List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa

This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa. It includes fully recognised states, states with limited or zero recognition, and dependent territories of both African and non-African states. It lists 56 sovereign states (54 of which are member states of the United Nations), two non-sovereign (dependent) territories of non-African sovereign states, and nine sub-national regions of non-African sovereign states. Malta and parts of France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are located on the African continental plate, some considerably closer to the African mainland than the European mainland but, politically, are generally considered to be European by convention. Egypt, although extending into Asia through the Sinai Peninsula, is considered an African state.

Sovereign states

Recognised sovereign states The following 54 fully recognised states are all members of the United Nations and the African Union.

Flag Map English short, formal names, and ISO Domestic short and formal name(s) Capital Population Area Currency AlgeriaPeople's Democratic Republic of AlgeriaDZA (Al Jazāʼir—Al Jumhūriyyah al Jazāʾiriyyah ad Dimuqrāṭiyyah ash Shaʾbiyyah) Algiers(Al Jazā’ir) Algerian dinar AngolaRepublic of AngolaAGO Portuguese: Angola—República de Angola LuandaPortuguese: Luanda kwanza BeninRepublic of BeninBEN French: Bénin—République du Bénin Porto-NovoFrench: Porto-Novo CFA franc BotswanaRepublic of BotswanaBWA English: Botswana—Republic of BotswanaTswana: Botswana—Lefatshe la Botswana GaboroneEnglish: GaboroneTswana: Gaborone pula Burkina FasoBFA Mooré: Burkĩna Faso OuagadougouMooré: Waogdgo CFA franc BurundiRepublic of BurundiBDI French: Burundi—République du BurundiKirundi: Burundi—Republika y'u Burundi GitegaFrench: GitegaKirundi: Gitega Burundi franc Cabo VerdeRepublic of Cabo VerdeCPV Portuguese: Cabo Verde—República de Cabo Verde PraiaPortuguese: Praia Cape Verdean escudo CameroonRepublic of CameroonCMR English: Cameroon—Republic of CameroonFrench: Cameroun—République du Cameroun YaoundéEnglish: YaoundéFrench: Yaoundé includes the Cameroonian-administered parts of Southern Cameroons, which is claimed by the Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation as the Republic of Ambazonia CFA franc Central African RepublicCAF Sango: Ködörösêse tî BêafrîkaFrench: République centrafricaine BanguiSango: BangîFrench: Bangui CFA franc ChadRepublic of ChadTCD (Tshād—Jumhūriyyat Tshād)French: Tchad—République du Tchad N'Djamena (Nijāmīnā)French: N'Djaména CFA franc ComorosUnion of the ComorosCOM (Juzur al Qamar—Jumhūriyyat al Qamar al Muttaḥidah)Comorian: Komori—Udzima wa KomoriFrench: Comores—Union des Comores Moroni (Mūrūnī)French: Moroni Comorian franc Côte d’IvoireRepublic of Côte d'IvoireCIV French: Côte d'Ivoire—République de Côte d'Ivoire YamoussoukroFrench: Yamoussoukro CFA franc Democratic Republic of the CongoAlso known as Congo-Kinshasa and formerly as Zaire.COD French: République démocratique du Congo KinshasaFrench: Kinshasa Congolese franc Republic of the CongoAlso known as Congo-Brazzaville.COG French: République du Congo BrazzavilleFrench: Brazzaville CFA franc DjiboutiRepublic of DjiboutiDJI (Jibūti—Jumhūrīyat Jibūti)French: Djibouti—République de Djibouti DjiboutiArabic: مدينة جيبوتي (Jibūti Madīna)French: Ville de Djibouti Djibouti franc EgyptArab Republic of EgyptSome territory could be argued to be a part of Asia or Africa.EGY (Miṣr—Jumhūrīyat Miṣr al ʿArabiyyah) CairoArabic: القاهرة (al Qāhirah) Egyptian pound Equatorial GuineaRepublic of Equatorial GuineaGNQ Spanish: Guinea Ecuatorial—República de Guinea EcuatorialFrench: Guinée équatoriale—République de Guinée équatorialePortuguese: Guiné Equatorial—República da Guiné Equatorial Ciudad de la PazSpanish: Ciudad de la PazFrench: Ciudad de la PazPortuguese: Ciudad de la Paz CFA franc EritreaState of EritreaERI (ʾIritriyā—Dawlat ʾIritriyā)English: Eritrea—State of EritreaTigrinya: ኤርትራ—ሃገረ ኤርትራ(ʾErtra—Hagere ʾErtra) AsmaraArabic: أسمرة (ʾAsmara)English: AsmaraTigrinya: ኣስመራ(Asmera) nakfa EswatiniKingdom of EswatiniSWZ English: Eswatini—Kingdom of EswatiniSwazi: eSwatini—Umbuso weSwatini Lobamba (royal and legislative)Mbabane (administrative)English: Lobamba, Mbabane Swazi: Lobamba, ÉMbábáne lilangeni EthiopiaFederal Democratic Republic of EthiopiaETH Amharic: Iትዮጵያ—የIትዮጵያ ፈደራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ(Ītyōṗṗyā—Ītyōṗṗyā Fēdēralāwī Dēmōkrāsīyāwī Rīpeblīk) Addis AbabaAmharic: አዲስ አበባ (Addis Abäba) Ethiopian birr GabonGabonese RepublicGAB French: Gabon—République gabonaise LibrevilleFrench: Libreville CFA franc The GambiaRepublic of the GambiaGMB English: The Gambia—Republic of the Gambia BanjulEnglish: Banjul Gambian dalasi GhanaRepublic of GhanaGHA English: Ghana—Republic of Ghana AccraEnglish: Accra Ghana cedi GuineaAlso known as Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from neighboring Guinea-Bissau.Republic of GuineaGIN French: Guinée—République de Guinée ConakryFrench: Conakry Guinean franc Guinea-BissauRepublic of Guinea-BissauGNB Portuguese: Guiné-Bissau—República da Guiné-Bissau BissauPortuguese: Bissau CFA franc KenyaRepublic of KenyaKEN English: Kenya—Republic of KenyaSwahili: Kenya—Jamhuri ya Kenya NairobiEnglish: NairobiSwahili: Nairobi Kenyan shilling LesothoKingdom of LesothoLSO English: Lesotho—Kingdom of LesothoSotho: Lesotho—Muso oa Lesotho MaseruEnglish: MaseruSotho: Maseru loti LiberiaRepublic of LiberiaLBR English: Liberia—Republic of Liberia MonroviaEnglish: Monrovia Liberian dollar LibyaState of LibyaLBY (Lībīyā)Berber: ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ (Libya) TripoliArabic: طرابلس (Ṭarābulus)Berber: ⵟⵔⴰⴱⵍⴻⵙ (Ṭrables) Libyan dinar MadagascarRepublic of MadagascarMDG French: Madagascar—République de MadagascarMalagasy: Madagasikara—Repoblikan'i Madagasikara AntananarivoFrench: AntananarivoMalagasy: Antananarivo ariary MalawiRepublic of MalawiMWI Chichewa: Malaŵi—Dziko la MalaŵiEnglish: Malawi—Republic of Malawi LilongweChichewa: LilongweEnglish: Lilongwe Malawian kwacha MaliRepublic of MaliMLI French: Mali—République du Mali BamakoFrench: Bamako CFA franc MauritaniaIslamic Republic of MauritaniaMRT (Mūrītānīyyā—Al Jumhūriyyah alʾIslāmiyyah al Mūrītānīyyah) NouakchottArabic: نواكشوط (Nuwākshūṭ) ouguiya MauritiusRepublic of MauritiusMUS English: Mauritius—Republic of MauritiusFrench: Maurice—République de MauriceMauritian Creole: Moris—Repiblik Moris Port LouisEnglish: Port LouisFrench: Port-LouisMauritian Creole: Porlwi Mauritian rupee MoroccoKingdom of MoroccoMAR (Al Maḡrib—Al Mamlakah al Maḡribiyyah)Berber: ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ—ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⴰⵖⵔⵉⴱ (Elmaġrib—Tageldit n-Elmaġrib) RabatArabic: الرباط (ar-Ribaaṭ)Berber: ⴰⵕⴱⴰⵟ (Aṛbaṭ) excludes all disputed territories includes the Moroccan-administered parts of Western Sahara, which is claimed by the Polisario Front as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Moroccan dirham MozambiqueRepublic of MozambiqueMOZ Portuguese: Moçambique—República de Moçambique MaputoPortuguese: Maputo metical NamibiaRepublic of NamibiaNAM English: Namibia—Republic of Namibia WindhoekEnglish: Windhoek Namibian dollar NigerRepublic of the NigerNER Hausa: Nijar–Jamhuriyar Nijar NiameyHausa: Yamai CFA franc NigeriaFederal Republic of NigeriaNGA English: Nigeria—Federal Republic of Nigeria AbujaEnglish: Abuja naira RwandaRepublic of RwandaRWA English: Rwanda—Republic of RwandaFrench: Rwanda—République du RwandaKinyarwanda: Rwanda—Repubulika y'u Rwanda KigaliEnglish: KigaliFrench: KigaliKinyarwanda: Kigali Rwandese franc São Tomé and PríncipeDemocratic Republic of São Tomé and PríncipeSTP Portuguese: São Tomé e Príncipe—República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe São ToméPortuguese: São Tomé Dobra SenegalRepublic of SenegalSEN French: Sénégal—République du Sénégal DakarFrench: Dakar CFA franc SeychellesRepublic of SeychellesSYC English: Seychelles—Republic of SeychellesFrench: Seychelles—République des SeychellesSeychellois Creole: Sesel—Repiblik Sesel VictoriaEnglish: VictoriaFrench: VictoriaSeychellois Creole: Victoria Seychelles rupee Sierra LeoneRepublic of Sierra LeoneSLE English: Sierra Leone—Republic of Sierra Leone FreetownEnglish: Freetown leone SomaliaFederal Republic of SomaliaSOM (Aṣ Ṣūmāl—Jumhūriyyah aṣ Ṣūmāl al Fīdrāliyyah)Somali: Soomaaliya—Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya MogadishuArabic: مقديشو (Maqadīshū)Somali: Muqdisho Somali shilling South AfricaRepublic of South AfricaZAF Afrikaans: Suid-Afrika—Republiek van Suid-Afrika Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative), and Pretoria (executive) rand South SudanRepublic of South SudanSSD English: South Sudan—Republic of South Sudan JubaEnglish: Juba South Sudanese pound SudanRepublic of the SudanSDN (As Sūdān—Jumhūriyyah as Sūdān)English: Sudan—Republic of the Sudan KhartoumArabic: الخرطوم (Al Khurṭūm)English: Khartoum Sudanese pound TanzaniaUnited Republic of TanzaniaTZA English: Tanzania—United Republic of TanzaniaSwahili: Tanzania—Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Dodoma (official)Dar es Salaam (seat of government)English: DodomaSwahili: Dodoma Tanzanian shilling TogoTogolese RepublicTGO French: Togo—République Togolaise LoméFrench: Lomé CFA franc TunisiaRepublic of TunisiaTUN (Tūnis—Al Jumhūriyyah at Tūnisīyyah) TunisArabic: تونس (Tūnis) Tunisian dinar UgandaRepublic of UgandaUGA English: Uganda—Republic of UgandaSwahili: Uganda—Jamhuri ya Uganda KampalaEnglish: KampalaSwahili: Kampala Ugandan shilling ZambiaRepublic of ZambiaZMB English: Zambia—Republic of Zambia LusakaEnglish: Lusaka Zambian kwacha ZimbabweRepublic of ZimbabweZWE English: Zimbabwe—Republic of Zimbabwe HarareEnglish: Harare Zimbabwe dollar

Sovereign states with limited international recognition

The following two entities have declared themselves to be sovereign states and are in control of some territory but have limited recognition from other states. Neither entity is a member state of the United Nations, although the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a member of the African Union.

Flag Map English short, formal names, and ISO Status Domestic short name(s)andformal name(s) Capital Population Area Currency Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicOccupies part of the territory of Western Sahara, disputed with Morocco. Claimed by Morocco as its southernmost provincesRecognised by the African Union and 46 UN members and South Ossetia as the representative government of Western Sahara (Al Jumhūrīyah al ‘Arabīyah aṣ Ṣaḥrāwīyah ad Dīmuqrāṭīyah)Spanish: República Árabe Saharaui Democrática El Aaiún (proclaimed)Currently under Moroccan administration. Tifariti is the factual temporary capital, but Tindouf located in Algeria is the place of some government and military facilities.Arabic: العيون (AlʿUyūn)Spanish: El Aaiún 582,478 Sahrawi peseta SomalilandRepublic of SomalilandName used in The Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland Susan M. Hassig, Zawiah Abdul Latif, Somalia, (Marshall Cavendish: 2007), p.10. State not controlled by Somalia "The Somali Republic shall have the following boundaries. (a) North; Gulf of Aden. (b) North West; Djibouti. (c) West; Ethiopia. (d) South south-west; Kenya. (e) East; Indian Ocean."Recognized by Israel and by TaiwanLacey, Marc (5 June 2006). The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia . The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25. (Arḍ aṣ Ṣūmāl—Jumhūrīyat Arḍ aṣ Ṣūmāl)Somali: Soomaaliland—Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland HargeisaArabic: هرجيسا (Harjaysā)Somali: Hargeysa 4,000,000 Somaliland shilling

Non-sovereign territories There are currently 11 non-sovereign territories in Africa. Except two Spanish autonomous cities and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, all the remaining territories are islands off the continent's coast.

Dependent territories