African countries with large populations. Birth control policy

The African continent is divided into a huge number of states where people of different nationalities and cultures live. The largest country in Africa in area can accommodate several small European states. And the largest African country could accommodate half of Russia’s population.

Largest area

• Algeria. This state ranks first in area among the countries of the African continent. The capital bears the same name. Algeria is considered a rather poor country. However, the foundations of the economy are natural resources – oil and gas. The country has a high unemployment rate - more than 15%. The inability to have a livelihood forces Algerians to leave the country. France most often becomes the new homeland of emigrants.
• Congo. In terms of area, the state ranks second on the mainland. The country is rich in mineral resources. Until 2002, Congo experienced economic decline due to civil war. After the end of hostilities, the country's situation improved significantly. Relations with international authorities were renewed.
• Sudan. A temporary constitution, created in 2005, is in force on the territory of the republic. The country receives its main income from agriculture. In addition, Sudan sells oil, the production of which has increased from 2 to 49 thousand barrels per day over the past 25 years. Although the country has experienced significant economic growth since the late 2000s, 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. The unemployment rate exceeds 18%. In 2004, the authorities of the republic granted special administrative status to the Abyei region. Its territory is controlled by the northern government but disputed by the southern part of the state. The majority of the population is Arabs. The territory of the state is also inhabited by Cushites, Beja and some other peoples. The literacy rate among Sudanese residents reaches 71% for men and 50% for women. This is a good indicator for the African continent.
• Libya. During the reign of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya was considered one of the most prosperous countries on the continent. The attitude towards the leader was ambiguous. On the one hand, the country's population flourished. The state actively supported its citizens. In terms of living standards, Libya could compete with many European countries. Young families were provided with all kinds of benefits. On the other hand, Gaddafi was considered a tyrant who limited the civil liberties of Libyans. Foreigners coming to Libya to work were also limited in their rights.
• Chad. In 2008, administrative changes took place in the country. The territory of Chad was divided into 18 prefectures. Previously, the state was divided into 22 regions. The country has not yet completely gotten rid of the remnants of its colonial past. The policy of the state government is gradually becoming unitary. In the second half of the twentieth century, the country's foreign policy was focused on resolving conflicts with neighboring states.

Many people have memories of the “terrible Africa” that scared us in childhood from the pages of Soviet classical literature. We all remember very well the instructions of Korney Chukovsky:

Little children!
Not for the world
Don't go to Africa
Go for a walk in Africa!

Or maybe, in fact, everything there is not so scary... or, no? Let's try to figure it out...

It has been proven that Africa is the ancestral home of all civilization - it was here that the first homo sapiens appeared. Now more than 1 billion people live here.

Africa has always attracted great interest from the entire world community, if only because it is unusually rich in natural resources. There are diamond deposits, gold deposits, and oil reserves here. At the same time, the lands themselves are unusually vast and largely unexplored.

The African continent is the second largest continent on the planet, covering 20.4% of the total land surface and covering an area of ​​33 million km2. True, a third of it is occupied by the famous Sahara Desert, which has spread over 9,200 million km2 with its lifeless sands and dunes and captured the lands of 10 countries.

In total, there are 55 countries in Africa. Here are the largest of them:

Let's look at each of them in more detail...

An ancient state in northeast Africa, known to us as the homeland of the pharaohs and the land of the pyramids. A favorite place for tourists from all over the world, who bring the main income to the country’s economy. The territory, 96% of which is desert, is home to the longest river on the planet, the Nile, and the Suez Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, is also located here.
The third most populous country on the “dark continent”. In recent years, due to the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East, the threat of terrorism has sharply increased.

A state in West Africa with access to the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most sparsely populated on the planet (10th place in the world). There are only three people per square kilometer here. The country has a very low standard of living of the population - 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, every third adult is unemployed.

A highland state in the eastern part of the African continent. It is second on the mainland after Nigeria in terms of population, most of whom profess traditional Christianity. The only one of its kind in Africa. It is famous throughout the world for its marathon runners, which is why the people of Ethiopia are considered the most resilient on the planet.

The most economically developed state in Africa with great national diversity of the local population. The only country of the “dark continent” that is part of the G20. It has large deposits of diamonds and gold.
At the same time, the country has the highest AIDS incidence rate in the world (1st place on the planet). Every sixth resident of the Republic is HIV-positive.

It has 3 capitals: administrative - Pretoria, legislative - Cape Town and judicial - Bloemfontein.

A state in western Africa torn apart by constant civil wars. Almost the entire territory of the country is occupied by desert. Parts of Mali are currently controlled by radical Islamic groups. There is an extremely low standard of living of the population.

South African state with access to the Atlantic Ocean. It is rich in natural resources, including oil reserves, gold, iron ore, etc. Recently, Africa has experienced the highest economic growth rates.

A state in West Africa, which received its name after the river flowing through its territory. It is considered one of the hottest and poorest (188th out of 193) countries on the planet. It regularly ranks last in rankings of the standard of living of the population. 85% of the territory is the Sahara Desert.

Central African State with the lowest human life expectancy on Earth (average level 48 years - 224th place). Only a quarter of the population (out of 11 million!!!) has access to clean drinking water. Armed conflicts often break out between the African and Arab populations in the country.

A politically unstable state in northern Africa with access to the Mediterranean coast. 90% of the territory is desert.

Rich in natural resources. Over the past few years, there has been a military confrontation between the government and various radical Islamic groups in Libya.

An East African state that experiences frequent armed conflicts over disputed border areas. The economy is underdeveloped. Almost half the population lives below the poverty line

A state in Central Africa, until 1997 it was called the Republic of Zaire. One of the poorest countries in the world, although it ranks fourth in population on the continent. GDP per capita is 300 US dollars per year, worse only in Zimbabwe.

It ranks tenth on Earth in terms of area, 80% of which lies in the desert. The largest state in Africa, which has proven that it is possible to build an effective economy on this continent. It is in 5th place among countries with the lowest level of external debt (only 2% of GDP). The basis of the economy is the production and transportation of oil and gas.
Nevertheless, in terms of the standard of living of the population, Algeria is located in the middle of world rankings.

Well... that's what they are - the largest states in Africa.

Our acquaintance with them was, of course, superficial, but the information received was quite enough to understand the main thing: “K. Chukovsky’s childhood instructions are partly correct.”

Of course, perhaps no one will “bite, beat and offend you in Africa.” But still, children definitely shouldn’t walk there alone...

Africa is the largest region in terms of area (30 million sq. km.), including 54 independent states. Some of them are rich and developing, others are poor, some are landlocked and others are not. So how many countries are there in Africa, and which countries 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 sq. km.) lies on the territory of the Sahara Desert. This natural area is characterized by high temperatures; it is here that the world's highest temperature in the shade is recorded - +58 degrees. The largest states in Africa are located in this region. These are Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan. All these countries are territories with access to the sea.

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

State of Algeria with the capital of the same name, it 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 remaining rivers are much smaller and are lost among the Sahara deserts. Algeria produces large quantities of oil and gas.

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Sudan is a country in the North African region that 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.

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

Rice. 2. Ebony.

Libya - a country in the central part of North Africa, with an area of ​​1,760 thousand square meters. km. Most of the territory is a flat plain with altitudes ranging 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 west. The Guinean forests of the tropical region are located here. These areas are characterized by alternating rainy and dry seasons. West Africa includes many countries, 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 by population in Africa, and Cape Verde - a very small island state with a population of about 430 thousand people.

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

Central African countries

Central Africa is located in the western part of the continent 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, Kwilu. The climate is humid and hot. This area includes 9 countries, including Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, and Angola.

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

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

East African countries

The coast of East Africa is washed by the Red Sea, as well as the Nile. The climate in this area is different in each country. For example, the Seychelles are characterized as humid maritime tropics, dominated by monsoons. At the same time, Somalia, also part of East Africa, is a desert where there are practically no rainy days. This region includes Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, and 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 country has its own capital, but the capital of Ethiopia, the city of Addis Ababa, is considered the heart of Africa. It is landlocked, but it is here that the representative offices of all countries of the mainland are located.

Rice. 3. Addis Ababa.

Southern African countries

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

South Africa is the most developed in its region, and Swaziland is the smallest. Swaziland borders South Africa and Mozambique. The country's population 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)
• Western Sahara
• Zimbabwe (capital - Harare)
• Cape Verde (capital - Praia)
• Cameroon (capital - Yaoundé)
• Kenya (capital - Nairobi)
• Comoros (capital - Moroni)
• Congo (capital - Brazzaville)
• Cote d'Ivoire (capital - 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)

Very uneven.

The most densely populated areas are the sea coasts, coastal islands, lower reaches, and mining areas of South Africa, Zambia, Zaire and Zimbabwe. In these areas, the population density ranges from 50 to 1000 people per 1 sq. km. Over the vast expanses of the Namib, the population density barely reaches 1 person per 1 sq. km.

Uneven settlement is manifested both at the level of the region as a whole and at the level of individual countries. For example, almost the entire population of Egypt lives in the Nile Delta and Valley (4% of the total area), where the density is 1,700 people per 1 km2.

Ethnic composition of the African population distinguished by great diversity. There are 300-500 ethnic groups living on the mainland. Some of them (especially in) have developed into large nations, but most are still at the level of nationalities and tribes. Many of the ethnic groups still retained vestiges of the tribal system and archaic forms of social relations.

Linguistically, half of the African population belongs to the Niger-Kordofanian family, and the third part belongs to the Afrosian family. Residents of European descent make up only 1%. But at the same time, the state (official) languages ​​of most African countries remain the languages ​​of the former metropolises: English (19 countries), French (21 countries), Portuguese (5 countries).

The “quality” of Africa's population remains very low. The proportion of illiterate people in most countries exceeds 50%, and in countries such as Mali, Somalia, and Burkina Faso it is 90%.

Religious composition of Africa also distinguished by great diversity. At the same time, Muslims predominate in its northern and eastern parts. This is due to the settlement of Arabs here. In the central and southern parts of Africa, the religious beliefs of the population were significantly influenced by the metropolitan countries. Therefore, many types of Christianity are widespread here (Catholicism, Protestantism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, etc.). Many peoples of this region have retained local beliefs.

Due to the diversity of ethnic and religious composition, socio-economic difficulties and colonial past (borders), Africa is a region of numerous ethno-political conflicts (Sudan, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Chad, Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, etc.). In total, over 35 armed conflicts were recorded in Africa during the post-colonial period, in which more than 10 million people died. As a result of more than 70 coups d'état, 25 presidents were killed.

Africa characterized by very high rates (more than 3% per year). According to this indicator, Africa is ahead of all other regions of the world. This is primarily determined by the high birth rate. For example, the birth rate in Niger, Uganda, Somalia, Mali exceeds 50 o/oo, i.e. 4-5 times higher than in Europe. At the same time, Africa is the region with the highest mortality and low average life expectancy (men - 64 years, women - 68 years). As a result, the age structure of the population is characterized by a high proportion (about 45%) of children and adolescents under 15 years of age.

Africa is characterized by the highest level, the overwhelming majority of which are forced in nature and associated with interethnic conflicts. Africa accounts for almost half of all refugees and displaced people in the world, the vast majority of whom are “ethnic refugees.” Such forced migrations always lead to outbreaks of hunger and disease, leading to increased mortality.
Africa is a region of high labor migration. The main centers of attraction for labor from the African continent are and (especially the Gulf countries). Within the continent, labor migration flows mainly go from the poorest countries to the richer ones (South Africa, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe).

Africa characterized by the lowest level and highest rates in the world. In terms of the share of urban population (about 30%), Africa is significantly inferior to other regions.

The pace of urbanization in Africa has become an urban explosion. The population of some cities doubles every 10 years. But urbanization here has a number of features:

• Mainly capital cities and “economic capitals” are growing; the formation of urban agglomerations is just beginning (the number of millionaire cities is 24);
• urbanization often has the character of “false urbanization,” which leads to negative socio-economic and environmental consequences.

A striking example of urbanization “African style” is the city of Lagos in Nigeria. This city has long been the capital of the state. In 1950, its population was 300 thousand people, and now it is 12.5 million. Living conditions in this overpopulated city are so unfavorable that in 1992 the capital was moved to Abuja.

It covers about 30.3 million square meters. km, that is, about 20.4% of the earth's land area. The African continent is divided into 54 sovereign states and several dependent or unrecognized territories.

Sudan, with an area of ​​2.59 million square meters. km, was previously the largest country in Africa until South Sudan officially separated in 2011. Below is a brief overview of the 10 largest African countries in order of increasing area with a brief description and location on the map of Africa.

Attention! Given the rapid population growth in many African countries, the population data for the countries presented below may not be current when you read this article.

Ethiopia (1,104,300 sq. km)

Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa Peninsula. More than 102 million people live in the country. It is the most populous landlocked country in the world. Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. Water covers only about 0.7% of the country's territory. Some of the oldest human skeletal remains that are anatomically similar to modern humans were found in Ethiopia.

South Africa (1,221,037 sq. km)

South Africa has 2,798 km of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. South Africa has a population of approximately 56 million people. It is the twenty-fifth largest country in the world by area. South Africa is a multicultural country, encompassing a wide range of cultures, languages ​​and religions.

Mali (1,240,192 sq. km)

It is a West African state with a population of about 18 million people. Its northern border penetrates deep into the middle of the Sahara. The bulk of the population lives in the south of the country, where the Niger and Senegal rivers flow. Mali is located in a hot climate zone and is one of the hottest countries in the world. Thermal, which is located in the hottest regions on the planet, and is determined based on average daily annual temperatures, crosses its territory.

Angola (1,246,700 sq. km)

The population of the Republic of Angola is about 26 million people. The state is located in South Africa, and is the twenty-third largest country in the world. Its area is twice that of France.

Niger (1,267,000 sq. km)

This continental country is the largest state in West Africa. More than 80% of Niger's territory is covered by the Sahara Desert. The country's population is about 21 million people. The majority of the population lives in rural areas and does not have access to advanced education. As of 2015, 71.3% of Niger's population could not read, one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.

Chad (1,284,000 sq. km)

Chad is a country in northern central Africa with a population of over 14 million people. Water covers about 1.9% of the country's territory. Lake Chad is the largest body of water in the country, and the second largest on the African continent. The Sahara Desert covers a third of the country's territory in northern Chad.

Libya (1,759,540 sq. km)

The North African state of Libya is the sixteenth largest country in the world and the fourth largest on the continent. Tripoli is the largest city and capital of Libya. More than a million people live in Tripoli. Libya has some of the largest proven oil reserves.

Sudan (1,886,068 sq. km)

The Republic of Sudan is a country located in the Nile River Valley in North Africa. The Nile River divides the territory of the state into eastern and western parts. Sudan is home to about 40 million people. Before South Sudan gained independence in 2011, Sudan was the largest country on the African continent.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (2,344,858 sq. km)

This Central African country is located on the equator. The population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is more than 79 million people. The DRC is the fourth most populous country in Africa and the seventeenth in the world.

Algeria (2,381,741 sq. km)

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area and the tenth largest in the world. Approximately 90 percent of Algeria is desert. The state's defense budget is the largest in Africa. Algeria's population is more than 40 million people. The population density reaches 15.9 people per square meter. km.

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