How many countries are in Africa?
Africa has 54 countries recognized by the United Nations, more than any other continent. Nigeria has the most people and Algeria has the largest area.
The 54 countries range from huge nations like Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan to small island states like Seychelles and São Tomé and Príncipe. South Sudan, which became independent in 2011, is the newest country in Africa and in the world.
Western Sahara is a disputed territory claimed by Morocco and by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which is a member of the African Union but not the United Nations. Somaliland has operated independently from Somalia since 1991 but is not widely recognized. Africa has about 1.5 billion people.
The African Union
All 54 UN-recognized African countries are members of the African Union, along with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Africa's population is young and growing fast, and the UN expects it to account for more than half of world population growth in the coming decades.
Did You Know?
Africa is the second-largest continent, covering about 30 million square kilometers, about one-fifth of Earth's land area.