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.| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area |
| Algeria People's Democratic Republic of Algeria | الجزائر — الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية | Algiers الجزائر | ||||
| Angola Republic of Angola | Portuguese: Angola—República de Angola | Luanda Portuguese: Luanda | ||||
| Benin Republic of Benin | French: Bénin—République du Bénin | Porto-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 Faso | French: Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou 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 Verde | Praia Portuguese: Praia | ||||
| Central African Republic | Sango: 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 Congo | French: République démocratique du Congo | Kinshasa French: Kinshasa | ||||
| Republic of the Congo | French: République du Congo | Brazzaville 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 gabonaise | Libreville French: Libreville | ||||
| The Gambia Republic of the Gambia | English: The Gambia—Republic of the Gambia | Banjul English: Banjul | ||||
| Ghana Republic of Ghana | English: Ghana—Republic of Ghana | Accra English: Accra | ||||
| Guinea Republic of Guinea | French: Guinée—République de Guinée | Conakry French: Conakry | ||||
| Guinea-Bissau Republic of Guinea-Bissau | Portuguese: Guiné-Bissau—República da Guiné-Bissau | Bissau Portuguese: Bissau | ||||
| Ivory Coast Republic of Côte d'Ivoire | French: Côte d'Ivoire—République de Côte d'Ivoire | Yamoussoukro 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 Liberia | Monrovia 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 Mali | Bamako 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 Moçambique | Maputo Portuguese: Maputo | ||||
| Namibia Republic of Namibia | English: Namibia—Republic of Namibia | Windhoek English: Windhoek | ||||
| Niger Republic of the Niger | French: Niger—République du Niger | Niamey French: Niamey | ||||
| Nigeria Federal Republic of Nigeria | English: Nigeria—Federal Republic of Nigeria | Abuja 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 Príncipe | São Tomé Portuguese: São Tomé | ||||
| Senegal Republic of Senegal | French: Sénégal—République du Sénégal | Dakar 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 Leone | Freetown 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 Sudan | Juba 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 Togolaise | Lomé 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 Zambia | Lusaka English: Lusaka | ||||
| Zimbabwe Republic of Zimbabwe | English: Zimbabwe—Republic of Zimbabwe | Harare 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.| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area |
| Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Claimed 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.| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area |
| French Southern and Antarctic Lands | French overseas territory | French: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises | Saint-Pierre | No permanent population | |||
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | British overseas territory | English: Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | Jamestown | 5,633 |
Other territories
This list contains 10 territories that are administered as incorporated areas of a primarily non-African country.| Flag | Map | English short and formal names | Status | Domestic short and formal names | Capital | Population | Area |
| Canary Islands | Spanish autonomous community | Spanish: Islas Canarias | Santa 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 city | Spanish: Ceuta—Ciudad autónoma de Ceuta | Ceuta Spanish: Ceuta | 84,843 | |||
| Madeira Autonomous Region of Madeira | Portuguese autonomous region | Portuguese: Madeira—Região Autónoma da Madeira | Funchal Portuguese: Funchal | 267,785 | |||
| Mayotte Department of Mayotte | French overseas department | French: Mayotte—Département de Mayotte | Dzaoudzi Mamoudzou French: Mamoudzou | 266,380 | |||
| Melilla Autonomous City of Melilla | Spanish autonomous city | Spanish: Melilla—Ciudad autónoma de Melilla | Melilla Spanish: Melilla | 84,714 | |||
| Plazas de soberanía | Spanish overseas territory | Spanish: Plazas de soberanía | N/A | 74 | |||
| Réunion Réunion Island | French overseas region | French: Réunion—Îles Réunion | Saint Denis French: Saint-Denis | 889,918 | |||
| Pelagie Islands | Italian territory | Italian: Isole Pelagie Sicilian: Ìsuli Pilaggî | Lampedusa e Linosa Italian: Lampedusa e Linosa Sicilian: Lampidusa e Linusa | 6,304 | |||
| Socotra Archipelago | Governorate of Yemen | Arabic: أرخبيل سقطرى | Hadibu Arabic: اديبو | 60,550 |