Countries of Africa: A Regional Breakdown

Africa comprises 54 recognized sovereign states, commonly grouped into five geographic regions. This regional framework reflects cultural, historical, and ecological patterns.

North Africa (6 countries)

• Morocco
• Algeria
• Tunisia
• Libya
• Egypt
• Sudan (sometimes included in North or East Africa)

West Africa (16 countries)

• Mauritania
• Mali
• Senegal
• The Gambia
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Liberia
• Côte d'Ivoire
• Ghana
• Togo
• Benin
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Burkina Faso
• Cabo Verde

Central Africa (9 countries)

• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Gabon
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Rwanda (sometimes East Africa)
• Burundi (sometimes East Africa)

East Africa (10–12 countries)

• Ethiopia
• Eritrea
• Djibouti
• Somalia
• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Rwanda
• Burundi
• South Sudan
• Seychelles
• Comoros

Southern Africa (10–11 countries)

• Angola
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Namibia
• Botswana
• South Africa
• Eswatini
• Lesotho
• Mozambique
• Madagascar
• Mauritius

Note: Regional classifications vary by organization (UN, AU, World Bank). Some countries span regions (e.g., Sudan, Chad).