This is a list of all present sovereign states in Africa and their predecessors. The region of Africa is generally defined geographically to include the subregions of African continent, Madagascar island, Mauritius Island and several minor islands, and their respective sovereign states. Africa was originally colonised by Europeans with Southern Africa primarily by the British, and the West Africa and North Africa primarily by the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Today, Africa consists of 54 sovereign states of various government types, the most common consisting of parliamentary systems.
Sovereign state Predecessors AlgeriaPart of the Carthaginian Empire (814–202 BC)Massylii (4th century)Part of the Kingdom of Mauretania (capital city in Volubilis, located in modern day Morocco) (3rd century BC – 25 BC)Kingdom of Numidia (202–40 BC)Center of the Kingdom of Mauretania (capital city in Cherchell, located in modern day Algeria) (25 BC – 42 AD)Mauretania Caesariensis (40 BC – 395 AD) (province of the Roman Empire)Mauretania Caesariensis (395–435) (province of the Western Roman Empire)Center of the Vandal Kingdom (435–439)Kingdom of Ouarsenis (430–735)Part of the Vandal Kingdom (439–534)Mauro-Roman Kingdom (477-578)Kingdom of the Aurès (484–703)Kingdom of Altava (578-708)Part of the Exarchate of Africa (590–698) (a division of the Eastern Roman Empire)Part of the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)Part of the Abbasid Caliphate (750–778)Emirate of Tlemcen (757–790)Rustamid Imamate (778–909)Part of the Aghlabid Emirate (800–909)Part of the Fatimid Caliphate (909–973)Center of the Zirid Emirate (973–1014)Part of the Zirid Emirate (1014–1148)Hammadid Sultanate (1014–1152)Part of the Almohad Caliphate (1152–1235) Zayyanid Sultanate of Tlemcen (1235–1554) Sultanate of Tuggurt (1414–1871) Sultanate of Beni Abbas (1510–1872)Sultanate of Kuku (1515–1638) Eyalet of Aljazayer (1515–1830) (Eyalet (State) of the Ottoman Empire) Colony of Algeria (1830–1848) (part of the French Empire) Emirate of Abdelkader (1832–1847) French Algeria (1848–1962) (part of the French Empire, being an integral region of the metropole) Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (1958–1962) (1962–present) Angola The territory of Angola has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era by the San people Kongo (1390–1940)Kasanze Kingdom (1500–1648) Mbunda Kingdom (1500–1917)Kingdom of Ndongo (1515–1909)Kingdom of Oukwanyama (1600–1927)Kasanje Kingdom (1620–1912)Kingdom of Matamba(1631–1744)Kingdom of Bailundo (1700–present)Kingdom of Viye (1700–present) State of West Africa (1575–1951) (part of the Portuguese Empire) Overseas Province of Angola (1951–1972) (part of the Portuguese Empire) State of Angola (1972–1975) (part of the Portuguese Empire) People's Republic of Angola (1975–1992) (1992–present) Benin Kingdom of Ardra (12th/13th century – 1724)Kingdom of Whydah (1580–1727) Kingdom of Dahomey (1600–1894) Kingdom of Dahomey (French Protectorate) (1894–1904) Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies (1904–1958) (part of the French West Africa, federation of colonies within of the French Empire) Republic of Dahomey (1958–1975) (self-governing colony within the French Empire on 4 December 1958, full independent state on 1 August 1960) People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) (1990–present) Botswana The territory of Botswana has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era. The original inhabitants of southern Africa were the tribal San and Khoi peoples.Tribal Bantu-speaking peoples first moved into the country from the north () Bechuanaland Protectorate (1885–1966) (part of the British Empire) (1966–present) Burkina Faso Bura culture (3rd–13th century) Burkina Faso was divided in several Mossi Kingdoms (11th century – 1896) Kingdom of Gwiriko (1714–1897) part of the French West Africa, a federation of colonies of the French Empire (1896–1919) French Upper Volta (1919–1958) (part of the French West Africa) Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984) (self-governing colony within the French Empire on 11 December 1958, full independent state on 5 August 1960) (1984–present) Burundi Kingdom of Burundi (17th century–1890)Kingdom of Burundi, part of German East Africa (1891–1916) (part of the German Empire)Kingdom of Burundi under military occupation of the Belgian Empire (1916–1922)Kingdom of Burundi, part of the Mandate of Ruanda-Urundi (1922–1946) (a League of Nations Mandate territory administered by Belgium)Kingdom of Burundi, part of the Trust Territory of Ruanda-Urundi (1946–1962) (a United Nations Trust Territory administered by Belgium) Kingdom of Burundi (independent state) (1962–1966) (1966–present) Cameroon The territory of Cameroon has been inhabited since the Neolithic Era, hosting a wide variety of ethnic groups, tribes, fondoms and kingdoms (such as the kingdoms of Kotoko, Mandara and Bamum) German Kamerun (1884–1916) (part of the German Empire) French Cameroun (1918–1960) (a League of Nations Mandate and later a United Nations Trust Territory administered by France) British Cameroons (1922–1961) (a League of Nations Mandate and later a United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United Kingdom) Federal Republic of Cameroon (1961–1972) United Republic of Cameroon (1972–1984) (1984–present) Cabo Verde Before the discovery by the Portuguese, the archipelago was uninhabited Portuguese Cape Verde, every island had its own captain (governor) (1462–1587) (part of the Portuguese Empire) Portuguese Cape Verde, unified colony (1587–1951) (part of the Portuguese Empire) Overseas Province of Cape Verde (1951–1975) (part of the Portuguese Empire) Republic of Cabo Verde (1975–present), In 2013, the government officially requested that the country be referred to as "Cabo Verde" in all international contexts, to better reflect its Portuguese language and cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the name "Cape Verde" continues to be widely used in various settings. Central African Republic Dar al Kuti (1836–1912) Ubangi-Shari (1903–1958) (part of the French Equatorial Africa, federation of colonial possessions of the French Empire) Central African Republic (1958–1976) (self-governing colony within the French Empire on 1 December 1958, full independent state on 13 August 1960) Central African Empire (1976–1979) (resumed) (1979–present) Chad The territory of Chad has been inhabited since the Paleolithic EraSao civilisation (600 BC–700 AD) Kanem-Bornu Kingdom ( – 1902)Sultanate of Bagirmi (1480/1522–1897)Wadai Sultanate (1501–1912) French Chad (1900–1960) (part of French Equatorial Africa, federation of colonial possessions of the French Empire) (1958–present) (self-governing colony within the French Empire on 28 November 1958, full independent state on 11 August 1960) Comoros The archipelago was first inhabited circa 1000 BC. The Comoros have been inhabited by various groups throughout this time. Territory of the Comoros, part of the French Empire (1886–1912) Part of French Madagascar and Comoros, part of the French Empire (1912–1946) Separated administered as Territory of Comoros (1946–1975) (self-governing colony of the French Empire in 1961)State of Comoros, full independent state (1975–1978)Federal and Islamic Republic of Comoros (1978–2001) (2001–present) (federal state formed by three islands) Congo, Republic of Since 80,000 BC humans has been settled from with tribes, chiefdoms, confederations and kingdoms. Kingdom of Kongo (1390–1914)Kakongo (15th ceuntry–1885) Kingdom of Loango ( – ) French Congo (1882–1960) (part of French Equatorial Africa within the French Empire since 1910) Republic of the Congo (1958–1969) (self-governing colony of the French Empire on 15 September 1959, full independent state on 15 August 1960) People's Republic of the Congo (1969–1992) (resumed) (1992–present) Congo, Democratic Republic of Mpemba Kasi merging with Mbata Kingdom to form the