Capital : Algiers
Population : 46,814,308 inh.
Area : 2,381,740 km²
Flags by Continent
List of the 54 countries of Africa and their flags
Capital : Luanda
Population : 37,885,849 inh.
Area : 1,246,700 km²
Capital : Porto Novo
Population : 14,462,724 inh.
Area : 114,760 km²
Capital : Gaborone
Population : 2,521,139 inh.
Area : 581,730 km²
Capital : Ouagadougou
Population : 23,548,781 inh.
Area : 274,200 km²
Capital : Bujumbura
Population : 14,047,786 inh.
Area : 27,830 km²
Capital : Yaoundé
Population : 29,123,744 inh.
Area : 475,440 km²
Capital : Praia
Population : 524,877 inh.
Area : 4,030 km²
Capital : Bangui
Population : 5,330,690 inh.
Area : 622,980 km²
Capital : N'Djamena
Population : 20,299,123 inh.
Area : 1,284,000 km²
Capital : Moroni
Population : 866,628 inh.
Area : 1,861 km²
Capital : Kinshasa
Population : 109,276,265 inh.
Area : 2,344,860 km²
Capital : Djibouti
Population : 1,168,722 inh.
Area : 23,200 km²
Capital : Cairo
Population : 116,538,258 inh.
Area : 1,001,450 km²
Capital : Malabo
Population : 1,892,516 inh.
Area : 28,050 km²
Capital : Asmara
Population : 3,535,603 inh.
Area : 121,630 km²
Capital : Mbabane
Population : 1,242,822 inh.
Area : 17,360 km²
Capital : Addis Ababa
Population : 132,059,767 inh.
Area : 1,136,240 km²
Capital : Libreville
Population : 2,538,952 inh.
Area : 267,670 km²
Capital : Banjul
Population : 2,759,988 inh.
Area : 11,300 km²
Capital : Accra
Population : 34,427,414 inh.
Area : 238,533 km²
Capital : Conakry
Population : 14,754,785 inh.
Area : 245,860 km²
Capital : Bissau
Population : 2,201,352 inh.
Area : 36,130 km²
Capital : Yamoussoukro
Population : 31,934,230 inh.
Area : 322,460 km²
Capital : Nairobi
Population : 56,432,944 inh.
Area : 580,370 km²
Capital : Maseru
Population : 2,337,423 inh.
Area : 30,360 km²
Capital : Monrovia
Population : 5,612,817 inh.
Area : 111,370 km²
Capital : Tripoli
Population : 7,381,023 inh.
Area : 1,759,540 km²
Capital : Antananarivo
Population : 31,964,956 inh.
Area : 587,295 km²
Capital : Lilongwe
Population : 21,655,286 inh.
Area : 118,480 km²
Capital : Bamako
Population : 24,478,595 inh.
Area : 1,240,190 km²
Capital : Nouakchott
Population : 5,169,395 inh.
Area : 1,030,700 km²
Capital : Port Louis
Population : 1,259,509 inh.
Area : 2,010 km²
Capital : Rabat
Population : 38,081,173 inh.
Area : 446,550 km²
Capital : Maputo
Population : 34,631,766 inh.
Area : 799,380 km²
Capital : Windhoek
Population : 3,030,131 inh.
Area : 824,290 km²
Capital : Niamey
Population : 27,032,412 inh.
Area : 1,267,000 km²
Capital : Abuja
Population : 232,679,478 inh.
Area : 923,770 km²
Capital : Brazzaville
Population : 6,332,961 inh.
Area : 342,000 km²
Capital : Kigali
Population : 14,256,567 inh.
Area : 26,340 km²
Capital : São Tomé
Population : 235,536 inh.
Area : 960 km²
Capital : Dakar
Population : 18,501,984 inh.
Area : 196,710 km²
Capital : Victoria
Population : 121,354 inh.
Area : 460 km²
Capital : Freetown
Population : 8,642,022 inh.
Area : 72,300 km²
Capital : Mogadishu
Population : 19,009,151 inh.
Area : 637,660 km²
Capital : Pretoria
Population : 64,007,187 inh.
Area : 1,219,090 km²
Capital : Juba
Population : 11,943,408 inh.
Area : 646,883 km²
Capital : Khartoum
Population : 50,448,963 inh.
Area : 1,878,000 km²
Capital : Dodoma
Population : 68,560,157 inh.
Area : 947,300 km²
Capital : Lomé
Population : 9,515,236 inh.
Area : 56,790 km²
Capital : Tunis
Population : 12,277,109 inh.
Area : 163,610 km²
Capital : Kampala
Population : 50,015,092 inh.
Area : 241,550 km²
Capital : Lusaka
Population : 21,314,956 inh.
Area : 752,610 km²
Capital : Harare
Population : 16,634,373 inh.
Area : 390,760 km²
Quiz: can you identify this flag?
Many African flags share the same colours: green, yellow (or gold) and red, borrowed from the Ethiopian flag. Because Ethiopia was never colonised, its flag became a pan-African symbol adopted by numerous countries as they gained independence in the 1950s and 1960s. Green stands for the land and agriculture, yellow for the continent's mineral wealth, red for the blood shed during liberation struggles, and black, found on flags such as Ghana's, represents the African people themselves.
Ghana holds a special place: the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence, in 1957, it placed a black star at the centre of its flag in tribute to the Black Star Line, a symbol of the pan-African movement led by Kwame Nkrumah. That star has since inspired other nations on the continent. South Africa's flag, adopted in 1994 at the end of apartheid, stands in contrast: six colours interwoven in a Y shape, one of the most geometrically complex designs in the world, meant to symbolise the convergence of several peoples within a single nation.
The continent now counts 54 countries belonging to the African Union, from Nigeria, the most populous, to micro-states such as the Seychelles. The list below presents each of their flags, along with its capital and population.
At a glance
Countries & territories
54
Most populous country
Nigeria
Smallest country
Seychelles
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are there in Africa?
There are 54 recognized countries in Africa.
What is the most populous country in Africa?
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with 232,679,478 inhabitants.
What is the smallest country in Africa?
Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa, with an area of 460 km².