All 54 African Countries and Their Capitals
Africa's 54 countries reflect arbitrary colonial boundaries often ignoring ethnic and geographic realities, creating both nation-building challenges and opportunities for diverse modern states.
North Africa's six countries share Arab-Islamic culture, Mediterranean and Saharan geography, and closer ties to the Middle East than sub-Saharan Africa. Egypt (Cairo) anchors the region with 105 million people and the Suez Canal's strategic importance. Libya (Tripoli) struggles with civil conflict despite oil wealth. Tunisia (Tunis) initiated the Arab Spring and maintains relative democracy. Algeria (Algiers), Africa's largest country, leverages gas reserves while facing youth unemployment. Morocco (Rabat) claims Western Sahara while modernizing its economy. Sudan (Khartoum) recently split with South Sudan and faces ongoing political turmoil.
West Africa contains 16 countries with tremendous cultural and economic diversity. Nigeria (Abuja) dominates with Africa's largest population and economy. Ghana (Accra) maintains democratic stability and growing economy. Senegal (Dakar) serves as francophone West Africa's hub. Côte d'Ivoire (Yamoussoukro - political, Abidjan - economic) recovered from civil conflict to become the world's largest cocoa producer. Mali (Bamako) faces jihadist insurgency despite rich history including Timbuktu. Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou) struggles with security challenges. Niger (Niamey) remains among the world's poorest despite uranium reserves. Guinea (Conakry) holds vast bauxite reserves. Benin (Porto-Novo - official, Cotonou - de facto) maintains stability. Togo (Lomé) has a narrow coastal strip. Sierra Leone (Freetown) recovers from civil war and Ebola. Liberia (Monrovia), founded by freed American slaves, rebuilds after conflict. Guinea-Bissau (Bissau) faces instability. Gambia (Banjul) surrounds the Gambia River. Cape Verde (Praia) prospered through good governance. Mauritania (Nouakchott) bridges Arab and sub-Saharan Africa.
East Africa's 18 countries include the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes regions. Ethiopia (Addis Ababa), never colonized and hosting the African Union, has 120 million people. Kenya (Nairobi) leads East African economy and innovation. Tanzania (Dodoma - official, Dar es Salaam - commercial) pursues ambitious development. Uganda (Kampala) recovered from past dictatorship. Rwanda (Kigali) remarkably rebuilt after genocide. Burundi (Gitega - political, Bujumbura - economic) faces ongoing challenges. Somalia (Mogadishu) slowly stabilizes after state collapse. Eritrea (Asmara) remains isolated under authoritarian rule. Djibouti (Djibouti) profits from strategic location. South Sudan (Juba), the world's youngest country, faces civil conflict. Madagascar (Antananarivo) has unique biodiversity from isolation. Mauritius (Port Louis) achieved upper-middle-income status. Seychelles (Victoria) has Africa's highest per capita income. Comoros (Moroni) struggles with poverty. Malawi (Lilongwe) remains largely agricultural. Mozambique (Maputo) develops gas reserves. Zambia (Lusaka) depends on copper exports. Zimbabwe (Harare) recovers from economic collapse.
Central Africa's eight countries center on the Congo Basin's resources and challenges. Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), potentially Africa's richest country by resources, faces governance challenges across its vast territory. Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) relies on oil exports. Cameroon (Yaoundé) bridges francophone and anglophone regions. Central African Republic (Bangui) endures ongoing conflict despite diamond wealth. Chad (N'Djamena) spans from Sahara to savanna. Gabon (Libreville) maintains relative prosperity from oil. Equatorial Guinea (Malabo) has high per capita income from oil but widespread poverty. São Tomé and Príncipe (São Tomé) develops tourism and prepares for oil production.
Southern Africa's six countries show varied development paths. South Africa (Pretoria - executive, Cape Town - legislative, Bloemfontein - judicial) has Africa's most industrialized economy but extreme inequality. Angola (Luanda) rebuilds from civil war with oil wealth. Botswana (Gaborone) exemplifies good governance and resource management. Namibia (Windhoek) maintains stability despite aridity. Lesotho (Maseru) is mountainous and surrounded by South Africa. Eswatini (Mbabane - administrative, Lobamba - royal/legislative), formerly Swaziland, is Africa's last absolute monarchy.