Political Map of Africa: All 54 Countries, Capitals and Borders
A political map of Africa shows how the world's second-largest continent is divided into sovereign states. Unlike a physical map, which highlights deserts, rivers and mountains, a political map focuses on human geography: international borders, country names, capital cities and major urban centres. Today Africa's political map is made up of 54 internationally recognised countries, spread across five broad regions and home to more than 1.4 billion people. Use the interactive map below to explore each country, then dive deeper through our detailed country pages.
How Africa's Political Map Is Organised
Geographers usually divide the political map of Africa into five regions. Each region groups together countries that share broad geographic, historical and economic ties. Below is a breakdown of all 54 countries by region, with their capital cities.
North Africa
Stretching along the Mediterranean and across the Sahara, North Africa links the continent to Europe and the Middle East.
- Algeria – Algiers
- Egypt – Cairo
- Libya – Tripoli
- Morocco – Rabat
- Sudan – Khartoum
- Tunisia – Tunis
West Africa
The most populous region, West Africa is anchored by Nigeria and coordinated through the ECOWAS bloc.
- Benin – Porto-Novo
- Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou
- Cape Verde – Praia
- Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) – Yamoussoukro
- The Gambia – Banjul
- Ghana – Accra
- Guinea – Conakry
- Guinea-Bissau – Bissau
- Liberia – Monrovia
- Mali – Bamako
- Mauritania – Nouakchott
- Niger – Niamey
- Nigeria – Abuja
- Senegal – Dakar
- Sierra Leone – Freetown
- Togo – Lomé
Central Africa
Dominated by the Congo Basin rainforest, Central Africa is the continent's green heart.
- Cameroon – Yaoundé
- Central African Republic – Bangui
- Chad – N'Djamena
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – Kinshasa
- Republic of the Congo – Brazzaville
- Equatorial Guinea – Malabo
- Gabon – Libreville
- São Tomé and Príncipe – São Tomé
East Africa
Home to the Great Rift Valley and the Horn, East Africa spans highlands, savannas and the Indian Ocean coast.
- Burundi – Gitega
- Comoros – Moroni
- Djibouti – Djibouti
- Eritrea – Asmara
- Ethiopia – Addis Ababa
- Kenya – Nairobi
- Madagascar – Antananarivo
- Malawi – Lilongwe
- Mauritius – Port Louis
- Rwanda – Kigali
- Seychelles – Victoria
- Somalia – Mogadishu
- South Sudan – Juba
- Tanzania – Dodoma
- Uganda – Kampala
Southern Africa
From the Kalahari to the Cape, Southern Africa contains the continent's most industrialised economy, South Africa.
- Angola – Luanda
- Botswana – Gaborone
- Eswatini – Mbabane
- Lesotho – Maseru
- Mozambique – Maputo
- Namibia – Windhoek
- South Africa – Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein
- Zambia – Lusaka
- Zimbabwe – Harare
Reading the Political Map: Borders and Capitals
Two features define every political map of Africa: borders and capitals. Africa's borders are unusually geometric. Many follow straight lines of latitude and longitude because they were drawn by European powers during the Scramble for Africa, formalised at the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference. These colonial boundaries frequently cut across ethnic and linguistic groups, an inheritance that still shapes African politics today.
Capital cities are marked on political maps with a special symbol, usually a star or a dotted circle. A few countries have more than one capital: South Africa famously has three (Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein), while several states, such as Ivory Coast and Tanzania, have moved their official capital inland from a larger coastal city. Explore every capital on our dedicated African capitals page.
Largest and Smallest Countries
The political map of Africa contains striking contrasts in size:
- Largest by area: Algeria (≈2.38 million km²)
- Largest by population: Nigeria (220+ million people)
- Smallest mainland country: The Gambia
- Smallest island country: Seychelles
- Only country entirely surrounded by another: Lesotho, enclosed by South Africa
Political Map vs Physical Map
A political map answers the question "who governs this land?", while a physical map of Africa answers "what does the land look like?". Physical maps show the Sahara and Kalahari deserts, the Nile and Congo rivers, Lake Victoria, the Atlas Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro. Both views are essential: borders make more sense once you can see the rivers, mountains and deserts that shaped them. For a country-by-country tour, visit our full list of African countries.
Using This Interactive Political Map
Our interactive map is built on open mapping data, so you can zoom into any region, pan across borders and click through to detailed profiles of all 54 nations. It is a useful resource for:
- Students and teachers studying African geography, capitals and borders
- Travellers planning routes across multiple countries
- Researchers and businesses mapping markets and regional blocs
- Quiz fans – test yourself with our Africa map quiz
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a political map of Africa?
A political map of Africa shows the continent divided into its sovereign states. It highlights international borders, country names, capital cities and major cities, rather than physical features like mountains or rivers. Africa's political map currently includes 54 fully recognised countries.
How many countries are on the political map of Africa?
There are 54 sovereign countries on the political map of Africa, all members of the United Nations and the African Union. Western Sahara is a disputed territory, which is why some maps show different totals.
What is the difference between a political and a physical map of Africa?
A political map emphasises human-made boundaries such as country borders and capital cities, while a physical map emphasises natural features such as the Sahara Desert, the Nile River, the Great Rift Valley and mountain ranges.
Which is the largest country on the political map of Africa?
Algeria is the largest African country by area at about 2.38 million square kilometres. Nigeria is the most populous, with more than 220 million people.
Why do many of Africa's borders follow straight lines?
Many of Africa's borders were drawn by European powers during the Scramble for Africa, formalised at the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference. These boundaries often followed lines of latitude and longitude rather than ethnic or geographic divisions, an effect still visible on the political map today.