Countries in Africa

Africa is the world’s second-largest and most populated continent, with a population of 1.2 billion people in 2016. There are 54 recognized sovereign nations and countries in Africa, as well as 9 territories and two de facto independent entities with limited recognition.

In 2009, the United Nations Population Fund reported that Africa’s population has reached one billion people, double over 27 years.

Thoraya Obeid, Director of the Population Fund, talked to the BBC at the time and explained the causes for the expanding population.

“African nations are all expanding fast… because a big percentage of women do not have access to family planning,” she said. “It’s an African phenomenon with a rapidly rising population and a big proportion of young people.”

Growth in Africa’s Population and Life Expectancy

The African continent is made up of 54 nations, and although population growth is slow in certain parts, countries like Nigeria and Uganda are growing rapidly. The population of most African nations is growing at a rate of more than 2% each year.

Africa Population

Africans are also very young, with reports saying that 41% of them are under the age of 15. This means that a lot of young people live in Africa. Life expectancy is likewise low, with several countries having life expectancies of less than 50 years and the continent as a whole averaging 52.

This has decreased significantly over the previous two decades, with the pandemic HIV and AIDS epidemic bearing most of the responsibility.

Infant mortality is likewise exceedingly high, with 102 deaths per 1,000 live births being recorded in Mali. All of these facts might contribute to a decrease in population. However, in Africa, the problem of family planning has the opposite impact.

Demographics in Africa

The African countries as a whole are made up of such a wide combination of components that listing them all in terms of demography is difficult. However, there has been a rise of Asian and European immigrants in specific sections of the continent, which has helped to enhance overall population numbers.

This may be observed widely in former British colonies, with Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa serving as strong instances of a rising collection of ethnicities.

Africa’s population is exploding in the previous 40 years, and it is still relatively youthful, with more than half of the population under the age of 25 in several countries.

Africa’s Most populous Countries

  • Nigeria has a population of 183,523,432 people.
  • Ethiopia has a population of 98,942,102 people.
  • Egypt has a population of 84,705,681 people.
  • 71,246,355 people live in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • South Africa has a population of 53,491,333 people.
  • Africa’s Least Populous Countries
  • (non-sovereign) Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha (UK): 4,124
  • 93,754 people live in Seychelles.
  • 202,781 people live in So Tomé and Principe.
  • Mayotte (France) has a population of 233,993 people.
  • Cape Verde has a population of 508,315 people.

Africa’s Growing Population

Any expert would struggle to refute the widely accepted belief that Africa’s population would continue to grow in 2016 and beyond. The 2.4 billion projection for 2050 is perfectly possible since there are little or no mechanisms in place to solve the problem.

Africa’s population density is now at 65 people per square mile, putting it below Asia, Europe, and South America. Africa’s population is expected to triple in only 90 years, making the continent more crucial to the global economy than it has ever been.

Nigeria, in Africa, is now one of the world’s most populated nations, and as China’s population decreases and India plateaus, Nigeria will exceed China in population by 2100, reaching about 1 billion people. Given that the nation is about the size of Texas, this is rather remarkable. Nigeria’s population is predicted to grow by a factor of eight in only two or three generations, making it one of the world’s most populous countries.

There will be a lot more people on Africa’s planet in the sub-Saharan region. This includes Tanzania, which is one of the poor and vulnerable places on the planet. The country’s population was 34 million only 13 years ago, and it has since increased to 45 million. By 2100, it is expected to reach 276 million, which is comparable to the present population of the United States.

Many people are concerned about Africa’s population increase, which is expected to reach 2.4 billion people by 2050, according to projections. Africa is predicted to account for more than half of global growth by 2100, with 4.1 billion people making up more than a third of the world’s population. Because the area has relatively high fertility rates and no family planning, most nations will at least treble in population.

Africa is still growing and has some of the world’s poorest countries, so it’s not clear how well it can handle so many people.

Countries in Africa

Country

2022 Population


Density (km²)
Angola35,027,34328.10
Burundi12,624,840453.58
Benin12,784,726113.52
Burkina Faso22,102,83880.97
Botswana2,441,1624.19
Central African Republic5,016,6788.05
Ivory Coast27,742,29886.03
Cameroon27,911,54858.71
DR Congo95,240,79240.62
Republic of the Congo5,797,80516.95
Comoros907,419487.34
Cape Verde567,678140.76
Djibouti1,016,09743.80
Algeria45,350,14819.04
Egypt106,156,692105.90
Eritrea3,662,24431.14
Western Sahara626,1612.35
Ethiopia120,812,698109.40
Gabon2,331,5338.71
Ghana32,395,450135.81
Guinea13,865,69156.40
Gambia2,558,482239.36
Guinea Bissau2,063,36757.12
Equatorial Guinea1,496,66253.36
Kenya56,215,22196.86
Liberia5,305,11747.64
Libya7,040,7454.00
Lesotho2,175,69971.68
Morocco37,772,75684.59
Madagascar29,178,07749.70
Mali21,473,76417.31
Mozambique33,089,46141.28
Mauritania4,901,9814.76
Mauritius1,274,727624.87
Malawi20,180,839170.33
Mayotte286,259765.40
Namibia2,633,8743.19
Niger26,083,66020.59
Nigeria216,746,934234.63
Reunion908,061361.63
Rwanda13,600,464516.38
Sudan45,992,02024.39
Senegal17,653,67189.74
Sierra Leone8,306,436115.79
Somalia16,841,79526.41
South Sudan11,618,51118.75
Sao Tome And Principe227,679236.18
Eswatini1,184,81768.23
Seychelles99,426219.97
Chad17,413,58013.56
Togo8,680,837152.87
Tunisia12,046,65673.63
Tanzania63,298,55066.98
Uganda48,432,863200.51
South Africa60,756,13549.76
Zambia19,470,23425.87
Zimbabwe15,331,42839.24

African History

In the case of Africa, scientists previously determined that it was the origin of humanity due to the discovery of huge quantities of human-like fossils (found nowhere else) on the continent, some going back 3.5 million years.

It was about 1.75 million years ago that early man spread across parts of Africa. To survive, they became ferocious hunters, lived in caves, and relied on fire and their ability to produce stone tools.

The Neanderthals first appeared some 200,000 years ago in northern Africa and southern Europe, where they occupied several places. There is also proof that they controlled fire and lived in caves as well as open-air stone and vegetation buildings.

The invention of stone tools was one of the most significant advances of prehistoric man. Farming was very popular in northern Africa by 5000 BC, with humans cultivating crops and herding cattle. The Sahara Desert was a fruitful region at the time.

History of Ancient Africa

Egypt’s civilization arose near the lower parts of the Nile River about 3200 BC; it was one of the oldest civilizations, with metal tools and weapons. They also paved the way for the construction of huge pyramids and temples.

Math, an advanced medical system, irrigation and agricultural production systems, writing, and the first ships were all invented by Egyptians. In summary, the Egyptians have left an indelible mark on the globe.

Around 600 BC, tiny population bases and agricultural communities in North Africa began to employ metal implements, and their usage progressively moved south into what is now known as South Africa.

From 1550 BC to 300 BC, the Phoenicians were an entrepreneurial maritime commerce society from Lebanon that extended throughout the Mediterranean.

They constructed Carthage in 814 BC in what is now Tunisia, North Africa, only for it to be destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC.

In the meanwhile, the Egyptians proceeded to expand their civilization over Northern Africa, establishing kingdoms in Ethiopia and Sudan. Egypt became a province of Rome in 30 BC, and Morocco did the same in 42 AD, as the then-expanding Roman Empire proceeded to spread its authority.

The Roman Empire fell apart before the Middle Ages started, and the Arabs swiftly assumed their position on the continent. They conquered Tunis and Carthage in 698-700 and soon had control of all of coastal North Africa. The Arabs were Muslims, and the majority of North Africa converted to Islam except for Ethiopia.

Soon after, African kingdoms arose, trading with the Arabs using gold and a valued commodity: slaves. Ghana, in what is now southern Mauritania and western Mali, was one of the early kingdoms.

The empire prospered because of trans-Saharan gold and salt commerce, but it fell out of favor in the 11th century.

Across the continent, new kingdoms arose, notably those in Benin and Mali. They made their fortunes selling gold, horse salt, and, of course, slaves. And, like most kingdoms on any continent before them, they were attacked and eventually destroyed.

Mogadishu, Somalia’s current capital, was founded by Arabs who traveled and traded along Africa’s east coast. The Arabs’ influence reached as far as Zanzibar, which served as a stopover for ships sailing between the Middle East and India.

The Portuguese started to explore the western coast of Africa while other structured kingdoms arose in central and southern Africa.

They reached the Cape Verde Islands and the Senegalese coast in 1445, and the mouth of the Congo River in 1482. They even completed a circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope.

The Slave Trade And African Colonization

The 16th Century began with Europeans taking African slaves to the Americas for money. In the American market, a slave acquired for 14 English pounds in bartered commodities on the African coast might sell for 45 pounds.

The Triangular Trading System was the most well-known technique of business at the time.

It entailed shipping manufactured commodities from the United Kingdom and other European nations to Africa, then slaves to the West Indies, and finally sugar and other products back to Europe.

Thousands of ships were taken by Barbary pirates around the North African coast during the same period. Between the 16th through the 19th centuries, an estimated 800,000 to 1.25 million individuals were enslaved.

The effect of pirates on the continent, on the other hand, peaked in the early to the mid-seventeenth century.

Europeans established their first true colonies in the early 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in what is now Angola, as word of African wealth traveled north. The Dutch later established a colony in what is now South Africa.

Slavery abolition movements erupted in force in the late 1800s. In 1794, France was one of the first nations to abolish slavery. Slavery was outlawed in Britain in 1807, but it was not legally abolished until 1848. Slave-like behaviors persist in certain regions of Africa and have proved difficult to eradicate.

When the British stole the Dutch Colony of South Africa in 1814, the colonization of Africa by European powers started in earnest. The Brits, Dutch, French, Germans, and Portuguese snatched up all of the available portions, which were carved up like a huge pie.

By the end of the nineteenth century, European forces had almost complete control over the continent, from Algeria to Zimbabwe, and from Botswana to Niger. With the British taking control of Egypt in the early twentieth century, the land grab persisted.

By 1920, Europe’s attitude toward the forcible colonization of African countries had turned sour, and change was on the horizon. Africans were also motivated by a strong yearning for independence, which fueled an unstoppable movement.

By the mid-century, the majority of the continent had gained independence, with Angola being independent in 1975.

Geographical Facts of Africa

  • Please utilize the yellow navigation bar at the top of the page for more geographical information.
  • Algeria is the biggest nation in Africa.
  • Seychelles is Africa’s smallest nation.
  • Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation.
  • By population, Seychelles is Africa’s smallest nation.
  • Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is Africa’s highest peak.
  • Lake Assal in Djibouti is Africa’s lowest point.

Africa’s Interesting Facts

The Nile River System and the Sahara Desert are two of Africa’s most fascinating geological features; each is spectacular in its own right.

The Nile River System is a north-flowing river that is the world’s longest at 6,650 kilometers (4,130 miles). It is shared by eleven nations and helps them all. Its main tributaries are the White and Blue Niles.

The White Nile is longer and originates in central Africa’s Great Lakes area, flowing north from Tanzania to South Sudan.

The Blue Nile provides the majority of the water, and the two rivers meet in Khartoum, Sudan.

From Sudan to Egypt, the northern segment of the river travels nearly exclusively through the desert. The Nile pours into the Mediterranean Sea through a huge delta.

The Sahara Desert is the hottest desert on the planet, the third biggest after Antarctica and the Arctic, and nearly as big as China.

With a total area of about one-third of the continent, the Sahara is the world’s biggest hot desert, covering over 3,500,000 square miles (9,065,000 square kilometers).

Rock-strewn plains, undulating sand dunes, and many sand seas make up the topography.

Its elevation varies from 100 feet below sea level to over 11,000 feet in the Ahaggar and Tibesti Mountains (3,350m).

The Libyan, Nubian, and Western deserts of Egypt, located directly west of the Nile, are examples of regional deserts.

A few subterranean rivers come from the Atlas Mountains, almost totally devoid of rain, and assist in water isolated oasis.

The Nile’s waters help nourish smaller areas of the terrain towards the east.

Africa-related information

  • Africa’s well-known sons and daughters
  • Africa’s population, capital cities, and currency
  • Flags of African countries
  • Africa’s highest and lowest places in terms of land data
  • Landforms, lakes, mountains, and rivers in Africa
  • Latitude, longitude, and relative places in Africa
  • Africa’s biggest attractions and sites of interest are linked together.
  • Outline, political, and topographical maps of Africa
  • Symbols, coats of arms, and flags of Africa
  • Current times in Africa’s time zones
  • Africa’s history and events are shown in this timeline.
  • Flights, cruises, and rail travel to Africa are all available.
  • Weather predictions and current conditions for Africa

African History

Africa in the Post-Colonial 

The newly formed nations saw more than their fair share of civil wars, coups, and ethnic conflicts as a result of self-government.

Add in some horrific genocides, famines, and out-of-control sickness (HIV/AIDS), and Africa was on the verge of collapse, and it still is in many regions today.

Even though Africa is still the poorest populated continent on the planet, there are many bright spots in this region of over one billion people and 2,000 languages.

Over the previous several years, significant economic and social progress has been made, with South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt leading the way.

Agriculture and mining are the most important sectors of contemporary Africa’s economy, with tourism rising in certain places.

Manufacturing companies have grown big enough to carry items across the world, and Angola, Libya, and Nigeria’s oil export income have the potential to alter the lives of millions of people.

Today, Africa’s 54 nations have enormous potential, but the issue remains: “Can it adapt quickly enough to satisfy the demands of its people?” We can only hope for the best.

Africa Population History / Africa Population Projections

Year Population Density (km²) Growth Rate
20251,508,929,07249.770.00%
20301,688,314,92455.692.27%
20351,878,187,53661.952.15%
20402,076,743,47068.502.03%
20452,281,446,53375.251.90%
20502,489,269,67582.111.76%
20552,697,834,76088.981.62%
20602,904,971,89295.821.49%
20653,108,925,401102.541.37%
20703,307,522,386109.091.25%
20753,498,751,544115.401.13%
20803,680,565,746121.401.02%
20853,850,821,007127.010.91%
20904,008,132,967132.200.80%
20954,151,448,169136.930.71%

YearPopulation DensityGrowth Rate
20221,406,722,62946.402.44%
20201,340,592,07044.222.54%
20151,182,432,91939.002.61%
20101,039,298,85034.282.55%
2005916,148,92430.222.47%
2000810,978,17726.752.49%
1995717,263,83123.662.62%
1990630,342,99220.792.82%
1985548,619,33118.102.86%
1980476,379,69115.712.81%
1975414,668,45313.682.67%
1970363,441,82611.992.57%
1965320,141,92910.562.47%
1960283,355,8459.352.31%
1955252,743,5588.342.10%
1950227,788,8907.510.00%
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