Many inquiries have been made about the total population of Africa. How about the least populated countries in Africa?
Africa has a population of around 1.36 billion people. Some African countries have highly dense populations. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has about 200 million people.
According to predictions, Nigeria’s population would reach 790 million by the year 2100. Indeed, Africa’s population continues to rise at a rapid pace, owing primarily to the continent’s high birth rates, which are typical of developing countries. However, there are several African countries with extremely small populations.
The Least Populated Countries in Africa
1. Seychelles
Seychelles is Africa’s least populous country, consisting of an archipelago of tiny islands east of the African mainland and northwest of the African island of Madagascar. The country has a population of only 97,630 people. The lack of population in the Seychelles is due in part to space constraints. Indeed, the country’s total land size is under 460 square kilometers, making it the smallest in Africa.
The population density in the Seychelles is 214 persons per square kilometer. As a result, the country is quite densely inhabited. Furthermore, the population of the Seychelles grows at a pace of 0.4% every year. In fact, the country’s population is anticipated to begin falling by 2047.
Seychelles’ lack of population growth could also be attributed to the fact that it is more developed than many other African countries. Life expectancy in the country is very high when compared to most other African countries.
2. Sao Tome and Principe
The country of Sao Tome and Principe is made up of several small islands, the two largest of which are Sao Tome and Principe. It is located off the west coast of Gabon, a Central African republic. Sao Tome and Principe has a population of only 215,060 people, making it Africa’s second least populous country. The country has a land size of about 960 square kilometers, making it the second smallest country in Africa.
Sao Tome and Principe have a population density of 228 persons per square kilometer. One reason for the high population density could be that the majority of the country is made up of volcanic and mountainous terrain, which makes construction difficult. Despite this, the country’s population is expanding at a quick 2.6% per year.
3. Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde is an island republic in West Africa, more especially off the shores of Senegal and Mauritania. The population of the country is 549,930 people. Cabo Verde has a population density of 138 persons per square km and a land area of 4,030 square kilometers.
As a result, it is less densely inhabited than the Seychelles or Sao Tome & Principe. Cabo Verde, like Seychelles, is more developed and economically stable than many other African countries, which may explain its low yearly population growth rate of 1.13%. In fact, by 2061, this rate is expected to be negative.
4. Comoros
Comoros is an island republic made up of three major islands. It is situated in the Indian Ocean, between the northeast coasts of Mozambique and Madagascar. The Comoros have a population of 850,890 people. The Comoros have a total land area of 1,861 square kilometers, making them Africa’s third smallest country.
The population density in the Comoros is 467 persons per square kilometer. Furthermore, because Comoros’ yearly population growth rate is 2.23%, the rate of population density is likely to rise. This rate, however, is expected to slow slightly by the 2080s.
Read The Most Populated Countries In Africa
5. Djibouti
Djibouti is an East African republic located across the Bab al-Mandab Strait from Yemen. It has a population of 973,560 people and a total land area of 23,180 square kilometers. In comparison to the aforementioned island countries, Djibouti has a low population density.
In comparison to its neighbors and other African countries, the country’s annual population growth rate is 1.5%. Indeed, Djibouti’s population is expected to plateau in the 2060s and begin to drop in the early 2090s. The city of Djibouti is home to almost two-thirds of the country’s population. The remainder of the land is primarily used for agriculture.
6. Eswatini
Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is a country in Southern Africa. South Africa borders it to the north, west, and southeast, and Mozambique borders it to the east. Eswatini has a population of 1,148,130 people and a total land area of 17,200 square kilometers.
The country’s population growth rate is about 1.1%, which is low for an African developing country. One explanation for this is the country’s exceptionally low life expectancy, which is attributed, at least in part, to its extremely high HIV/AIDS infection rate. In fact, Eswatini has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. More than one in every four adults in the country is infected with HIV/AIDS.
7. Mauritius
Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island republic located east of Madagascar. It has a population of 1,265,710 people. In a total land area of 2,030 square kilometers, the population density is a high 626 persons per square kilometer. However, lack of room is not the only problem limiting Mauritius’s population.
In comparison to other African countries, Mauritius has a significantly more developed economy. This could explain its annual population growth rate of only 0.4%. Mauritius’ population is predicted to plateau by the middle of the 2020s and then fall.
8. Equatorial Guinea
Central Africa is home to Equatorial Guinea. It is made up of a small area situated between Gabon and Cameroon, as well as the island of Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea, off Cameroon’s coast.
Equatorial Guinea has a population of 1,355,990 people, which is in line with the country’s size. It has a total land area of 28,050 square kilometers and a population density of 50 persons per square kilometer. The population of Equatorial Guinea is expanding at a quick rate of 2.8% each year.
9. Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is located on Western Africa’s west coast, between Guinea and Senegal. It has a population of 1,920,920 people and a total land area of 28,120 square kilometers. Guinea-Bissau has a population density of 70 persons per square kilometer.
Because of the abundant fisheries, the coastal region is home to half of the country’s population. However, living on the shore of Guinea-Bissau is becoming increasingly challenging due to the increased coastal erosion that afflicts much of West Africa.
10. Lesotho
Lesotho is fully encircled by South African land. The population of the small Southern African country is 2,125,270 people. Lesotho has a land area of 30,360 square kilometers and a population density of 71 persons per square kilometer.
Thus, Lesotho’s modest population is not due to a lack of space. Lesotho’s high newborn mortality rate of 8.3% is one issue that may be impeding population expansion.
Another cause could be the country’s high HIV/AIDS prevalence. In fact, HIV/AIDS affects over half of all women under the age of 40 in Lesotho’s metropolitan regions. The country’s life expectancy is likewise quite low, at only 42 years.
Conclusion: The 10 Least Populated Countries in Africa
These 10 are with no doubt the least populated countries in Africa. According to a Research by Statista, Africa’s population is anticipated to reach 2.48 billion by 2050. At the same time, the continent’s yearly population growth rate is forecast to fall from 2.54% in 2020 to 1.76% in 2050.
According to projections, the fall in Africa’s annual rate of population growth will be felt across the continent. As a result, every African subregion’s annual population growth rate will decrease between now and 2050.
