Zambia
English: Zambia—Republic of ZambiaLusaka
English: Lusaka
Zimbabwe
Republic of Zimbabwe
English: Zimbabwe—Republic of ZimbabweHarare
English: Harare

States with limited or no international recognition

The following entities have declared themselves as sovereign states and control some territory, but have limited or no recognition from other states. Neither is a member state of the United Nations, although the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a member of the African Union.
FlagMapEnglish short and formal namesStatusDomestic short and formal namesCapitalPopulationArea
Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicClaimed as the southernmost provinces of Morocco. Recognized by the African Union and 47 UN members as the representative government of Western Sahara.Arabic: الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية
Spanish: República Árabe Saharaui Democrática
El Aaiún
Arabic: العيون
Spanish: El Aaiún
582,478
Somaliland
Republic of Somaliland
State uncontrolled by Somalia. Recognized by no UN member.Arabic: جمهورية أرض الصومال — أرض الصومال
Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland
Hargeisa
Arabic: هرجيسا
Somali: Hargeysa
4,000,000

Non-sovereign territories

There are currently 12 non-sovereign territories in Africa. Except two Spanish autonomous cities and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, all the remaining territories are islands off the continent's coast.

Dependent territories

This list contains 2 territories that are politically administered as the external dependencies of other sovereign states.
FlagMapEnglish short and formal namesStatusDomestic short and formal namesCapitalPopulationArea
French Southern and Antarctic LandsFrench overseas territoryFrench: Terres australes et antarctiques françaisesSaint-PierreNo permanent population
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaBritish overseas territoryEnglish: Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaJamestown5,633

Other territories

This list contains 10 territories that are administered as incorporated areas of a primarily non-African country.
FlagMapEnglish short and formal namesStatusDomestic short and formal namesCapitalPopulationArea
Canary IslandsSpanish autonomous communitySpanish: Islas CanariasSanta Cruz and Las Palmas
Spanish: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
2,207,225
Ceuta
Autonomous City of Ceuta
Spanish autonomous citySpanish: Ceuta—Ciudad autónoma de CeutaCeuta
Spanish: Ceuta
84,843
Madeira
Autonomous Region of Madeira
Portuguese autonomous regionPortuguese: Madeira—Região Autónoma da MadeiraFunchal
Portuguese: Funchal
267,785
Mayotte
Department of Mayotte
French overseas departmentFrench: Mayotte—Département de MayotteDzaoudzi
Mamoudzou
French: Mamoudzou
266,380
Melilla
Autonomous City of Melilla
Spanish autonomous citySpanish: Melilla—Ciudad autónoma de MelillaMelilla
Spanish: Melilla
84,714
Plazas de soberaníaSpanish overseas territorySpanish: Plazas de soberaníaN/A74
Réunion
Réunion Island
French overseas regionFrench: Réunion—Îles RéunionSaint Denis
French: Saint-Denis
889,918
Pelagie IslandsItalian territoryItalian: Isole Pelagie
Sicilian: Ìsuli Pilaggî
Lampedusa e Linosa
Italian: Lampedusa e Linosa
Sicilian: Lampidusa e Linusa
6,304
Socotra ArchipelagoGovernorate of YemenArabic:
أرخبيل سقطرى

Hadibu
Arabic:
اديبو‎
60,550