Countries and Capitals of Africa

This note provides a comprehensive list of African countries and their respective capitals, a crucial topic for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, often featured in Geography (World Geography) and International Relations sections. Understanding the geopolitical landscape of Africa is essential for aspirants.

North Africa

Algeria: Algiers
Egypt: Cairo
Libya: Tripoli
Morocco: Rabat
Sudan: Khartoum
Tunisia: Tunis

West Africa

Benin: Porto-Novo (Official Capital)
Burkina Faso: Ouagadougou
Cabo Verde: Praia
Côte d'Ivoire: Yamoussoukro (Official Capital)
Gambia: Banjul
Ghana: Accra
Guinea: Conakry
Guinea-Bissau: Bissau
Liberia: Monrovia
Mali: Bamako
Mauritania: Nouakchott
Niger: Niamey
Nigeria: Abuja
Senegal: Dakar
Sierra Leone: Freetown
Togo: Lomé

Central Africa

Cameroon: Yaoundé
Central African Republic: Bangui
Chad: N'Djamena
Congo (Republic of the Congo): Brazzaville
Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Kinshasa
Equatorial Guinea: Malabo
Gabon: Libreville
Sao Tome and Principe: São Tomé

East Africa

Burundi: Gitega (Political Capital)
Comoros: Moroni
Djibouti: Djibouti City
Eritrea: Asmara
Ethiopia: Addis Ababa
Kenya: Nairobi
Madagascar: Antananarivo
Malawi: Lilongwe
Mauritius: Port Louis
Mozambique: Maputo
Rwanda: Kigali
Seychelles: Victoria
Somalia: Mogadishu
South Sudan: Juba
Tanzania: Dodoma (Official Capital)
Uganda: Kampala

Southern Africa

Angola: Luanda
Botswana: Gaborone
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland): Mbabane (Administrative Capital), Lobamba (Legislative/Royal Capital)
Lesotho: Maseru
Namibia: Windhoek
South Africa: Pretoria (Administrative Capital), Cape Town (Legislative Capital), Bloemfontein (Judicial Capital)
Zambia: Lusaka
Zimbabwe: Harare

This regional categorization aids in better retention and understanding of the geographical distribution of African nations. Familiarity with these countries and their capitals is crucial for questions related to mapping, international organizations, and current affairs concerning the African continent.