Africa is a very mysterious continent with very colorful landscapes and bright weather contrasts. How many countries are in Africa and what is the mainland?

What do we know about Africa?

Oh, this Africa! Mysterious, frightening. We have been hearing about it since childhood. First, in the form of Chukovsky's warnings, "Do not go, children, to walk in Africa." Then, already in school years, studying the Egyptian dynasties, we begin to think about the diversity of the "black continent". And only in adulthood, looking into the catalog of tourist offers, we can at least roughly realize its scale.

So what do we really know? Have we thought, for example, how many countries are on mainland Africa? But it is the second largest continent on Earth. In the post-colonial era, residents of Europe and America saw only two regions in Africa: Sahara Africa (the well-known "Black Africa") and North Africa (the so-called Arab Africa).

This misclassification has led to the general misconception that North Africa is not Africa at all. And with the central part it is united only by its location on one continent. Modern scholars still believe that this division of Africa into two regions was based on wrong ideas.

Today, the generally accepted division of the mainland already includes as many as 5 regions: North, South, East, West and Central Africa.

How many countries are in Africa?

The number of regions of the hot continent has changed over many centuries. Then how many countries are in Africa now? Today, there are as many as fifty-five states on this continent.

In the ranking of continents in terms of population, Africa occupies an honorable second place. According to statistics from 2011, the inhabitants of the hot mainland make up 14% of the world's population. The entire continent can be divided into the following areas:

Northern.

1. Western.

   Eastern.

   Central.

Each of the parts (regions) has its own states. So how many countries are in Africa? In total, there are sixty-three countries on the continent: island, inland, with access to the seas and oceans. In addition to African territories, there are regions belonging to other countries. Each of the states has, of course, its own language, currency, unique traditions and customs.

Territories of European states

Some regions of the mainland have highly developed tourism. In these areas of the continent there are cities belonging to other countries. How many countries on mainland Africa belong to non-African states? They are listed below. On the continent there are five countries and autonomous communities belonging to the states of other continents:

1. Canary Islands.

3. Azores.

The first three belong to Spain, the rest to Portugal. The language here is, respectively, Spanish and Portuguese.

Where is tourism developed?

The continent is visited annually by thousands of Europeans. The level of tourism in the northern region is quite high. Here travelers visit: Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Libya and Sudan. Most of the region is occupied by the Sahara desert.

In the central region of the continent, countries located on the western side have access to the Atlantic Ocean. The region with the largest population in central Africa is Cameroon.

The western part of the mainland has access to the Atlantic Ocean. Sudan and the Sahel are located here. The eastern region is distinguished by a variety of nationalities - there are about two hundred of them. Therefore, there are 4 different languages. Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda and others are located in the eastern region of the mainland. Among these countries there are 2 unrecognized states: Galmudug and Puntland, Somaliland. It also housed territories dependent on Britain and France.

The southern region includes 12 countries, 5 of which are recognized by the UN. The United Nations identifies: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa. Of the twelve countries, there are those that are located on the continent, and there are also island states. The latter include: Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, Comoros and Seychelles.

As you can see, Africa is rich in countries, deserts, islands, and even lands belonging to the states of other continents. An interesting continent with the most ancient history in the world attracts tourists from all over the world every year. So how many countries are there in Africa now? The correct answer is fifty five.

Africa is a part of the world with an area of ​​\u200b\u200bwith islands of 30.3 million km 2, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland Gondwana, it has a massive outline, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical features

Africa lies on an ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost completely occupied by the Sahara desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian highlands, the southeast is the East African plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Draconian mountains The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the world's largest fault in the earth's crust stretches, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). The rivers are high-water only in the equatorial zone, due to the large amount of precipitation there, most of them are characterized by high flow speed, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salty drainless lake is Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts of the largest desert in the world, the Sahara).

Due to the location of Africa between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannahs and light forests, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevre and southern Africa savannas are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. The natural zones of mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided among 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 are dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Africa is divided into five regions based on geographic location: North, Central, West, East and South Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is a plain. There are mountain systems, uplands and plateaus. They are presented:

• the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
• the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands in the Sahara Desert;
• Ethiopian highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
• Dragon Mountains in the south.

The highest point in the country is Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5,895 m, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it, inland to the east, is the Kalahari Desert.

The territory of the savanna occupies the main part of Central Africa. In terms of area, it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical for savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of grassy vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. It can be almost desert savannas or tall grasses, with grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

On the territory of the African continent is the longest river in the world - the Nile. Its direction of flow is from south to north.

In the list of major water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through the territory of Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

lakes

The list of large lakes of the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. Two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of the lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the oceans ...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its coast are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the water form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the Indian Ocean, the currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in the northern waters, and Needle, in the southern ...

Forests of Africa

Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants grow high in the mountains, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests, in the tropical area evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, there are about 1000 species of various tree species: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, olive palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects living right on the trees. On earth live: bush pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas ...

40% of the territory of Africa is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and stand-alone trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest accumulation of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-fifth antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, and in some places there are rare jumping antelopes - springboks.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. In the oases, the unique Erg Chebbi date palm grows, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and the formation of salts. In the Namib Desert, unique velvichia and nara plants grow, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other animals of the desert.

Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, gazelle dorcas, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are permanently living and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in a low pressure area and receives sufficient moisture, the territories to the north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoonal) moisture and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north has the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of the trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount Precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...

Resources

African Natural Resources

In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the least prosperous continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of the proper volume of water, soil erosion, etc.

The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including species of valuable varieties. The countries in which they grow, the raw materials are exported. Resources are misused and ecosystems are slowly being destroyed.

In the bowels of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investments...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, one can note:

• the mining industry that exports minerals and fuels;
• the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
• chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
• as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, oil palm is grown.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total volume of agriculture. The indicators of animal husbandry are also not high, and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse flies ...

culture

The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

About 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups live on the territory of 62 African countries, which in total is about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.

Most of the peoples in Africa may number from several thousand people to several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with more than 5 million people, 1/3 - peoples with more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

• West Africa. The peoples who speak Mande (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Wai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages ​​(Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
• Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandese), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
• South Africa. Rebellious-speaking peoples, and speaking Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
• East Africa. Bantu, Nilotic and Sudanese groups of peoples;
• North East Africa. The peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra.), Cushitic (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages ​​(Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
• Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the South European minor race, mainly practicing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

Africa is the largest continent on the planet, which, in terms of size and population, ranks second after Eurasia. This occupies 6% of the Earth's area and more than 20% of the entire land area. The list consists of 62 units. Conventionally, this mainland is divided into four parts - Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern. These borders coincide with the borders of the states that are located there. Some of them have access to the seas and oceans, others are located inland.

Geographical position of the continent

Africa itself is located, one might say, in the center of the planet. From the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, from the northeast by the Red Sea and the Eastern part bathes in the waters of the Indian Ocean, and all the western coasts, among which there are both resorts and industrial cities, plunge into the waters of the Atlantic. The relief, as well as the flora and fauna of this continent are very diverse and mysterious. Most of it is occupied by deserts, in which the incredible heat lasts all year round. However, in some regions, mountains covered with eternal snows rise. The list of African countries cannot be fully represented without some of the natural features of each of them.

Countries and cities

Now we will consider the largest and most famous countries in Africa. The list with capitals as well as the languages ​​used is given below:

• Algiers - Algiers - Arabic.
• Angola - Luanda - Portuguese.
• Botswana - Gaborone - Setswana, English.
• Guinea - Conakry - French.
• Zambia - Lusaka - English.
• Egypt - Cairo - Arabic.
• Kenya - Nairobi - English, Swahili.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo - Kinshasa - French.
• Libya - Tripoli - Arabic.
• Mauritania - Nouakchott - Arabic.
• Madagascar - Antananarivo - French, Malagasy.
• Mali - Bamako - French.
• Morocco - Rabat - Arabic.
• Somalia - Mogadishu - Arabic, Somali.
• Sudan - Khartoum - Arabic.
• Tanzania - Dodoma - Swahili, English.
• Tunisia - Tunisia - Arabic.
• South Africa - Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfont - Zulu, Swati, English and many others.

This is not a complete list of African countries. Among them are also very poorly developed territories that are part of both other African and European powers.

Northern region closest to Europe

It is generally accepted that the most developed regions are the North and a small part of the South. All other states are in the zone of the so-called "safari". There can be traced an unfavorable climate for life, a desert relief, as well as the absence of internal waters. Now we will briefly look at what they are The list consists of 6 administrative divisions, which include: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Sudan. Most of this territory is the Sahara desert, so local thermometers never drop below 10 degrees Celsius. It is also important to note that in this region all countries at one time or another were under the rule of European powers. Therefore, the locals are well acquainted with the Romano-Germanic family of languages. Nowadays, proximity to the Old World allows the inhabitants of North Africa to establish business relations with its representatives.

Other highly significant regions of the continent

As mentioned above, not only in the north of the mainland are the developed countries of Africa. The list of all the rest is much shorter, since it consists of one power - South Africa. This unique state contains absolutely everything that you can imagine. At the height of summer, the peak of the influx of tourists from all over the world can be traced here. People come to the region to look at the unique shores, as well as to swim in the waters of the Indian or Atlantic Ocean. Along with this, fishing, boat trips, excursions to local museums and attractions are very developed in the region. Along with this, local residents are actively engaged in the extraction of diamonds and oil, which are concentrated in the depths of this region in huge quantities.

South African cities that amaze with their beauty

Sometimes there is a feeling that the very center of world civilization is concentrated not in Europe, not even in America, but in the very south of the African continent. Such world-famous cities as Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, which were earlier, grew up here. jacarand. The territory of the cities is inhabited by both white settlers, who have settled here for a very long time, and the historical owners of these lands - black Africans. You can talk about these charming places for hours, since they are the best countries and capitals of Africa. The list of southern cities and resorts above will allow you to better navigate in this area.

Conclusion

The cradle of all earthly humanity, the birthplace of minerals and jewelry, unique natural wonders and luxurious resorts that contrast with the poverty of the local population - all this is concentrated on one single continent. A simple enumeration of names - a list of African countries - cannot fully reveal all the potential that is stored in these lands and on their surface, but in order to get to know these territories, you need to go there and see everything with your own eyes.

Africa is the largest region in terms of area (30 million sq. km.), which includes 54 independent states. Some of them are rich and developing, others are poor, some have access to the sea, while others do not. So how many countries are there in Africa, and which states are the most developed?

North African countries

The entire continent can be divided into five zones: North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, South Africa.

Rice. 1. African countries.

Almost the entire region of North Africa (10 million square kilometers) lies on the territory of the Sahara desert. This natural area is characterized by high temperatures; it is here that the highest temperature in the world in the shade is recorded - +58 degrees. The largest African states are located in this region. These are Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan. All these countries are territories with access to the sea.

Egypt - the tourist center of Africa. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the warm sea, sandy beaches and infrastructure that is fully suitable for a good holiday.

State of Algiers with the capital of the same name, is the largest country by area in North Africa. Its area is 2382 thousand square meters. km. The largest river in this area is the Sheliff River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Its length is 700 km. The rest of the rivers are much smaller and are lost among the deserts of the Sahara. In Algeria, oil and gas production is carried out in large volumes.

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Sudan - a country in the North African region, which has access to the Red Sea.

Sudan is sometimes called the "country of three Niles" - White, Blue, and the main one, which is formed as a result of the merger of the first two.

In Sudan, dense and rich vegetation of tall-grass savannas grows: in the wet season, the grass here reaches 2.5 - 3 m. In the very south there is a forest savanna with iron, red and black ebony trees.

Rice. 2. Ebony.

Libya - a country in the Central part of North Africa, with an area of ​​1760 thousand square meters. km. Most of the territory is a flat plain with heights from 200 to 500 meters. Like other countries in North America, Libya has access to the Mediterranean Sea.

West African countries

West Africa is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the south and from the west. Here are the Guinean forests of the tropical region. These areas are characterized by alternating rainy and dry seasons. West Africa includes many states, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Liberia. The population of this region is 210 million people. It is in this region that Nigeria (195 million people) is located - the largest country in terms of population in Africa, and Cape Verde - a very small island state with a population of about 430 thousand people.

Agriculture plays the main role in the economy. West African countries are leaders in the collection of cocoa beans (Ghana, Nigeria), peanuts (Senegal, Niger), palm oil (Nigeria).

Central African countries

Central Africa is located in the western part of the mainland and lies in the equatorial and subequatorial belt. This area is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. There are a lot of rivers in Central Africa: Congo, Ogowe, Kwanza, Kvilu. The climate is humid and hot. This area includes 9 countries, including Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Angola.

In terms of natural resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the richest countries on the continent. Here are the unique rainforests - the Selva of Africa, which make up 6% of the rainforests of the whole world.

Angola is a major export supplier. Coffee, fruits, sugar cane are exported abroad. And in Gabon, copper, oil, manganese, and uranium are mined.

East African countries

The shores of East Africa are washed by the Red Sea, as well as the course of the Nile. The climate in the area in each country is different. For example, the Seychelles are characterized as humid maritime tropics dominated by monsoons. At the same time, Somalia, also belonging to East Africa, is a desert where there are practically no rainy days. This area includes Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, Tanzania.

Some East African countries are characterized by the export of specific products that are not available in other African countries. Kenya exports tea and coffee, while Tanzania and Uganda export cotton.

Many people are interested in where is the capital of Africa? Naturally, each of the countries has its own capital, but the capital of Ethiopia, the city of Addis Ababa, is considered the heart of Africa. It has no access to the sea, but it is here that representative offices of all countries of the mainland are located.

Rice. 3. Addis Ababa.

South African countries

South Africa includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland.

The Republic of South Africa is the most developed in its region, and Swaziland is the smallest. Swaziland borders South Africa and Mozambique. The population of the country is only 1.3 million people. This region is located in the tropical and subtropical climate zone.

List of African countries with capitals

• Algiers (capital - Algiers)
• Angola (capital - Luanda)
• Benin (capital - Porto-Novo)
• Botswana (capital - Gaborone)
• Burkina Faso (capital - Ouagadougou)
• Burundi (capital - Bujumbura)
• Gabon (capital - Libreville)
• Gambia (capital - Banjul)
• Ghana (capital - Accra)
• Guinea (capital - Conakry)
• Guinea-Bissau (capital - Bissau)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital - Kinshasa)
• Djibouti (capital - Djibouti)
• Egypt (capital - Cairo)
• Zambia (capital - Lusaka)
• West Sahara
• Zimbabwe (capital - Harare)
• Cape Verde (capital - Praia)
• Cameroon (capital - Yaounde)
• Kenya (capital - Nairobi)
• Comoros (capital - Moroni)
• Congo (capital - Brazzaville)
• Cote d'Ivoire (table - Yamoussoukro)
• Lesotho (capital - Maseru)
• Liberia (capital - Monrovia)
• Libya (capital - Tripoli)
• Mauritius (capital - Port Louis)
• Mauritania (capital - Nouakchott)
• Madagascar (capital - Antananarivo)
• Malawi (capital - Lilongwe)
• Mali (capital - Bamako)
• Morocco (capital - Rabat)
• Mozambique (capital - Maputo)
• Namibia (capital - Windhoek)
• Niger (capital - Niamey)
• Nigeria (capital - Abuja)
• Saint Helena (capital - Jamestown) (UK)
• Reunion (capital - Saint-Denis) (France)
• Rwanda (capital - Kigali)
• Sao Tome and Principe (capital - Sao Tome)
• Swaziland (capital - Mbabane)
• Seychelles (capital - Victoria)
• Senegal (capital - Dakar)
• Somalia (capital - Mogadishu)
• Sudan (capital - Khartoum)
• Sierra Leone (capital - Freetown)
• Tanzania (capital - Dodoma)
• Togo (capital - Lome)
• Tunisia (capital - Tunisia)
• Uganda (capital - Kampala)
• Central African Republic (capital - Bangui)
• Chad (capital - N'Djamena)
• Equatorial Guinea (capital - Malabo)
• Eritrea (capital - Asmara)
• Ethiopia (capital - Addis Ababa)
• Republic of South Africa (capital - Pretoria)

There are 60 countries within the Black Continent, including unrecognized and self-proclaimed states. The regions of Africa differ from each other in many ways: cultural, economic, demographic, etc. How many of them stand out on the mainland? Which countries are included?

Features of macro-zoning of the mainland: regions of Africa

Each of the African countries is unique and distinctive. However, some common features between these states (natural, historical, social and economic) allow geographers to divide the mainland into several large regions. There are five of them, according to the generally accepted UN classification.

All regions of Africa are listed below:

• Northern;
• Central, or Tropical;
• South;
• Western;
• East Africa.

Each of the listed macroregions covers a number of countries in the corresponding part of the continent. Thus, the leader in the number of states is the Western region. Moreover, most of them boast access to the oceans. But North and South Africa are the largest regions of the mainland in terms of area.

Most countries in the Eastern region have shown significant growth in per capita GDP in recent years. In turn, the central part of Africa concentrated on its expanses the poorest and most economically and scientifically backward states of the planet.

It should be noted that not everyone accepts the existing zoning scheme proposed by the UN. So, for example, some researchers and travelers single out such a region as Southeast Africa. It includes only four states: Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

North Africa

The region covers six sovereign states and one partially recognized: Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Libya, Western Sahara (SADR), Egypt and Algeria. North Africa, in addition, also includes several overseas territories belonging to Spain and Portugal. The countries of this region are characterized by relatively large areas.

Almost all the states of North Africa have a wide outlet to the Mediterranean Sea. This fact played a significant role in their development, denoting rather close economic ties with European countries. Most of the population of the region is concentrated in a narrow coastal strip of the Mediterranean, as well as in the valley of the Nile River. The waters of the Red Sea wash the shores of two more states in this region: we are talking about Sudan and Egypt. On the map of North Africa, these countries occupy the extreme eastern position.

The average GDP per capita in the region is not so high. However, according to IMF forecasts, in the near future they will only increase. Sudan is the poorest country in the macro-district, and oil-producing Tunisia and Algeria are the richest.

North Africa has a fairly developed (by African standards) agriculture. Citrus fruits, dates, olives are grown here. This region is also popular among travelers. Countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are annually visited by millions of tourists from all over the world.

The largest cities in the region: Casablanca, Tunisia, Tripoli, Cairo, Alexandria.

Algeria and Egypt on the map of Africa: interesting facts

Egypt is a state within which one of the world's oldest civilizations arose. This is a country of mysterious pyramids, secret treasures and legends. It is the absolute leader on the entire Black Continent in terms of the development of the recreational and tourist sphere. At least 10 million tourists visit Egypt every year.

Not everyone knows that this country is one of the most industrialized on the mainland. Oil, gas, iron and manganese ores, gold, coal, etc. are actively extracted and processed here. The chemical, cement and textile industries work effectively in the industrial sector.

No less interesting state in North Africa is Algeria. This country is the largest on the continent in terms of size. Curiously, she received this honorary title only in 2011, when Sudan broke up. In addition to this record, Algeria is also interesting for other facts. For example, did you know that:

• about 80% of the territory of Algeria is occupied by the desert;
• one of the lakes of this amazing country is filled with real ink;
• there are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the territory of the state;
• in Algeria there is not a single "McDonald's" and an Orthodox church;
• alcohol is sold exclusively in specialized stores.

In addition, Algeria impresses travelers with the diversity of its natural landscapes. Here you can see everything: mountain ranges, dense forests, hot deserts, and cool lakes.

West Africa

This African region is the absolute leader in the total number of independent states. There are 16 of them here: Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Most of the countries in the region are underdeveloped states with low GDP. Nigeria is an exception to this list. IMF forecasts for this region are disappointing: GDP per capita indicators will not grow in the short term.

Nearly 60% of the population of West Africa is employed in agriculture. Cocoa powder, wood, palm oil are produced here on a large scale. The manufacturing industry is sufficiently developed only in Nigeria.

The main problems of the region include the following:

• poor development of the transport network;
• poverty and illiteracy;
• the presence of a large number of language conflicts and hot spots.

The largest cities in the region: Dakar, Freetown, Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, Abuja, Bamako.

Central Africa

Central Africa consists of eight countries that differ significantly in size (Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, CAR, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and the island state of Sao Tome and Principe). The poorest country in the region is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a very low GDP of $330 per capita.

In the economy of the macro-region, the leading positions are occupied by agriculture and the mining industry, which the countries inherited from colonial times. Gold, cobalt, copper, oil and diamonds are mined here. The economy of Central Africa has been and remains a resource-based economy.

A significant problem in the region is the presence and periodic military conflicts.

The largest cities in the region: Douala, N'Djamena, Libreville, Kinshasa, Bangui.

East Africa

This region covers ten independent Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, a country with the beautiful name of Rwanda and the newly formed South Sudan), as well as several unrecognized state entities and dependent territories.

East Africa is a region with young states, backward economies and the predominance of monoculture agriculture. Piracy flourishes in some countries (Somalia), and armed conflicts (both internal and between neighboring countries) are not uncommon. In some states, the tourism industry is quite well developed. In particular, tourists come to Kenya or Uganda to visit local national parks and get acquainted with wild

The largest cities in the region: Juba, Addis Ababa, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Kampala.

South Africa

The last macroregion of the continent includes 10 Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, as well as two enclaves (Lesotho and Swaziland). Madagascar and the Seychelles are also often referred to this region.

Countries differ from each other in terms of development and GDP indicators. The most economically developed state in the region is the Republic of South Africa. South Africa is an amazing country with three capital cities at once.

Tourism is quite well developed in some states of the region (primarily in South Africa, Botswana and the Seychelles). Swaziland attracts many travelers with its well-preserved culture and colorful traditions.

The largest cities in the region: Luanda, Lusaka, Windhoek, Maputo, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth.

Conclusion

All countries of the African continent are original, extremely interesting and often so different from each other. However, geographers were still able to group them according to historical, socio-economic and cultural criteria, identifying five macro regions: North, West, Central, East and South Africa.