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Countries in Africa Ranked by Surface area (2024)

Surface area: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Algeria ranks #1 with 2.38 million km². Congo, Dem. Rep. is second with 2.35 million km², 1.5% behind. The top five are Algeria, Congo, Dem. Rep., Sudan, Libya and Chad. Together the top 10 account for 52.3% of the total across the 54 countries in Africa listed. The median across all 54 is 332,230 km²; Seychelles is last at 457 km².

#1
Algeria · 2.38 million km²
Median
332,230 km²
Coverage
54 countries in Africa
Data year
2024
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: Surface areaBar chart of the top 10: 1. Algeria 2.38 million; 2. Congo, Dem. Rep. 2.35 million; 3. Sudan 1.88 million; 4. Libya 1.76 million; 5. Chad 1.28 million; 6. Niger 1.27 million; 7. Angola 1.25 million; 8. Mali 1.24 million; 9. South Africa 1.22 million; 10. Ethiopia 1.13 million.Algeria2.38 millionCongo, Dem. Rep.2.35 millionSudan1.88 millionLibya1.76 millionChad1.28 millionNiger1.27 millionAngola1.25 millionMali1.24 millionSouth Africa1.22 millionEthiopia1.13 million
Top 10: Surface area (km²). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Algeria 2.38 million; 2. Congo, Dem. Rep. 2.35 million; 3. Sudan 1.88 million; 4. Libya 1.76 million; 5. Chad 1.28 million; 6. Niger 1.27 million; 7. Angola 1.25 million; 8. Mali 1.24 million; 9. South Africa 1.22 million; 10. Ethiopia 1.13 million.
Surface area over time, top 5Algeria: 2.38 million in 2000 to 2.38 million in 2024; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 2.34 million in 2000 to 2.35 million in 2024; Sudan: 2.51 million in 2000 to 1.88 million in 2024; Libya: 1.76 million in 2000 to 1.76 million in 2024; Chad: 1.28 million in 2000 to 1.28 million in 2024.0626,4501.25 million1.88 million2.51 million200020122024AlgeriaCongo, Dem. Rep.SudanLibyaChad
Surface area over time, top 5 (km²). Algeria: 2.38 million in 2000 to 2.38 million in 2024; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 2.34 million in 2000 to 2.35 million in 2024; Sudan: 2.51 million in 2000 to 1.88 million in 2024; Libya: 1.76 million in 2000 to 1.76 million in 2024; Chad: 1.28 million in 2000 to 1.28 million in 2024.
Share of the total: Surface areaAlgeria 7.9%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.8%; Sudan 6.2%; Libya 5.8%; Chad 4.3%; All others 68.0%8%8%68%

Algeria 7.9%Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.8%Sudan 6.2%Libya 5.8%Chad 4.3%All others 68.0%

Share of the total: Surface area, as a share of 54 countries in Africa. Algeria 7.9%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.8%; Sudan 6.2%; Libya 5.8%; Chad 4.3%; All others 68.0%.

Full ranking

Countries in Africa Ranked by Surface area, 2024
RankCountrySurface area (km²)
1Algeria2,381,700
2Congo, Dem. Rep.2,345,400
3Sudan1,878,000
4Libya1,759,500
5Chad1,284,000
6Niger1,267,000
7Angola1,246,700
8Mali1,241,200
9South Africa1,219,600
10Ethiopia1,129,800
11Mauritania1,030,700
12Egypt, Arab Rep.1,001,500
13Tanzania945,500
14Nigeria923,770
15Namibia824,290
16Mozambique799,380
17Zambia752,610
18South Sudan646,880
19Somalia, Fed. Rep.637,660
20Central African Republic622,980
21Kenya591,970
22Madagascar591,900
23Botswana581,730
24Cameroon475,440
25Morocco446,550
26Zimbabwe390,760
27Congo, Rep.342,000
28Côte d'Ivoire322,460
29Burkina Faso274,200
30Gabon267,670
31Guinea245,860
32Uganda241,550
33Ghana238,540
34Senegal196,710
35Tunisia163,610
36Eritrea121,630
37Malawi118,480
38Benin114,760
39Liberia111,370
40Sierra Leone72,300
41Togo56,785
42Guinea-Bissau36,125
43Lesotho30,360
44Equatorial Guinea28,052
45Burundi27,834
46Rwanda26,340
47Djibouti23,200
48Eswatini17,364
49Gambia, The11,295
50Cabo Verde4,030
51Mauritius2,010
52Comoros1,870
53São Tomé and Principe960
54Seychelles457

About the top 10

#9 South Africa

South Africa ranks #9 on this list with 1.22 million km².

Capital
Pretoria, Cape Town
Continent
Africa
Income group
Upper middle income
Population
64.75 million people (2025)
GDP
US$427.18 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$6,598 (2025)
Life expectancy
66.3 years (2024)
Urban population
63.8% of population (2025)

Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.

Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.

Full country profile

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Surface area: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.

Source: The World Bank, indicator AG.SRF.TOTL.K2. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Surface area (sq. km): FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.