How Many Countries Are There in Africa?

There are 54 countries in Africa — that is, 54 sovereign states, more than on any other continent.

All 54 are UN member states, so Africa is the continent whose count is least disputed. Egypt is counted here even though its Sinai Peninsula reaches into Asia.

United Nations — Standard Country Codes (M49) ↗

Source UN M49Method sovereign states (193 UN members + 2 observers)As of 2026

The countries

All 54 sovereign states of Africa, A–Z. Each traces to the UN list of member and observer states.

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Republic of the Congo
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

The countries: 54 · sovereign states (193 UN members + 2 observers)

How we count Africa

We count all 54 sovereign states of Africa, every one of which is a UN member. Egypt is included as an African country even though the Sinai Peninsula, east of the Suez Canal, is geographically in Asia. Western Sahara is a disputed territory rather than a UN member state and is not counted. There are no observer states or microstates to add — the African total of 54 is the least contested continental figure.

FAQ

What is the largest country in Africa?

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area, ahead of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. By population, Nigeria is the largest.

What is the smallest country in Africa?

Seychelles is the smallest African country by area, at about 460 square kilometres. On the mainland, the Gambia is the smallest.

Is Egypt in Africa or Asia?

Egypt is transcontinental: most of the country is in Africa, but the Sinai Peninsula east of the Suez Canal is in Asia. Egypt is counted as an African country.

Why do all 54 African countries agree, unlike other continents?

Every African country is a full UN member state, and there are no observer states, microstates or widely counted breakaway states to argue over. That makes 54 the most settled continental count.

Antarctica has 0 countries — it is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, not by any sovereign state.