What if we tell you there are places in Africa where you could cross the whole country in half a day or, at most, a few hours? Yes, we are talking about some of the smallest countries in Africa.
When visiting these countries, you will feel like you’ve reached a small village. Most of them are so small that some African cities are even bigger than them.
Some of these smallest African countries are islands, and visiting them will be an amazing experience. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about their culture and enjoy the scenery and ambiance they provide. They could even come off as holiday destinations. This sounds like fun. Don’t you think so?
In this blog post, we will be looking at the 12 smallest African countries by landmass. You will be amazed as you may never have heard some of these countries exist.
12 Smallest Countries In Africa
Below are the smallest countries in Africa according to landmass in ascending order.
1. Seychelles
Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa. It is only 451 square kilometers in size. It is located in the part of the Indian Ocean called the Somali Sea that is northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 kilometers east of Kenya.
Seychelles has 115 islands in an archipelago with lush tropical plants, beautiful beaches, and varieties of sea life. Victoria is the capital and largest city of Seychelles, located on the island of Mahe.
It is the smallest country in Africa and one of the smallest in the world. The country is a well-known destination for tourists.
2. São Tomé and Príncipe
Sao Tome and Principe is the second smallest country in Africa. Sao Tome and Principle are two of the 115 islands in the Indian Ocean.
These islands are about 140 kilometers apart and sit at 1001 square kilometers area. It is an island in central Africa, close to the Gulf of Guinea and along the Equator.
The country, made up of two islands, was uninhabited until the 15th and 16th centuries when Portuguese explorers discovered it. It became an independent nation in 1975 and the country’s main language is Portuguese.
Sao Tome and Principe is a tropical paradise for people who enjoy connoisseurs and nature. It has many beautiful tropical beaches, amazing coral reefs, jungles, and lovely villages.
3. Comoros
Comoros is one of the smallest island nations in Africa and is located on 1659 square kilometers. It has a tropical climate and is situated within the Indian Ocean, a few miles off the coast of East Africa.
The capital and largest city is Moroni. The main language spoken in Comoros is Comorian (Shikomori), along with Latin and Arabic. And its main religion is Sunni Islam.
The country is made up of different islands. They include Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), Moheli (Mwali), and Mayotte (Maore).
Comoros is known as a volcanic island. It is popular for its beautiful landscapes and scenery. Moreover, the plants have fascinating fragrances; as such, it is also known as perfumed islands.
The islands have a mix of Arabic, African, French, and Malagasy styles because of the trade between Asian and East African ports and the Indian Ocean.
4. Mauritius
Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, near the coast of East Africa. Mauritius is 2040 square kilometers big. The country’s largest city and capital is Port Louis.
Other islands make up Mauritius. They include Rodrigues, St. Brandon, and Agalega. Most people in the country speak either English or French.
Mauritius is a secular country where the three main religions are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.
It is widely known for its many lagoons, beaches and luxury resorts, which bring in a lot of tourists every year.
Mauritius is one of those places where tourists can have fun even if they don’t go out of their way to explore. You don’t have to go into the woods or to the beach to have a good time.
This is because coral reefs surround the country, and the land is mostly plateaued.
5. Cape Verde
The official name of Cape Verde is the Republic of Cabo Verde, and its capital is Praia. It comprises ten islands in the Atlantic Ocean and is called an archipelago.
The country is made up of ten islands and eight islets. It is in the shape of a horseshoe and has a total area of 4033 square kilometers.
The Portuguese explorers discovered it in the 15th century. And it gained its independence in 1975.
Most people in the country speak Portuguese, and Christianity is the main religion.
One thing that distinguishes Cape Verde is the weather. On average, it has five to nine hours of sunshine every day, all year long. This is surely a destination to visit.
6. The Gambia
The Gambia is surrounded by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean’s coastline to the west. The country’s capital city is Banjul. The Gambia covers an area of 10,689 square kilometers.
The United Kingdom colonized it but it regained independence in 1965. So you will find people of different ethnic groups, like Wolof, Fula, Mandinka, Manjong, Aku Marabou, Serers, and Jahanka.
There are many fun places to visit in the country. And if you are a bird lover, you will be hooked. The reason is that Gambia has about 540 species of birds, making it popular for bird-watching.
The official language in Gambia is English, but Mandinka, Krio, Serer, Wolof, and Wula are also spoken. And the predominant religion is Islam.
Also read: List of African Countries and Their Colonial Masters
7. Eswatini
The Kingdom of Eswatini was formerly known as Swaziland. It changed its name from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to get rid of its colonial past and clear up decades of confusion between Switzerland and Swaziland.
It is a landlocked country that is located in southern Africa. It is the seventh smallest African country, with a land mass of 17,364 square kilometers. Most of the people who live there are Swazis, and the main language is Swazi.
Eswatini got its freedom from Britain in 1968. The country comprises four regions: Manzini, Shiselweni, Hhohho, and Lubombo and the majority of the people in Eswatini are Christians.
8. Djibouti
Djibouti lies in the horn of Africa, to the south of Ethiopia and the north of Eritrea. Then the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are in the east of it. Its capital is known as Djibouti city. The country gained independence from France in 1877.
The Republic of Djibouti lies on 23,200 square kilometers of land mass, and the country has two main ethnic groups, the Afar and the Somalis. However, the Somalis are the dominant ethnic group.
It is a country with dry shrublands, volcanic formations and beaches on the Gulf of Aden. It embodies one of the salties water bodies in the world known as lake Assal, located in the Danakil Desert.
Islam is the main religion in the country, while the official languages are French, Arabic, Somali, and Afar.
9. Rwanda
Rwanda is in East Africa and a few degrees south of the Equator. It is a landlocked country with its capital in Kigali. Rwanda covers a land area of 26,338 square kilometers. The country gained its independence in 1962.
The official language in Rwanda is English. Other languages spoken in the country are French, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda.
Rwanda has just one cultural group, and it is divided into three, namely the Tutsi, the Hutu, and the Twa.
In 1994, the country witnessed one of the bloodiest ethnic fights of the century, the Genocide, which is still remembered today. Rwanda is mostly made up of Christians.
10. Burundi
The Republic of Burundi is within the African Great Lakes region. Its capital city is Gitega. The African Great Lakes region surrounds it.
The country was formerly known as Bujumbura but was renamed in February 2019. It is a landlocked country, covering an area of 27,834 square kilometers. It has 18 provinces, 117 communes, and 2638 collines.
The national language spoken by many people is Kirundi, while the official language is French and English. Burundi is mostly made up of Roman Catholics.
11. Equatorial Guinea
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is on the West coast of Central Africa. It has its capital in Malabo. Guinea was colonized by Spain but gained independence in 1968. The country shares borders with Gabon on the south and Cameroon on the north.
It occupies a land mass of 28,050 square kilometers. The largest ethnic group is Fang. Other ethnic groups are the Bubi, the Ndowe, the Annobon, the Bujeba, and Igbo.
They have three official languages: Spanish, French, and Portuguese. But Spanish is the language used for government and education. There are also Fang, Bube, Combe, Pidgin English, and Annabon, among other languages.
12. Lesotho
Lesotho was colonized by the United Kingdom in 1966 and occupies 30,355 square kilometers of land mass. It is located in Southern Africa and is surrounded by South Africa on its borders. The capital of Lesotho is Maseru. The country has ten administrative districts, each of which has 80 constituencies.
Most of the people who live in Lesotho are Bantus, and they are called Basotho. Their official language is Sesotho, and the majority of them are Christians.
Conclusion
These are the 12 smallest countries in Africa. Yet, despite being small, they spice up the continent’s beauty. So if you desire a mind-blowing African adventure, it will be a perfect idea to take a trip to any of these countries. They are great destination spots for your vacations or weekend getaway.
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Excellent article. It is a dream destination, I recommend everyone to visit.