Exploring the 10 Smallest Countries in Africa: Discover the Continent’s Hidden Gems

Despite having some of the smallest nations on the planet, Africa is the second-largest continent on the globe. The majority of these small African nations are dispersed over the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, with only a small number of them being found on the continent itself. 

In actuality, the top 10 smallest countries on the continent of Africa are all island states, with the Gambia in West Africa being the smallest.

All these African countries have so much to offer and tourists are free to visit and explore anytime they wish

Here are the top ten smallest countries in Africa

Seychelles- 451 km2 (174 sq mi)

Africa’s smallest nation, Seychelles, is only 451 square kilometres in size. It is situated in the Somali Sea portion of the broader Indian Ocean, around 1,600 km east of Kenya and northeast of Madagascar. It is a 115-island archipelago with lush tropical vegetation, stunning shorelines, and a wide variety of underwater creatures.

The capital and largest city of the Seychelles is Victoria, which is located on the island of Mahe. The Seychelles is not only the smallest nation in Africa, but one of the smallest nations on the entire globe.

São Tomé & Príncipe-964 km2 (372 sq mi)

Geographically, Sao Tome and Principe is situated in central Africa, close to the Gulf of Guinea, along the Equator, and is made up of Sao Tome and Principe, the two main islands, as well as Rolas, Pedras, Caroco, and Tinhosas.

Cape Verde – 4,033 km2 (1,557 sq mi)

One of Africa’s smaller countries is Cape Verde, also called Cabo Verde. It’s in the western part of the continent. Ten volcanic islands totalling 4,033 square kilometres make up the country, which bears the name of Africa’s westernmost coast. Cape Verde is accessible despite being near the westernmost tip of the continent, contrary to popular belief.

The capital, Praia, is reachable by direct flights from international nations like the United Kingdom, Portugal, and France. With five to nine hours of sunshine each day on average throughout the year, Cape Verde’s weather is one of the region’s main attractions.

Gambia -10,380 km2 (4,008 sq mi)

The Gambia is the smallest mainland country in Africa, bordered by Senegal on three sides and having its western shore on the Atlantic Ocean; it is divided by the Gambia River, which empties into the ocean; due to its West African location, the Gambia has many things in common with other West African nations, particularly in terms of its history with the slave trade; Banjul is the country’s main metropolitan area; Brikama and Serekunda are its other two major cities.

Comoros- 2,235 km2 (863 sq mi)

Several miles off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean, Comoros is one of the tiniest island countries in the world. It consists of three islands, with France currently in charge of the fourth.

Due to their fragrant plant life, these volcanic islands have earned the title of “perfumed islands” and are renowned for their beautiful landscape and unmatched beauty.

The islands have the ideal fusion of Arabic, African, French, and Malagasy influences, which were inspired by the historic Indian Ocean trade between Asian and East African ports. 

A cooler and warmer season alternates each year in the tropical climate of the Comoros. The largest city on the island, Moroni, is situated on Grande Comore Island’s shore in the Indian Ocean.

Mauritius- 2,040 km2 (788 sq mi)

Off the coast of East Africa, in the Indian Ocean, sits the island country of Mauritius. Because of a volcanic explosion, the island was created a few months ago.

Each year, a sizable number of tourists flock to Mauritius, which is renowned for its stunning beaches, clear waters, and opulent resorts.

Mauritius is one of those tourist places that incentives even the simplest attempts at exploration. Coral reefs entirely encircle Mauritius and the country’s mainland is dominated by plateaus.

In addition, Mauritius stands out as the only nation in Africa where Hinduism is the main religion.

Eswatini – (Swaziland) 17,364 km2 (6,704 sq mi)

The smallest country on the African continent is Eswatini, previously Swaziland. The country is encircled by South Africa and Mozambique. 2018 saw the official name change from Swaziland to Eswatini to fully distance itself from its colonial past and to put an end to decades of miscommunication between Swaziland and Switzerland.

To stop the Boer republics from quickly encroaching on their borders, the British Protectorate over Eswatini, Botswana, and Lesotho was established in the 1800s.

Rwanda – 26,798 km2 (10,347 sq mi)

Landlocked and south of the Equator, Rwanda is a country in east-central Africa. It’s one of Africa’s smallest nations. Its various hills have given rise to the nickname “country of a thousand hills,” which describes it. Due to its size and population, Rwanda is one of Africa’s nations with the highest population density.

The country emphasizes so much on rehabilitation and interethnic harmony because so much has changed since the horrible Rwandan massacre of 1994.

Burundi 27,830 km2 (10,745 sq mi)

As one of the smaller nations in Africa, Burundi shares a long history with its neighbour Rwanda of monarchical rule. Due to its location in east-central Africa and south of the Equator, it shares a border with Rwanda in terms of geography. 

It is also an island country. The nation’s second-largest city, Gitega, lies close to the source of the Nile, while Bujumbura, the capital, is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.

Lesotho

The largest of the world’s only three autonomous governments completely encircled by the territory of another nation is Lesotho, along with Vatican City and San Marino.

Due to its location within South Africa, Lesotho is dependent on another nation for access to the outside world.

Conclusion

That concludes our list of the top 10 tiny nations in Africa, which are all island nations. They include Seychelles, So Tomé and Principe, Mauritius, Comoros, and Cape Verde. The Gambia is the tiniest nation in all of continental Africa.