In total, 1.36 billion people live on the African continent in various countries in Africa. For example, Nigeria, the most populated nation in Africa, has more than 200 million residents.
By the year 2100, it is predicted that 790 million people would reside inside the borders of Nigeria. Despite there being so many people living in Africa, some countries in Africa are sparsely populated.
One of the top 10 least populous nations in Africa in 2021 was Equatorial Guinea, followed by Sao Tome & Principe, Mayotte, Cape Verde, Reunion, Comoros, Djibouti, and Eswatini. Seychelles was the least populous nation in Africa in 2021 with a total population of 99,105.
Keep reading to discover more African countries with the fewest inhabitants.
Seychelles
The least populous nation in Africa is the Seychelles, which is made up of an archipelago of tiny islands northwest of the African island of Madagascar and east of the African continent. There are only 97,630 inhabitants. Space limitations contribute to the Seychelles’ low population.
In fact, with a total land area of only 460 sq. km., the nation is the smallest in Africa. 214 people live in every square kilometre in Seychelles.
Seychelles’ slow population growth may be because it is more developed than many other African nations
Sao Tome And Principe
The two main islands in the country of Sao Tome and Principe, which is made up of an archipelago of numerous smaller islands, are Sao Tome and Principe. It is situated off the west coast of Gabon, a nation in Central Africa.
With only 215,060 people, Sao Tome and Principe is the second-least populous nation in Africa. The nation is the second-smallest in Africa in terms of land size, with a total of 960 square kilometres.
In Sao Tome and Principe, there are 228 persons per square kilometre. The fact that the majority of the country is made up of rugged and volcanic terrain, which can be challenging to build on, may be one factor in the high population density.
Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde is an island nation that may be found in the Atlantic Ocean, specifically off the shores of Mauritania and Senegal in West Africa. 549,930 people call this nation home. Cabo Verde’s population resides in an area of 4,030 sq km, which equates to a density of 138 persons per sq km.
It is not as populous as Sao Tome and Principe or the Seychelles. But unlike many other African nations, Cabo Verde is more developed and economically secure than Seychelles, which could account for its 1.13% yearly population growth rate.
Comoros
Comoros is an island nation with three major islands. Between Madagascar’s northwest and Mozambique’s northeast coasts, it is situated in the Indian Ocean.
The Comoros have 850,890 people living there. The Comoros has a total land area of 1,861 sq. km, making it the third-smallest nation in Africa.
A high 467 individuals per square kilometre make up the population of Comoros. Comoros’ yearly population growth rate is 2.23%, hence the rate of population density will likely rise as well.
Djibouti
Across the Bab al-Mandab Strait from Yemen, in East Africa, is the nation of Djibouti. Its overall land area is 23,180 square kilometres, and its population is 973,560. In contrast to the aforementioned island nations, Djibouti has a relatively low population density. The nation’s 1.5% yearly population growth rate is low compared to those of its neighbours and other African nations.
It is predicted that Djibouti’s population would cease expanding by the 2060s and begin to fall in the early 2090s. Agriculture is the main use of the remaining land.
Eswatini
Eswatini is a country in Southern Africa that was formerly known as Swaziland. Mozambique lies to the east of it, and South Africa is to the north, west, and southeast. The overall area of Eswatini is 17,200 square kilometres, and its population is 1,148,130. For an African developing nation, the county’s population growth rate of just 1.1% is low.
The fact that the nation has a very low life expectancy—partly as a result of its astronomically high HIV/AIDS infection rate—is one factor in this. In actuality, Eswatini has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the entire globe. In this country, more than one in four persons is HIV positive.
Mauritius
East of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is an island nation. 1,265,710 individuals make up the population. The country has a high population density of 626 people per square kilometre on a total land area of 2,030 km2. The low population of Mauritius is due to several factors, not just a lack of space.
Compared to other African nations, Mauritius has a significantly more developed economy. This could account for the 0.4% annual growth in population that the country experiences. By the mid-2020s, population growth in Mauritius is predicted to drop and then begin to fall.
Equatorial Guinea
In Central Africa, you can find Equatorial Guinea. It is made up of an insignificant area wedged between Gabon and Cameroon as well as the island of Bioko, which is located in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Cameroon.
Equatorial Guinea has a population of 1,355,990 people, which is in line with the country’s size. 28,050 square kilometres make up the entire land area, and there are 50 residents in every square kilometre.
With an annual growth rate of 2.8%, Equatorial Guinea is rapidly populating.
Guinea-Bissau
Sandwiched between Guinea and Senegal, Guinea-Bissau is located on the west coast of Western Africa. It has 1,920,920 residents and a total size of 28,120 square km.
There are 70 persons per square km in Guinea-Bissau. Due to the abundant fishing in the coastal region, half of the population resides there. However, due to expanding coastal erosion, which affects much of West Africa, living along Guinea-Bissau’s shore is becoming more and more challenging.
Lesotho
The area of South Africa entirely encircles Lesotho. 2,125,270 people are living in the little kingdom in Southern Africa. Lesotho’s population density is only 71 persons per square kilometre, while its total land area is 30,360 sq. km.
The limited population of Lesotho is therefore not due to a lack of available area. The high infant mortality rate of 8.3% in Lesotho is one issue that could be preventing population expansion.
The high incidence of HIV/AIDS in the nation may also be a contributing factor. In fact, in Lesotho’s metropolitan regions, HIV/AIDS affects roughly half of the country’s women under the age of 40. The nation has a fairly low 42-year average life expectancy.
Conclusion
Africa’s least populated nation, remains Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean with a population of roughly 97,630.
On a good note, a smaller population can lead to a more equitable allocation of resources and access to social benefits. It becomes easier to put social welfare programs in place that are aimed at disadvantaged populations including the elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals.
This may result in a society where everyone can access necessities and there is greater equity. Those are some of the benefits the least populated nations in Africa may enjoy.
