Quiz: Think You Know Geography? Name All the African Countries By Their Capitals

How sharp are your geography skills? Give them a whirl by matching all of the 54 national capital cities in Africa to the countries they’re from. Then, read on to learn a bit more about the history and geography of the world’s second-largest continent.

Facts About the Geography and History of Africa

Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent. It contains 54 UN-recognized countries and is home to 1.5 billion people. Its largest country by area is Algeria, and its largest country by population is Nigeria, which is home to over 230 million people. 

The continent is home to the world’s longest river, the Nile, which stretches 4,258 miles. It also contains the world’s largest hot desert, the Sahara. Its largest lake is Lake Victoria, which is one of two headwaters of the Nile, and which is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior in North America. 

Africa is sometimes called the "cradle of humankind." Fossil evidence shows that modern humans (homo sapiens) evolved in Africa some 300,000 years ago, and spread to the rest of the world from there.

Today, over 3,000 languages are spoken on the continent, including 75 that are spoken by over a million people. Since ancient times, the continent has been home to a number of sophisticated ancient kingdoms and civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient Nubian empire, and the Mali Empire, which amassed great wealth and maintained control over a large part of Western Africa between the 13th and 17th centuries. 

Africa was violently colonized by Europeans in the late 1800s and early 1900s, mostly during a period called the Scramble for Africa. The continent was largely decolonized between the 1950s and 1970s as nations began gaining independence. 

Today, Africa is home to nine out of 10 of the world’s poorest countries, due to a mix of factors including a history of colonization, economic and political instability, and health and climate change-related issues. The continent also boasts unique biodiversity as well as large quantities of natural resources, including an estimated 30% of the world’s mineral reserves. In more recent years, major cities like Lagos and Cairo have evolved into powerful economic hubs. 

Africa’s Capitals and Tourism

The largest city by population in Africa in 2026 is Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has over 21 million people. The second-largest city in Africa is Kano, the capital of Nigeria, with over 17 million people. 

The smallest capital city in Africa is generally considered to be The Gambia’s capital, Banjul, which has between 26,000 and 40,000 people. Meanwhile, the city of Kigali, Rwanda is often ranked as the cleanest on the continent. The capital was reconstructed after the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and is renowned for its careful planning, which includes extensive environmental protection and one day per month dedicated to community service.

Johannesburg, South Africa, is the nation’s most affluent city. However, it is not one of South Africa’s three capitals, which consist of Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. Pretoria is the nation’s administrative capital, while Cape Town is home to the legislature and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital, so you’re forgiven if you missed this one in the quiz above. 

The most commonly visited nation in Africa is Morocco, followed closely by Egypt. Tourism is a rapidly growing industry, with many drawn to the continent for its rich wildlife, natural beauty, and expansive history.