The smallest country in Africa is the Seychelles, at about 459 km², slightly more than the city of Vienna. The continent of giants like Algeria also holds a string of micro-states, nearly all of them islands. On the mainland itself, the smallest is the Gambia. Here is the ranking of the ten smallest African countries.
1. Seychelles (459 km²)
An archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, home to about 100,000 people, the least populated country in Africa. Its economy runs on tourism and fishing, and its maritime domain is huge: 1.3 million km² of exclusive economic zone, nearly 3,000 times its land area.
2. São Tomé and Príncipe (964 km²)
Two volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea, a former Portuguese colony independent since 1975. The world’s leading cocoa producer in the early 20th century, the country still lives partly off it.
3. Comoros (1,861 km²)
An archipelago between Madagascar and Mozambique. The union claims a fourth island, Mayotte, which remained French after the 1974 referendum, one of the continent’s most durable territorial disputes.
4. Mauritius (2,040 km²)
Mauritius is one of Africa’s most developed economies, driven by tourism, finance and textiles. It was also the only home of the dodo, extinct since the 17th century.
5. Cape Verde (4,033 km²)
Ten volcanic islands off the coast of Senegal. With no notable natural resources, the country relies on services and tourism, and its diaspora far outnumbers its resident population.
6. The Gambia (11,295 km²)
The smallest country on the African mainland. The Gambia is a strip of land 25 to 50 km wide that follows the river of the same name, entirely surrounded by Senegal except for its Atlantic coastline.
7. Eswatini (17,364 km²)
The former Swaziland, renamed in 2018, is one of the world’s last absolute monarchies. The kingdom sits between South Africa and Mozambique.
8. Djibouti (23,200 km²)
Small in size, strategic in position: the country guards the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, the gateway between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and hosts military bases of several powers.
9. Rwanda (26,338 km²)
The land of a thousand hills is one of Africa’s most densely populated countries, with about 14 million inhabitants on an area comparable to Belgium.
10. Burundi (27,834 km²)
Rwanda’s neighbor and near geographic twin, Burundi closes this ranking. Like Rwanda, it borders Lake Tanganyika, one of the deepest lakes in the world.
The smallest countries in Africa at a glance
| Rank | Country | Area (km²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 459 | Archipelago |
| 2 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 964 | Archipelago |
| 3 | Comoros | 1,861 | Archipelago |
| 4 | Mauritius | 2,040 | Island |
| 5 | Cape Verde | 4,033 | Archipelago |
| 6 | The Gambia | 11,295 | Mainland |
| 7 | Eswatini | 17,364 | Mainland |
| 8 | Djibouti | 23,200 | Mainland |
| 9 | Rwanda | 26,338 | Mainland |
| 10 | Burundi | 27,834 | Mainland |
The top five are all islands or archipelagos: on the mainland, the race for smallest comes down to the Gambia and Eswatini. To compare with other continents, see the smallest countries in the world, the smallest countries in Asia, the smallest countries in Europe, the smallest countries in the Americas and the smallest countries in Oceania. And to stay on the continent, our tour of Africa’s iconic wildlife completes the trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest country in Africa?
The Seychelles, at about 459 km² spread over 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. It is also the least populated country on the continent, with about 100,000 inhabitants.
What is the smallest country on the African mainland?
The Gambia, at 11,295 km². This strip of land follows the Gambia River for about 450 km and is surrounded by Senegal, except for its short Atlantic coastline.
Is the Seychelles smaller than Vatican City?
No, not even close. Vatican City covers 0.49 km²: the Seychelles is about 900 times larger. But at the scale of Africa, whose area exceeds 30 million km², it remains tiny.
Why are Africa’s smallest countries islands?
Africa’s mainland borders, inherited from colonization, carve out large blocks. The archipelagos, colonized and decolonized separately, became full states despite their small size.
