Largest Countries in Africa by Area

A ranked list of Africa’s largest countries by total surface area, based on the most consistent international geographic data.

Surface area refers to the combined land and inland water area within a country’s internationally recognized boundaries. This includes lakes and rivers but excludes overseas territories unless otherwise stated.

Largest country in Africa

Algeria is currently the largest country in Africa by total surface area and ranks as the 10th-largest country in the world. Located in North Africa, it became the continent’s largest nation in 2011 following the independence of South Sudan.

Within Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, while Chad is the continent’s largest landlocked country.

Largest countries in Africa by area

These are the 10 largest sovereign countries in Africa, ranked by total surface area:

1. Algeria
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo
3. Sudan
4. Libya
5. Chad
6. Niger
7. Angola
8. Mali
9. South Africa
10. Ethiopia

Smallest countries in Africa by area

These are the 10 smallest independent countries in Africa by total surface area:

1. Seychelles
2. São Tomé and Príncipe
3. Mauritius
4. Comoros
5. Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)
6. Gambia
7. Eswatini (Swaziland)
8. Djibouti
9. Rwanda
10. Burundi

Complete ranking of African countries by area

The table below ranks African countries and some territories by total surface area in square kilometers (sq km) and square miles (sq mi).

Total area figures can vary slightly between sources due to differences in how inland waters, disputed regions, and boundary definitions are treated.

For consistency and comparability, this ranking uses data from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, one of the most widely cited global geographic datasets.

Global ranking refers to each country’s position worldwide when all countries and territories are ranked by total surface area.

Notes on African geography and size

Africa is the world’s second-largest continent by land area after Asia and contains a wide range of country sizes, from vast desert and rainforest nations to small island states.

Land area does not necessarily correlate with population size, economic development, or political influence. However, total surface area remains an important geographic characteristic used in regional and global comparisons.