Africa has 54 UN member states, more than any other continent. We start in the north, where the land faces the Mediterranean and the Sahara spreads behind it. (The count comes from How Many Countries?.)
| Country | Capital |
|---|---|
| Morocco | Rabat |
| Algeria | Algiers |
| Tunisia | Tunis |
| Libya | Tripoli |
| Egypt | Cairo |
| Sudan | Khartoum |
Key idea
From west to east: Morocco (capital Rabat), Algeria (Algiers), Tunisia (Tunis), Libya (Tripoli), Egypt (Cairo), and to the south, Sudan (Khartoum). Algeria is the largest country in Africa.
Why it works
Almost everyone in North Africa lives near water: along the Mediterranean coast, in the Atlas Mountains' valleys, or along the Nile. Behind them lies the Sahara. That is why the capitals are on the coast or, for Cairo and Khartoum, on the Nile. Western Sahara, south of Morocco, is a disputed territory: Morocco controls most of it and claims all of it, and the Polisario Front, which proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, claims it too. The UN lists it as a non-self-governing territory, and it is not a UN member.
Worked example: Two capitals named for their countries
Which North African capitals share most of their country's name?
- Algeria's capital is Algiers.
- Tunisia's capital is Tunis.
Answer: Algiers and Tunis.
Worked example: Biggest city or capital?
Casablanca is Morocco's largest city. Is it the capital?
- Casablanca is the big port and business city.
- The capital is Rabat, a little farther up the Atlantic coast.
Answer: No; the capital is Rabat.
Common mistake
Some people think the Sahara is a country. It is a desert that stretches across about ten countries and territories, from the Atlantic coast to the Red Sea. Algeria, Libya and Egypt all have large parts of it.