All African countries

★Most populous country in Africa with 220M+ people and 500+ languages.

★First sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule (1957).

★World's largest cocoa producer — about 40% of global supply comes from here.

★Largest country in West Africa by area; most of it is covered by the Sahara.

★Its name means 'Land of Incorruptible People' in Mooré and Dioula.

★Timbuktu was a legendary medieval center of Islamic scholarship.

★The westernmost point of mainland Africa, Cap-Vert, is in Senegal.

★Holds an estimated 70% of the world's known bauxite reserves.

★Birthplace of Vodun (Voodoo), now practiced across the world.

★One of the narrowest countries in the world — just 56 km wide at its narrowest.

★Freetown was founded in 1787 as a home for freed slaves.

★Africa's oldest republic, founded in 1847 by freed American slaves.

★About 90% of the country is covered by the Sahara Desert.

★The smallest country on mainland Africa, almost entirely surrounded by Senegal.

★An archipelago nation with over 80 islands off its Atlantic coast.

★A volcanic archipelago 570 km off the west coast of Africa, uninhabited until 1462.

★One of the oldest nations on Earth; Lucy, a 3.2M-year-old hominid, was found here.

★Contains Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 m.

★Home to the Great Rift Valley and some of the world's fastest long-distance runners.

★Home to half the world's remaining mountain gorilla population.

★Over 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth.

★Has the longest coastline of any country on the African mainland.

★The most densely populated mainland African country; known as 'Land of a Thousand Hills'.

★Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-deepest lake, forms Burundi's western border.

★The world's youngest country, gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.

★Asmara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its preserved Italian modernist architecture.

★The dodo bird, now extinct, was native only to Mauritius.

★Home to Lake Assal, one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world.

★Produces more ylang-ylang perfume oil than anywhere else in the world.

★Smallest country in Africa by population; Victoria is one of the world's smallest capitals.

★Home to the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.

★Has more ancient pyramids than Egypt — over 200 Nubian pyramids dot its desert.

★The largest country in Africa by area, with most of it covered by the Sahara.

★Home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin (859 AD), the world's oldest continuously operating university.

★The northernmost country in Africa; parts of the original Star Wars were filmed in its desert.

★Has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa.

★The Congo River is the world's deepest river and second-largest by water discharge.

★One of Africa's top oil producers; Luanda was once ranked the world's most expensive city.

★Called 'Africa in miniature' for its diverse landscapes — rainforest, savanna, desert, and beaches.

★Lake Chad once rivaled the Caspian Sea in size but has shrunk by 90% since the 1960s.

★Brazzaville and Kinshasa are the two closest capital cities in the world, separated only by the Congo River.

★Near the geographic center of Africa, with some of the continent's last unspoiled rainforests.

★Over 85% of the country is covered by rainforest, home to forest elephants and gorillas.

★The only Spanish-speaking country in sub-Saharan Africa.

★Second smallest country in Africa; sits almost exactly on the intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian.

★The only country to have voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme.

★Has one of Africa's longest coastlines and some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean.

★Lake Malawi contains more species of fish than any other lake on Earth.

★Shares Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe; locally called 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' (The Smoke That Thunders).

★Home to Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

★The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world, estimated at 55–80 million years old.

★Transformed from one of the poorest nations to one of the fastest-growing economies through diamond wealth.

★One of only three countries in the world entirely surrounded by another country (South Africa).

★One of Africa's last absolute monarchies; renamed from Swaziland in 2018.