Smallest Countries in Africa 2026

Smallest Countries in Africa by Land Area

By land area, the smallest countries in Africa are Seychelles, covering just 452 km² (174.5 sq mi), followed by São Tomé and Príncipe at 964 km² (372.2 sq mi) and Comoros at roughly 1,900 km² (733 sq mi). Notably, all three countries are island-based. In addition, several African territories—such as Mayotte and Réunion—also have very small land areas but are not independent countries.

Smallest Countries in Africa by Population

By population, the smallest countries in Africa are Seychelles, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde. Seychelles has the smallest population among sovereign African states at about 132,779 people, followed by São Tomé and Príncipe with roughly 240,254 residents and Cape Verde at approximately 527,326. Like the smallest countries by land area, all three are island nations. In addition, several African territories—such as Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha—have even smaller populations but are not independent countries.