Is Africa a country?

Is Africa a country? Unfortunately, even in the digital age, this is a common question or source of confusion. Many people are fascinated by Africa’s unique landscapes, civilizations, and peoples. However, there is a widespread misunderstanding that has to be addressed: Africa is a continent, not a country. This blog post strives to highlight the distinction between countries and continents by using Africa as its primary example.

As stated above, let us begin by answering the questionIs “Is Africa a country?”, followed by presenting the evidence that supports our answer. No, Africa is not a country. Africa is indeed a continent. Let us look below why this is our answer.

What is the difference between a country and a continent? 

To understand why Africa is not a country, we must first distinguish between continents and countries. We attempted to describe in the simplest possible language avoiding complex geographical or scientific concepts. Our reasoning for the distinction between a country and a continent is as follows: 

1. What are Continents?

A continent is a large continuous area of land. Often, this land has been divided up into smaller parts to form what we refer to as a country, nation, or territory.

• Large, continuous land masses
• Usually separated by oceans
• Contain multiple countries
• Examples: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America

2. What are Countries?

A country, with the exception of islands, is a smaller piece of land that is usually contained within a continent.

• Political entities with defined borders
• Have their own governments and laws
• Independence or semi-autonomous 
• Examples: Ghana, Ethiopia, Japan, Nigeria

Countries and continents emerge in mainly three different grouping:

1. Define by ingenious and historical habits, 
2. Formation by conquest. Conquest can take several forms, including warfare, colonization, and annexation.
3. By referendum or secession. These are essentially the formal withdrawal of a group from an entity, country, or continent. Making a declaration of independence and establishing its own country, for example.

The Importance of Proper Terminology

Referring to Africa as a country not only misrepresents its geographical and political realities. It reduces the great diversity of its countries and people. Each African country has its own history, challenges, and accomplishments that merit distinct recognition.

African Continent Overview 

Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, covering about 20% of Earth’s land area. It consists of 54 countries. Each of these countries has its own unique culture, language, and political system. The African continent has a total area of 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles). The two most populous African countries. With approximately 220 million people, Nigeria was Africa’s most populous country in 2023. Ethiopia came in second with 129 million people.

Africa’s geological features are broad and varied, including enormous expanses like the Sahara Desert, the world’s largest hot desert, and expansive savannas with grasses and scattered trees. Mountain ranges dominate the landscape, with the Atlas Mountains in the northwest and the Ethiopian Highlands in the east offering diverse topography. Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro stands at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level, making it Africa’s highest mountain peak.

Africa is also home to countless rivers, notably the Nile, the world’s longest river, which supports life for millions along its waterways. Its coastline consists of both sandy beaches and rocky cliffs, and the continent is flanked by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east, all of which provide significant marine access.

What are the countries on the African continent?

Now that we’ve defined the difference between country and continent, let’s look at the African continent. Africa is the world’s second biggest continent, comprising 54 African countries.

This is a list of all African countries located in the African continent.

Central Africa Countries

1. Republic of Burundi (Burundi)
2. Republic of Cameroon (Cameroon)
3. Central African Republic (Central African Republic)
4. Republic of Chad, (Chad)
5. Republic of the Congo, (Congo Republic)
6. Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo)
7. Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Equatorial Guinea)
8. Gabonese Republic, (Gabon)

Eastern Africa Countries

1. Union of the Comoros, (Comoros) islands not on the physical continent
2. Republic of Djibouti (Djibouti)
3. State of Eritrea, (Eritrea)
4. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)
5. Republic of Kenya (Kenya)
6. Republic of Mauritius (Mauritius)
7. Republic of Rwanda, (Rwanda)
8. Federal Republic of Somalia (Somalia)
9. Republic of South Sudan (South Sudan)
10. Republic of the Sudan (Sudan)
11. United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania)
12. Republic of Uganda (Uganda)

Northern Africa Countries

1. People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria (Algeria)
2. Arab Republic of Egypt, (Egypt)
3. Libya, (Libya)
4. Islamic Republic of Mauritania (Mauritania)
5. Kingdom of Morocco (Morocco)
6. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, (Sahrawi Republic)
7. Republic of Tunisia (Tunisia)

Southern Africa Countries

1. Republic of Angola (Angola)
2. Republic of Botswana (Botswana)
3. Kingdom of Eswatini (Eswatini)
4. Kingdom of Lesotho (Lesotho)
5. Republic of Malawi (Malawi)
6. Republic of Mozambique (Mozambique)
7. Republic of Namibia (Namibia)
8. Republic of South Africa (South Africa)
9. Republic of Zambia (Zambia)
10. Republic of Zimbabwe,  (Zimbabwe)

Western Africa Countries

1. Republic of Benin, (Benin)
2. Burkina Faso, (Burkina Faso)
3. Republic of Cabo Verde, (Cabo Verde)
4. Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, (Côte d’Ivoire)
5. Republic of the Gambia (Gambia)
6. Republic of Ghana (Ghana)
7. Republic of Guinea (Guinea)
8. Republic of Guinea-Bissau (Guinea-Bissau)
9. Republic of Liberia (Liberia)
10. Republic of Mali (Mali)
11. Republic of Niger (Niger)
12. Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria)
13. Republic of Senegal (Senegal)
14. Republic of Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone)
15. Togolese Republic (Togo)

Conclusion

In summary, Africa is a vast and diverse continent, not a single country. This brief post aimed to help address the question, “Is Africa a country?” Understanding this distinction is critical to appreciating the richness and diversity of African geography, politics, and culture. Recognizing Africa as a continent allows us to better appreciate the uniqueness of each of its countries. In addition, they contribute significantly to our worldwide community.

We hope we were able to provide you with an answer that clarifies any doubt or misinformation. We have provided links to brief country overview summaries so that you may discover more about Africa’s beautiful and diverse countries.