The 10 Least Populated Countries in Africa
Comoros, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles are among the least populated African countries.
As a continent, Africa has over 1 billion people. However, the number is likely higher, with other countries experiencing fast population growth and bearing in mind that some of the censuses were done almost a decade ago. Liberia, for instance, had its last census in 2008 with Libya having had two years before.
The 10 Least Populated Countries in Africa
10. Lesotho - 1,908,000
Based on latest UN estimates, the Kingdom of Lesotho has approximately 1.9 million people. Out of this, 49.2% of the population is male and 50.8% of the population is female.
9. Gabon - 1,873,000
The last population census in Gabon showed a population of just over 1.8 million people. This is equivalent to 0.03% of the world’s total population.
8. Guinea-Bissau - 1,788,000
Guinea-Bissau has a population of just under 2 million. Although Guinea-Bissau is home to a number of cash crops, such as coconuts and brazil nuts, the country's economy is often in shambles, making it one of the poorest countries in the world.
7. Mauritius - 1,263,000
The island nation of Mauritius is home to around 1.26 million. In 2010, 21.9% of the population of Mauritius was under the age of 15.
6. Swaziland - 1,119,00
Swaziland has a population of just over one million. Despite this small population, the country has seen considerable growth in population over recent decades.
5. Djibouti - 961,000
Djibouti has a population of 961,000, making it the fifth least populated country in Africa. The majority of these residents live in and around the capital city of Djibouti City.
4. Comoros - 783,000
The population of the island nation of Comoros represents less than 0.01% of the world's population. The country's most populated island is Nzwani.
3. Cape Verde - 525,000
The current Cape Verde population is 525,000. This is an increase from the June 2016 census tally, which was 491,875 people. The majority of the population of Cape Verdeans live on the island of Santiago. More people of Cape Verdean descent live outside of the islands than people who live within the islands.
2. Sao Tome & Principe - 194,000
The population of Sao Tome and Principe is 194,000 people, making it the second least populated country in Africa. The island of Sao Tome is much more populated than the island of Principe.
1. Seychelles - 97,000
Seychelles is the least populated country in Africa, with a population of only 97,000 people. Of these, 51.1% are men while 48.9% are women. Seychelles comes 17th place in terms of the world’s least populated countries.
Conclusion
This list only includes sovereign countries and not dependent territories
The 10 Least Populated Countries in Africa
| Rank | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 97,000 |
| 2 | Sao Tome and Principe | 194,000 |
| 3 | Cape Verde | 525,000 |
| 4 | Comoros | 783,000 |
| 5 | Djibouti | 961,000 |
| 6 | Swaziland | 1,119,000 |
| 7 | Mauritius | 1,263,000 |
| 8 | Guinea-Bissau | 1,788,000 |
| 9 | Gabon | 1,873,000 |
| 10 | Lesotho | 1,908,000 |
On WorldAtlas.com
