Smallest country in Africa by population and by land mass

Smallest country in Africa by population and by land mass

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?

list of African countries by size
A model globe showing the African continent. Photo: pexels.com, @Nothing Ahead
Source: UGC

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.

The smallest country in Africa

Here is a look at Africa's smallest countries by landmass and population.

Which is the smallest country in Africa by land mass?

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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CountryLandmass in square kmLandmass in square miles
Seychelles 451174
São Tomé and Príncipe 964372
Mauritius 2,040788
Comoros 2,235 863
Cape Verde 4,0331,557
Gambia10,3804,008
Eswatini (Swaziland) 17,3646,704
Djibouti 23,2008,958
Rwanda 26,79810,347
Burundi 27,83010,745

Smallest African countries by population

smallest countries in Africa
Second largest of the Seychelles islands, Praslin is the ultimate tropical holiday destination. Its capital is the village of Baie Sainte Anne. Photo: David C Tomlinson
Source: Getty Images

Besides landmass, population is the other widely used metric in determining a country's size. Here are the smallest African countries by this measure.

CountryPopulation (as of 2022)
Seychelles99,768
São Tomé and Príncipe228,950
Cape Verde570,239
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic633,212
Comoros914,472
Djibouti1,022,219
Eswatini (Swaziland)1,188,479
Mauritius1,276,638
Equatorial Guinea1,518,007
Guinea-Bissau2,081,340

What is the largest country in Africa?

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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.

What is the biggest country in Africa by population?

Africa's most populous country is Nigeria. Its population as of 2022 is estimated to be about 218,833,085.

How many countries are on the African mainland?

There are 48 countries on the African mainland.

How many island nations are in Africa?

There are six island nations in Africa. These include Cape Verde, Sao Tomé and Príncipe, Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, and Mauritius.

How many disputed nations are there in Africa?

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).

Which is the biggest continent in the world?

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what is the largest country in Africa?
A world map showing the various continents. Photo: pixabay.com, @WikiImages
Source: UGC

Asia is the world's largest continent. It measures 44,579,000 square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area.

Which is the smallest continent in the world?

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

Authors:
Jackline Wangare avatar

Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.

Adrianna Simwa avatar

Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020. In 2023, Simwa finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com