List of predecessors of sovereign states in Africa
This is a list of all present sovereign states in Africa[1] and their predecessors. The region of Africa is generally defined geographically to include the subregions of African continent, Madagascar island, Mauritius Island and several minor islands, and their respective sovereign states. Africa was originally colonised by Europeans with Southern Africa primarily by the British, and the West Africa and North Africa primarily by the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Today, Africa consists of 54 sovereign states of various government types, the most common consisting of parliamentary systems.
Sovereign state | Predecessors |
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Algeria | Since 1.8 Million BC, humans have been seattled in Algeria as demonstrated by the discovery of Oldowan stone tools found at Ain Hanech in 1992.[2]
Inhabited by Aterians (80,000-20,000 BC) |
Angola | The territory of Angola has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era, hosting a wide variety of ethnic groups, tribes and kingdoms (like the kingdoms of ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Benin | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Botswana | The territory of Botswana has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era. The original inhabitants of southern Africa were the tribal San and Khoi peoples. Tribal Bantu-speaking peoples first moved into the country from the north (c.600 AD) ![]() ![]() |
Burkina Faso | Burkina Faso was divided in several Mossi Kingdoms (11th century-1896)![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Burundi | Kingdom of Burundi (17th century–1890) Kingdom of Burundi, ![]() Kingdom of Burundi under military occupation of the Belgian Empire (1916-1922) Kingdom of Burundi, ![]() Kingdom of Burundi, ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Cameroon | The territory of Cameroon has been inhabited since the Neolithic Era, hosting a wide variety of ethnic groups, tribes, fondoms and kingdoms (such as the kingdoms of Kotoko, Mandara and Bamum)![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Cabo Verde | Before the discovery by the Portuguese, the archipelago was uninhabited![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Central African Republic | The territory of Central African Republic has been inhabited since the Neolithic Era, hosting a wide variety of ethnic groups![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chad | The territory of Chad has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era Kanem–Bornu Empire (c.700-1900) Sultanate of Bagirmi (1480/1522-1897) Wadai Sultanate (1501-1912) ![]() ![]() |
Comoros | The archipelago was first inhabited circa 1000 BC. The Comoros have been inhabited by various groups throughout this time.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Congo, Republic of | Since 80,000 BC humans has been settled from with tribes, chiefdoms and confederations.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Congo, Democratic Republic of | Since 80,000 BC humans has been settled from with tribes, chiefdoms and confederations.![]() Kingdom of Luba (1585–1889) Kingdom of Lunda (c. 1600–1887) Anziku Kingdom (c. 1620-1880) Kuba Kingdom (1625-1884) Kingdom of Chokwe (1800–1891) Kingdom of Yeke (1856–1891) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Côte d'Ivoire | Possibly since the Upper Paleolithic humans have been settled before 1460. Divided in many states like the Kong Empire (1710-1898) and the Kingdom of Sanwi (1740-1843) and having parts of states like Gyaaman (c. 1450–1895) and the Ashanti Empire (1670/1701–1821) ![]() Republic of Ivory Coast(1958-1960) (self-governing colony of the French Empire on 4 Dezember 1959, full independent state on 7 August 1960) ![]() ![]() |
Djibouti | The Djibouti area has been inhabited since the Neolithic. Part of the Sultanate of Ifat (1285-1415) Part of the ![]() Part of the ![]() Ruled by Afar and Somali sultans (1862-1883) ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Egypt | Since 598,000 BC humans have been settled starting within a 30-metre (100 ft) terrace, with primitive Acheulean and Abbevillian (Chellean).[3] 1st–2nd Dynasties of Ancient Egypt, the Early Dynastic Period (Unified by Pharaoh Menes or probably Narmer, founder of the First Dynasty between Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt). (3150–2575 BC) |
Equatorial Guinea | The first inhabitants of the region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Río Muni. Bantu peoples arrived in the region between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Annobón population, originally from Angola, were brought by the Portuguese via São Tomé. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Eritrea | Part of Dʿmt (c. 980 BC–c. 400 BC ) Part of the Kingdom of Aksum (c. 100 AD – c. 940 AD ) Medri Bahri kingdom (1137–1889) Part of the ![]() Part of the Ethiopian Empire (1879–1889) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ethiopia | Kingdom of D'mt (c. 980 BC-c. 400 BC) Kingdom of Aksum (c. 80 BC–c. 940 AD) Kingdom of Semien (c.325-1627) Zagwe dynasty (900–1270) Part of the Sultanate of Ifat (1285–1415) ![]() Imamate of Aussa (1577–1672) Emirate of Harar (1647–1887) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Gabon | The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy peoples. They were largely replaced and absorbed by tribal Bantu peoples as they migrated Part of the ![]() ![]() Gabonese Republic (1958-1960) (self-governing colony of the French Empire on 28 November 1958, full independent state on 17 August 1960) ![]() |
Gambia | Part of the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ghana | From the 13th century, Akans emerged from what is believed to have been the Bonoman area, to create several Akan states of Ghana, mainly based on gold trading.[4] These states included Bonoman, Kingdom of Ashanti, Denkyira, Mankessim Kingdom and Akwamu. Kingdom of Dagbon (1250-1888) Mankessim Kingdom (1252–1844) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Branderberger/Prussian Gold Coast (1682-1721) (colony of Brandenburg-Prussia, later Prussia) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Guinea | Center of the ![]() Part of the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Guinea-Bissau | Part of the ![]() Kaabu Kingdom (1537–1867) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kenya | What is now Kenya has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. As Bantu city-states settled on the coast, several nomadic tribes inhabited the rest of what is today Kenya. c.1st century AD: The Kenyan coast had served host to communities of ironworkers and communities of Bantu subsistence farmers, hunters, and fishers who supported the economy with agriculture, fishing, metal production, and trade with foreign countries. These communities formed the earliest city-states (like Mombasa and Malindi) in the region which were collectively known as Azania.[5] Part of the Kilwa Sultanate (957–1513) Part of the ![]() ![]() Part of the ![]() ![]() Part of the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Lesotho | Kingdom of Lesotho (1822–1884)![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Liberia | ![]() ![]() |
Libya | Archaeological evidence indicates that the coastal plain was inhabited by Neolithic peoples (ancestors to the Bebers) from as early as 8000 BCE. Phoenicians and Ancient Greeks arrived in the country in the 7th century BC and established colonies and cities. The Phoenicians are fixed in Tripolitania, and the Greeks, in Cyrenaica. Fezzan was home to a Beber people known as Garamantes Divided between the Achaemenid Empire (Satrapy of Libya; Cyrenaica) and the Carthaginian Monarchy, later the Carthaginian Republic (Tripolitania) (525 BC–331 BC) Divided between the Empire of Alexander the Great (Cyrenaica) and the Carthaginian Republic (Tripolitania) (331 BC–323 BC) Divided between the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (Cyrenaica) and the Carthaginian Republic (Tripolitania) (323 BC–201 BC) Part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (Cyrenaica) (201 BC–107 BC) Part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (Cyrenaica) (201 BC–107 BC) Divided between the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (Cyrenaica) and the ![]() Africa proconsularis (Tripolitania) and Crete and Cyrenaica (later divided in Libya Pentapolis and Libya sicaa), provinces of the ![]() Divided between the Eastern Roman Empire (Provinces of Libya Pentapolis and Libya sicca) and the Western Roman Empire (Province of Tripolitania) (395–439) Divided between the Eastern Roman Empire (Provinces of Libya Pentapolis and Libya sicca) and the Vandal Kingdom (Tripolitania) (439–533) Part of the Exarchate of Africa (553–648) (Part of the Eastern Roman Empire) Part of the Rashidun Caliphate (648–656) Part of the ![]() Divided between the ![]() Part of the ![]() Part of the ![]() Divided between the ![]() Divided between the Tulunid Emirate (Cyrenaica) and the Aghlabid Emirate (Tripolitania) (868–906) Divided between the ![]() Divided between the ![]() ![]() Part of the ![]() Divided between the ![]() ![]() Part of the ![]() Divided between the |
Madagascar | Human settlement of Madagascar occurred between 350 BC and 550 AD by Indianized Austronesian peoples, arriving on outrigger canoes from Indonesia. Around the 9th century AD Bantu migrants crossed the Mozambique Channel from East Africa. By the Middle Ages, over a dozen predominant ethnic identities had emerged on the island, typified by rule under a local chieftain. Among some communities, such as the Sakalava, Merina and Betsimisaraka, leaders seized the opportunity to unite these disparate communities and establish true kingdoms under their rule. The island of Madagascar was divided in many states, one of this states was the ![]() Most of the island was unified by the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Malawi | The part of Africa now known as Malawi was settled by migrating Bantu groups around the 10th century. Kingdom of Maravi (1480-1891) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mali | Ghana Empire (c. 700–c. 1240) Mali Empire (c. 1240–c. 1464) Songhai Empire (c. 1464–1591) Kénédougou Kingdom (c. 1600–1880) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mauritania | ![]() ![]() |
Mauritius | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Morocco | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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Mozambique | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Namibia | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Niger | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nigeria | ![]() Oyo Empire (c. 1300–1896) Benin Empire (1180–1897) Wukari Federation (c. 1840–c. 1900) Aro Confederacy (1690–1902) ![]() ![]() Kingdom of Nri (948–1911) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rwanda | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
São Tomé and Príncipe | ![]() ![]() |
Senegal | ![]() ![]()
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Seychelles | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sierra Leone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Somalia | Sultanate of Mogadishu (c. 900- 1500s) ![]() Warsangali Sultanate (1218–1886) Ifat Sultanate (1285–1415) ![]() Geledi Sultanate (1600s −1910) ![]() ![]()
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South Africa | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
South Sudan | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sudan | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tanzania | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Togo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tunisia | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Uganda | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Zambia | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Zimbabwe | ![]() ![]()
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See also
References
- "United Nations Statistics Division – Countries of Africa". Millenniumindicators.un.org. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- "The Site of Ain Hanech Revisited: New Investigations at this Lower Pleistocene Site in Northern Algeria" (PDF). Gi,ulpgc.es. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- Langer, William L., ed. (1972). An Encyclopedia of World History (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 9. ISBN 0-395-13592-3.
- The Techiman-Bono of Ghana: an ethnography of an Akan society Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co., 1975
- "Wonders of the African World". PBS. Retrieved 16 April 2010.