Africa is the world's second-largest continent in terms of both size and population. The continent covers over 30 million square miles, representing about 6% of the Earth's surface area. The continent has 48 countries on its mainland and six island nations, bringing the total number of countries to 54. Like in other continents, the size of African countries varies in area and population. Which is the smallest country in Africa?
Africa is home to massive countries such as Algeria, with close to a million square miles of land mass and tiny countries such as Seychelles, with less than 174 square miles.
Here is a look at Africa's smallest countries by landmass and population.
At 174 square miles (451 square kilometres), the island nation of Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. Here is a look at the ten smallest countries in Africa and their landmass.
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Country | Landmass in square km | Landmass in square miles |
Seychelles | 451 | 174 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 964 | 372 |
Mauritius | 2,040 | 788 |
Comoros | 2,235 | 863 |
Cape Verde | 4,033 | 1,557 |
Gambia | 10,380 | 4,008 |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | 17,364 | 6,704 |
Djibouti | 23,200 | 8,958 |
Rwanda | 26,798 | 10,347 |
Burundi | 27,830 | 10,745 |
Besides landmass, population is the other widely used metric in determining a country's size. Here are the smallest African countries by this measure.
Country | Population (as of 2022) |
Seychelles | 99,768 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 228,950 |
Cape Verde | 570,239 |
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | 633,212 |
Comoros | 914,472 |
Djibouti | 1,022,219 |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | 1,188,479 |
Mauritius | 1,276,638 |
Equatorial Guinea | 1,518,007 |
Guinea-Bissau | 2,081,340 |
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Algeria tops the list of African countries by size. The country measures 919,600 mi² (about 2.38 million square kilometres). It is followed closely by DR Congo at 2.34 million square kilometres.
Africa's most populous country is Nigeria. Its population as of 2022 is estimated to be about 218,833,085.
There are 48 countries on the African mainland.
There are six island nations in Africa. These include Cape Verde, Sao Tomé and Príncipe, Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, and Mauritius.
There are two disputed nations in the continent. These are Western Sahara (occupied by Morocco and viciously claimed by the Polisario) and Somaliland (an allegedly autonomous region of Somalia).
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Asia is the world's largest continent. It measures 44,579,000 square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area.
At 8,525,989 square kilometres, Oceania is the smallest continent in the world.
Have you been wondering about the smallest country in Africa? This guide has all the information you need about the continent's smallest nations, both by size and population.
READ ALSO: Top 20 most beautiful countries in Africa that you should visit
Legit.ng recently published a list of the most beautiful African countries. Africa is among the most beautiful continents in the world. It is home to breathtaking sights, from its untamed forests to its pristine beaches. As with other continents, African countries vary in their geography, weather, physical features, and culture.
This diversity makes for an excellent mix of beautiful places all over the continent. Which is the most beautiful country in Africa, and what is it best known for?
Source: Legit.ng
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