Largest Countries In Africa

Last updated September 18, 2024

Land Area Africa
Top
Last
Land Area AfricaQuestion Mark
1.AlgeriaAlgeria2.4M
2.DR CongoDR Congo2.3M
3.SudanSudan1.9M
4.LibyaLibya1.8M
5.ChadChad1.3M
6.NigerNiger1.3M
7.AngolaAngola1.2M
8.MaliMali1.2M
9.South AfricaSouth Africa1.2M
10.EthiopiaEthiopia1.1M
11.MauritaniaMauritania1.0M
12.TanzaniaTanzania 945.2K
13.EgyptEgypt 941.5K
14.NigeriaNigeria 923.8K
15.NamibiaNamibia 825.6K
16.MozambiqueMozambique 801.6K
17.ZambiaZambia 752.6K
18.South SudanSouth Sudan 644.3K
19.SomaliaSomalia 637.7K
20.Central African RepublicCentral African Republic 623.0K
21.MadagascarMadagascar 587.0K
22.BotswanaBotswana 581.7K
23.KenyaKenya 580.4K
24.CameroonCameroon 475.4K
25.MoroccoMorocco 446.6K
26.ZimbabweZimbabwe 390.8K
27.Ivory CoastIvory Coast 322.5K
28.Burkina FasoBurkina Faso 274.2K
29.GabonGabon 267.7K
30.Western SaharaWestern Sahara 266.0K
31.GuineaGuinea 245.9K
32.UgandaUganda 241.6K
33.GhanaGhana 238.5K
34.SenegalSenegal 196.7K
35.TunisiaTunisia 163.6K
36.MalawiMalawi 118.5K
37.EritreaEritrea 117.6K
38.BeninBenin 114.8K
39.LiberiaLiberia 111.4K
40.Sierra LeoneSierra Leone 71.7K
41.TogoTogo 56.8K
42.Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau 36.1K
43.LesothoLesotho 30.4K
44.Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea 28.1K
45.BurundiBurundi 27.8K
46.RwandaRwanda 26.3K
47.DjiboutiDjibouti 23.2K
48.EswatiniEswatini 17.4K
49.GambiaGambia 11.3K
50.Cape VerdeCape Verde 4.0K
51.MauritiusMauritius 2.2K
52.ComorosComoros 1.9K
53.SeychellesSeychelles452

Introduction

Africa, the world's second-largest continent, is a landmass of great diversity and grandeur. It is a vast tapestry of sweeping deserts, dense rainforests, towering mountains, and expansive savannas, crisscrossed by some of the world's most iconic rivers. Africa’s size is reflected in its vast nations, and this article aims to delve into the topography of the continent's decades-long political borders, determining which are the largest countries on the African continent by land area. The African continent is home to some of the world's largest countries. African nations are mammoth territorial expanses, a testament to their significant spatial presence on the world map. Key findings from the data include:

  • Algeria, with a whopping 2.4 million square kilometers, is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest globally. Its vast landscapes span the Mediterranean coastline, the Sahara Desert, and the Atlas Mountains.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second-largest with 2.3 million square kilometers, containing some of the largest and least exploited deposits of natural resources in the world.
  • Sudan, Libya, Chad, and Niger follow, each with land areas exceeding a million square kilometers. Their size encompasses a range of landscapes from deserts to mountains to savannas.
  • Within the top 10 largest African countries, South Africa and Ethiopia are the only two which harbor populations exceeding 100 million individuals.

10 Largest Countries in Africa

Algeria is the largest of all African nations with an impressive 2.4 million square kilometers. Algeria stands not only as the largest in Africa but also holds the title of the tenth largest on a global scale. The Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo makes its mark as the second largest African country, comprising a land area of 2.3 million square kilometers. Coming in third is Sudan, covering an impressive 1.9 million square kilometers of the African terrain. Libya is next with 1.8 million square kilometers, followed closely by both Chad and Niger with 1.3 million square kilometers each. Angola, Mali, South Africa all command substantial presences as well with 1.2 million square kilometers each. Ethiopia, the last on this list, still wields a respectable size with 1.1 million square kilometers to its name. 10 Largest Countries in Africa by Land Area:

  1. Algeria - 2.4M sq km
  2. DR Congo - 2.3M sq km
  3. Sudan - 1.9M sq km
  4. Libya - 1.8M sq km
  5. Chad - 1.3M sq km
  6. Niger - 1.3M sq km
  7. Angola - 1.2M sq km
  8. Mali - 1.2M sq km
  9. South Africa - 1.2M sq km
  10. Ethiopia - 1.1M sq km

By Region

Algeria

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Ranked in Africa

#1

Angola

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Ranked in Africa

#7

Benin

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Ranked in Africa

#38

Botswana

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Ranked in Africa

#22

Burkina Faso

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Ranked in Africa

#28

Burundi

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Ranked in Africa

#45

Cameroon

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Ranked in Africa

#24

Cape Verde

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Ranked in Africa

#50

Central African Republic

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Ranked in Africa

#20

Chad

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Ranked in Africa

#5

Comoros

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Ranked in Africa

#52

DR Congo

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Ranked in Africa

#2

Djibouti

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Ranked in Africa

#47

Egypt

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Ranked in Africa

#13

Equatorial Guinea

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Ranked in Africa

#44

Eritrea

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Ranked in Africa

#37

Eswatini

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Ranked in Africa

#48

Ethiopia

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Ranked in Africa

#10

Gabon

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Ranked in Africa

#29

Gambia

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Ranked in Africa

#49

Ghana

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Ranked in Africa

#33

Guinea

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Ranked in Africa

#31

Guinea Bissau

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Ranked in Africa

#42

Ivory Coast

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Ranked in Africa

#27

Kenya

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Ranked in Africa

#23

Lesotho

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Ranked in Africa

#43

Liberia

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Ranked in Africa

#39

Libya

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Ranked in Africa

#4

Madagascar

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Ranked in Africa

#21

Malawi

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Ranked in Africa

#36

Mali

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Ranked in Africa

#8

Mauritania

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Ranked in Africa

#11

Mauritius

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Ranked in Africa

#51

Morocco

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Ranked in Africa

#25

Mozambique

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Ranked in Africa

#16

Namibia

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Ranked in Africa

#15

Niger

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Ranked in Africa

#6

Nigeria

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Ranked in Africa

#14

Rwanda

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Ranked in Africa

#46

Senegal

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Ranked in Africa

#34

Seychelles

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Ranked in Africa

#53

Sierra Leone

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Ranked in Africa

#40

Somalia

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Ranked in Africa

#19

South Africa

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Ranked in Africa

#9

South Sudan

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Ranked in Africa

#18

Sudan

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Ranked in Africa

#3

Tanzania

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Ranked in Africa

#12

Togo

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Ranked in Africa

#41

Tunisia

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Ranked in Africa

#35

Uganda

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Ranked in Africa

#32

Western Sahara

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Ranked in Africa

#30

Zambia

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Ranked in Africa

#17

Zimbabwe

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Ranked in Africa

#26

Table

Region ↕Land Area Africa↕
Algeria iconAlgeria2.4M
Angola iconAngola1.2M
Benin iconBenin 114.8K
Botswana iconBotswana 581.7K
Burkina Faso iconBurkina Faso 274.2K
Burundi iconBurundi 27.8K
Cameroon iconCameroon 475.4K
Cape Verde iconCape Verde 4.0K
Central African Republic iconCentral African Republic 623.0K
Chad iconChad1.3M
Comoros iconComoros 1.9K
DR Congo iconDR Congo2.3M
Djibouti iconDjibouti 23.2K
Egypt iconEgypt 941.5K
Equatorial Guinea iconEquatorial Guinea 28.1K
Eritrea iconEritrea 117.6K
Eswatini iconEswatini 17.4K
Ethiopia iconEthiopia1.1M
Gabon iconGabon 267.7K
Gambia iconGambia 11.3K
Ghana iconGhana 238.5K
Guinea iconGuinea 245.9K
Guinea Bissau iconGuinea Bissau 36.1K
Ivory Coast iconIvory Coast 322.5K
Kenya iconKenya 580.4K
Lesotho iconLesotho 30.4K
Liberia iconLiberia 111.4K
Libya iconLibya1.8M
Madagascar iconMadagascar 587.0K
Malawi iconMalawi 118.5K
Mali iconMali1.2M
Mauritania iconMauritania1.0M
Mauritius iconMauritius 2.2K
Morocco iconMorocco 446.6K
Mozambique iconMozambique 801.6K
Namibia iconNamibia 825.6K
Niger iconNiger1.3M
Nigeria iconNigeria 923.8K
Rwanda iconRwanda 26.3K
Senegal iconSenegal 196.7K
Seychelles iconSeychelles452
Sierra Leone iconSierra Leone 71.7K
Somalia iconSomalia 637.7K
South Africa iconSouth Africa1.2M
South Sudan iconSouth Sudan 644.3K
Sudan iconSudan1.9M
Tanzania iconTanzania 945.2K
Togo iconTogo 56.8K
Tunisia iconTunisia 163.6K
Uganda iconUganda 241.6K
Western Sahara iconWestern Sahara 266.0K
Zambia iconZambia 752.6K
Zimbabwe iconZimbabwe 390.8K
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