List of African Countries and Their Presidents (2023) - TalkAfricana (2024)

FAQs

How many countries are in Africa 2023? ›

Introduction. Africa is a vast and diverse continent comprised of 54 recognized countries.

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who is serving as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa. A former anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and businessman, Ramaphosa is also the president of the African National Congress (ANC).

All in all, there are 54 sovereign African countries and two disputed areas, namely Somaliland (autonomous region of Somalia) and Western Sahara (occupied by Morocco and claimed by the Polisario).

The following 54 fully recognised states are all members of the United Nations and the African Union.

Seychelles, Mauritius, and Equatorial Guinea are consistently ranked as the top three richest countries in Africa in terms of GNI per capita.

The newest internationally recognized country in the world is the African country of South Sudan, which declared independence on July 9, 2011.

Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent country and its second largest in terms of population. Apart from a five-year occupation by Mussolini's Italy, it has never been colonised.

Below is a list of countries in Africa by area. Algeria has been the largest country in Africa and the Arab world since the division of Sudan in 2011. Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa overall, with The Gambia being the smallest country on continental Africa.

What is the largest city in Africa? ›

Lagos

Africa / Largest city

Only eleven African states are listed as 'free' under the Freedom Index; Botswana, Mauritius, Cape Verde, Senegal, Tunisia, Ghana, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Namibia, South Africa, and Benin.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with 211 million residents—nearly twice the population of Egypt—contributing to its GDP.

In December 2019, roughly 59 thousand U.S. citizens traveled to Africa, denoting an increase over the figure recorded in December 2018.

It's The Economy

Africa is an important investment destination for many leading U.S. industries and Fortune 500 companies, contributing to U.S. jobs and increasing the revenue base for several cities.

The poorest countries in Africa include Burundi, Somalia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, and the Central African Republic. These countries face various economic challenges that hinder their development and contribute to their status as the poorest.

Africa's pre-Covid-19 top five performing economies are projected to grow by more than 5.5% on average in 2023-2024 and to reclaim their position among the world's 10 fastest-growing economies. These countries are Rwanda (7.9%), Côte d'Ivoire (7.1%), Benin (6.4%), Ethiopia (6.0%), and Tanzania (5.6%).

Western Sahara is the poorest country in Africa, with a GNI per capita of $56. Burundi is the second poorest in Africa, with a GNI per capita of $220. Somalia, the third poorest African country, has a GNI per capita of $430.

The most widely spoken languages of Africa, Swahili (200 million), Yoruba (45 million), Igbo (30 million), and Fula (35 million) all belong to the Niger-Congo family.

The oldest city in Africa was the city of Thebes. This was the capital of the famous Egyptian kingdom during the Middle and New Kingdoms. It was located on the Nile River, about 900 miles south of Cairo. It existed from about 1500 until 1000 BCE.

Who first discovered Africa? ›

Portuguese explorer Prince Henry, known as the Navigator, was the first European to methodically explore Africa and the oceanic route to the Indies.

Based on the military strength, the country with the Power Index ('PwrIndx') score of 0.000 is considered the strongest. The military strength of countries is compared with this score. Egypt has the strongest military forces in Africa in 2023 thanks to its conventional fighting capacity.

In that same year, the settlement was named Liberia and its capital Monrovia, in honor of President James Monroe who had procured more U.S. Government money for the project.

Before and after the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president of the United States in 2008, the idea of a black president has been explored by various writers in novels (including science fiction), films and television, as well as other media. Numerous actors have portrayed a black president.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born Ellen Eugenia Johnson, 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.

The African National Congress won a 63 percent share of the vote at the election, and Mandela, as leader of the ANC, was inaugurated on 10 May 1994 as the country's first Black President, with the National Party's F.W. de Klerk as his first deputy and Thabo Mbeki as the second in the Government of National Unity.

In Kemetic History of Afrika, Dr cheikh Anah Diop writes, “The ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. Alkebu-lan “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden”.” Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin. It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthagenians), and Ethiopians.

All historians agree that it was the Roman use of the term 'Africa' for parts of Tunisia and Northern Algeria which ultimately, almost 2000 years later, gave the continent its name. There is, however, no consensus amongst scholars as to why the Romans decided to call these provinces 'Africa'.

The city of Johannesburg, established during the Witwatersrand Gold Rush of 1886, holds the title of being the richest city in Africa.

What is the largest English speaking city in Africa? ›

Major South African cities hold the highest concentration of English-speaking residents, including Johannesburg. Known colloquially as Jozi, it is the largest city in the country and one of the world's 100 biggest urban areas.

Human rights and rule of law index - Country rankings

The average for 2022 based on 53 countries was 6.57 index points. The highest value was in Egypt: 9.5 index points and the lowest value was in Namibia: 2.3 index points. The indicator is available from 2007 to 2022.

1. Mauritius: Over the years, Mauritius has maintained its position as the most stable/peaceful country on the African continent. On a worldwide scale, the country is ranked 28th most peaceful country in the world.

Regionally, it is notable that several countries in Western Europe, including Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, consistently rank among the freest countries in the world. The Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, also excel in terms of freedom.

Zimbabwe Today - The most hardworking country in Africa is... | Facebook.

Nigeria is the biggest economy on the continent; according to the World Bank, Nigeria's GDP is more than seven times the GDP of Ghana.

The majority of Africans are adherents of Christianity or Islam. African people often combine the practice of their traditional belief with the practice of Abrahamic religions.

Under the current visa-exemption scheme, American citizens can stay in South Africa for 90 days without a visa. If an American citizen wishes to stay longer than 90 days, for tourism or business purposes, or plans to reside long-term in South Africa, they will require a long-stay permit.

South Africa had the highest number of immigrants among all African countries as of July 2020, hosting 2.9 million people.

Do US Citizens Need A Visa For South Africa? No, you don't. If you're a US citizen, you don't need to apply for a visa before traveling to South Africa.

Has America ever helped Africa? ›

The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Africa, leading the international community to support African countries with a range of bold new commitments that bolster life-saving humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable communities.

Of all U.S. states, the one closest to Africa is Maine.

The United States claims that its military presence on the African continent has to do with its counterterrorism campaign and aims to prevent the entry of China into this region.

How many countries are in the world in 2023? Worldometer reports that there are 195 countries in the world as of 2023. However, of these 195 countries there are two that are not member states of the United Nations.

Howland and Baker Islands, territories of the United States, are the last places on Earth to celebrate the New Year (5.30 pm Sunday IST).

Countries in the World:

This total comprises 193 countries that are member states of the United Nations and 2 countries that are non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine.

The poorest countries in Africa include Burundi, Somalia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, and the Central African Republic. These countries face various economic challenges that hinder their development and contribute to their status as the poorest.

Now that we have a basic understanding of IDL, let us find out the first country that will celebrate the New Year. Kiritimati, which is part of the Kiribati Islands, is the first city that will be welcoming 2023 before anyone else.

By 2025, the United States would still be the most powerful country of the world, but it would have a little over 18% of the global power. The US would be closely followed by China (nearly 16%), European Union (14%) and India (10%).

India Emerges As The Fastest Growing Country Among World's Top 5 Economies In Q1 Of 2023.

What country welcomes 2023 first? ›

Tonga, Kiribati and Samoa- tiny Pacific island nations- are the first to ring in a new Calendar year as here, January 1 starts at 10 am GMT or 3:30 pm as per Indian Standard Timing on December 31. Which country will celebrate the New Year last?

Switzerland. Switzerland looks to be the best country to live in 2023. It was the highest-ranking country on the latest HDI report, with a score of 0.962. Switzerland has remained at the top spot since 2015 and has seen an annual average growth of 0.19%.

Ethiopia is currently in the year 2015 not 2023. The Ethiopian year begins on September 11th or 12th in a Gregorian leap year.

Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government have recently agreed to a timetable that will transfer many governmental responsibilities by 2023, and establish full independence in 2027.

The ten poorest countries in Africa are Western Sahara, Burundi, Somalia, Central African Republic (CAR), Mozambique, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Niger, and Eritrea. Western Sahara is the poorest country in Africa, with a GNI per capita of $56.

Africa is the poorest continent in the world. GDP per capita of Asia, South America, and Africa are less than the global average. Four subregions have figures above $50,000 as Northern America is the richest subregion, followed by Australia and New Zealand, Northern Europe, and Western Europe.

Africa is a resource-rich continent. Recent growth has been due to growth in sales, commodities, services, and manufacturing. West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa in particular, are expected to reach a combined GDP of $29 trillion by 2050.