Top 10 Smallest Countries in Africa by Area and Population

Africa is a massive continent with 54 recognised countries, home to both large and small nations. When people think of Africa, they often picture big countries like Nigeria, Egypt, or South Africa. But did you know that Africa also has some very tiny countries, both in size and in population?

In this article, we’ll look at the top 10 smallest African countries based on area (land size) and population (number of people). We’ll keep things simple and easy to understand.

🌍 Top 10 Smallest African Countries by Area

These are the countries in Africa that cover the smallest amount of land.

1. Seychelles

• Area: 459 km²

• Capital: Victoria

• Location: Indian Ocean, east of mainland Africa

• Quick Fact: Seychelles is made up of 115 islands and is known for beautiful beaches and tourism. It is the Richest Country in Africa by GDP Per Capita

See>>> Top 10 Biggest Countries in Africa by Size and Population

2. São Tomé and Príncipe

• Area: 964 km²

• Capital: São Tomé

• Location: Gulf of Guinea (West Africa, off the coast of Gabon)

• Quick Fact: This island nation is rich in cocoa and has a peaceful atmosphere.

3. Comoros

• Area: 2,235 km²

• Capital: Moroni

• Location: Between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique

• Quick Fact: Comoros is a group of volcanic islands with beautiful coral reefs.

4. Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)

• Area: 4,033 km²

• Capital: Praia

• Location: Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

• Quick Fact: An island nation with a mix of African and Portuguese culture.

5. The Gambia

• Area: 11,295 km²

• Capital: Banjul

• Location: West Africa, surrounded by Senegal

• Quick Fact: The Gambia follows the Gambia River and is very narrow.

6. Eswatini (Swaziland)

• Area: 17,364 km²

• Capital: Mbabane

• Location: Southern Africa, near South Africa and Mozambique

• Quick Fact: One of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world.

7. Djibouti

• Area: 23,200 km²

• Capital: Djibouti

• Location: Horn of Africa, near Ethiopia and Somalia

• Quick Fact: Known for salt lakes and hot desert landscapes.

8. Rwanda

• Area: 26,338 km²

• Capital: Kigali

• Location: East Africa

• Quick Fact: Called the “Land of a Thousand Hills” — it’s small but very beautiful place to visit. It is the cleanest country in Africa.

9. Burundi

• Area: 27,834 km²

• Capital: Gitega

• Location: East Africa, near Rwanda and Tanzania

• Quick Fact: Mostly a farming country with rolling hills.

10. Equatorial Guinea

• Area: 28,051 km²

• Capital: Malabo (on an island); new capital under construction (Ciudad de la Paz)

• Location: Central Africa, includes an island and mainland

• Quick Fact: The only African country where Spanish is an official language.

See>>> Top 20 Wealthiest Countries In Africa

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Top 10 Smallest African Countries by Population

These countries have the fewest number of people living in them.

1. Seychelles

• Population: Around 100,000 people

• Why It’s Small: It’s a small island country, so the population is limited.

2. São Tomé and Príncipe

• Population: Around 230,000 people

• Why It’s Small: It’s made up of two main islands with limited space.

3. Comoros

• Population: Around 850,000 people

• Why It’s Small: Although it’s three islands, the land area is small, so not many people live there.

4. Cape Verde

• Population: Around 600,000 people

• Why It’s Small: The islands have limited resources and are far from mainland Africa.

5. Djibouti

• Population: Around 1.2 million people

• Why It’s Small: The country has a harsh desert climate which limits growth.

6. The Gambia

• Population: Around 2.8 million people

• Why It’s Small: The country is narrow and follows a river, with limited space.

7. Eswatini

• Population: Around 1.2 million people

• Why It’s Small: It’s a small landlocked country with a stable population.

8. Equatorial Guinea

• Population: Around 1.7 million people

• Why It’s Small: It’s split between an island and a small part of mainland Africa.

9. Guinea-Bissau

• Population: Around 2 million people

• Why It’s Small: It has a lot of islands and low development, so population growth is slow.

10. Mauritius

• Population: Around 1.3 million people

• Why It’s Small: A single island in the Indian Ocean, known for peace and tourism.

🧠 What Can We Learn from These Small Countries?

Even though these countries are small in area and population, many of them are peaceful, beautiful, and popular with tourists. Some of them, like Seychelles and Mauritius, have strong economies based on tourism. Others, like Djibouti, are important for global shipping and trade.

Being small doesn’t mean being unimportant. In fact, these countries play a big role in Africa’s story.

📌 Final Thoughts

Here’s a summary table to help you remember:

Next time someone talks about Africa, you’ll know that some of its most interesting countries are also its smallest. Whether it’s for travel, education, or curiosity, small African countries have big stories to tell.

Let us know which one you’d like to visit first 🌍✈️