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 | Part of the Carthaginian Empire (814–202 BC) Massylii (4th century)
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Angola | The territory of Angola has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era by the San people ![]() Kasanze Kingdom (1500–1648 ![]() Kingdom of Ndongo (1515–1909) Kingdom of Oukwanyama (1600–1927) Kasanje Kingdom (1620–1912) Kingdom of Matamba(1631–1744). Kingdom of Bailundo (1700–present) Kingdom of Viye (1700–present) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Benin | Kingdom of Ardra (12th/13th century–1724) Kingdom of Whydah (1580–1727) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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) Kingdom of Gwiriko (1714–1897) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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 | Dar al Kuti (1836–1912) (![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chad | The territory of Chad has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era Sao civilisation (600 BC–700 AD)
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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, confederations and kingdoms.![]() Kakongo (15th ceuntry–1885) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Congo, Democratic Republic of | Mpemba Kasi merging with Mbata Kingdom to form the
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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) Kabadougou Kingdom (1848–1980) ![]() Republic of Ivory Coast(1958–1960) (self-governing colony of the French Empire on 4 December 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) Principality of Dawaro Part of the ![]() Part of the ![]() Ruled by Afar and Somali sultans (1862–1883) ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Egypt | 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) 3rd–7th Dynasties of Ancient Egypt, the Old Kingdom of Egypt (2575–2150 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 ) Sultanate of Dahlak (Late 11th century–1557) 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) Harla Kingdom (501–1500) Sultanate of Shewa (896–1286) Kingdom of Damot (900–1317) Zagwe dynasty (900–1270) Sultanate of Bale (13th century–1320's) Hadiya Sultanate (13th–19th century) Part of the Sultanate of Ifat (1285–1415) Kingdom of Kaffa (1390–1897) ![]() ![]() Imamate of Aussa (1577–1672) Emirate of Harar (1647–1887) ![]() ![]() ![]() Kingdom of Gumma (1770–1902) Kingdom of Gomma (1780–1886) Kingdom of Jimma (1790–1932) Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea (1801–1891) Kingdom of Gera (1835–1887) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Gabon | The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy peoples. They were largely replaced and absorbed by tribal Bantu peoples as they migrated Kingdom of Orungu (1700–1927) 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 | Kingdom of Kombo (1271–1875) 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.[2] These states included Bonoman, Kingdom of Ashanti, Denkyira, Mankessim Kingdom, Fante Confederacy and Akwamu. Kingdom of Dagbon (1250–1888) Mankessim Kingdom (1252–1844) Kingdom of Wala (1317–1894) |
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.[3] 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 | Djenné-Djenno (250 BC–900 AD) Ghana Empire, properly known as Wagadou (c. 300–c. 1200s) |
Mauritania | Inhabited by various Berber tribes Part of the Ghana Empire (c.300–1076) Part of the Almoravid Emirate (1076–1086) Part of the Ghana Empire (1086- c.early 1200s) Southern regions are part of the Mali Empire (c.early 1200s-early 1500s) Southern regions are part of the Songhai Empire (early 1500s-early 1600s) Inhabited by various Berber and Arabic tribes (1600s–1903) Emirate of Trarza, a small emirate in the southwestern of modern-day Mauritania (1640–1902) ![]() Republic of Mauritania (self-governing colony of the French Empire on 28 November 1958, full independent state on 28 November 1960) (1958–1960) ![]() ![]() |
Mauritius | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Morocco | The recorded history of Morocco begins with the Phoenician colonization of the Moroccan coast between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE,[3] although the area was inhabited by indigenous Berbers for some two thousand years before that. In the 5th century BCE, the city-state of Carthage extended its hegemony over the coastal areas. They remained there until the late 3rd century BCE, while the hinterland was ruled by indigenous monarchs. Center of the Kingdom of Mauretania (capital city in Volubilis, located in modern day Morocco) (c.300 BCE-25 BCE) Part of the Kingdom of Mauretania (capital city in Cherchell, located in modern day Algeria) (25 BCE-42 BCE) Mauretania Tingitana, province of the Roman Empire (42–395) Mauretania Tingitana, province of the Eastern Roman Empire (395-c.700) Part of the ![]() Barghawata Confederacy (744–1058) Emirate of Sigilmasa (757–976) Emirate of Nekor (710–1019) Idrisid Emirate of Morocco (788–974) Sulaymanid dynasty (814–922) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mozambique | What is now Mozambique has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. From the late first millennium AD, vast Indian Ocean trade networks extended as far south into Mozambique as evidenced by the ancient port town of Chibuene Bantu city-states in the coast participated in the incipient Swahili culture. In what is now Mozambique, the city-states of Sofala, Angoche, and Mozambique Island were regional powers by the 15th century. The interior of the country continued to be inhabited by tribal peoples (except by some areas conquered by the Kingdom of Mutapa) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Namibia | Namibia has been inhabited since early times by the San, Damara and Nama people. Around the 14th century, immigrating Bantu peoples arrived as part of the Bantu expansion.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Niger | Regions around the Lake Chad was part of the ![]() ![]() Western regions of what is today modern Niger were part of the ![]() Western regions of what is today modern Niger were part of the Songhai Empire (1340–1591) Southern regions of what is today Niger were part of several Hausa Kingdoms (c.1400s–c.1800s) (The capital cities of these kingdoms was located in modern Nigeria) Sultanate of Agadez (1449–1500; 1591–1900) Dendi Kingdom (rump state that succeeded the Songhai Empire) (1591–1901) Sultanate of Damagaram (1731–1902) Dosso Kingdom (c.1750–1902) Emirate of Say (1825–1860) Zabarma Emirate (1860–1897) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nigeria | The Nok Culture appeared in Nigeria around 1500 BC and vanished under unknown circumstances around 500 AD, having lasted approximately 2,000 years. Kingdom of Nri (948–1911) Kingdom of Benin (1180–1897) Ife Empire (1200–1420) Oron nation (1200–1909) Oyo Empire (c. 1300s–1896) Northeastern regions of what today is Nigeria was part of the ![]() Northern regions of what is today Nigeria were part of several Hausa Kingdoms (c.1400s–c.1800s) (These kingdoms are predecessor states to some federated states of modern Nigeria Ijebu Kingdom (c. 1400–present) Kingdom of Warri (1480–1848) Kwararafa (c.1500s–1840) Igala Kingdom (c.1550-1900) Kalabari Kingdom Ibom Kingdom (1630–1902) Nembe Kingdom Akwa Akpa (c.1650–1884) ![]() Wukari Federation (c. 1840–c. 1900) Aro Confederacy (1690–1902) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rwanda | Kingdom of Rwanda (c.1400s–1891) (In the 19th century conquered and unified the other kingdoms of the region) Bukunzi |
São Tomé and Príncipe | Before the discovery by the Portuguese, the archipelago was uninhabited![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Senegal | Kingdom of Takrur (c. 800 – c. 1285) Part of the ![]() Jolof Empire (1350-1549) Kingdom of Waalo (1287-1855) Kingdom of Sine (c.1300s-1959) Kingdom of Saloum (1494-1969) Empire of Great Fulo, also known as Denanke Kingdom (1490-1776) Jolof Kingdom (1549-1875) Kingdom of Cayor (1579-1879) Kingdom of Baoul (1555-1874) Khasso (17th–19th century) Imamate of Futa Toro (1776–1861) ![]() ![]() Imamate of Futa Toro (1776-1861) Fuladu (1865–1903) ![]() ![]() ![]() Federated state of the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Seychelles | Before the discovery by the Portuguese in the 15th century, the archipelago was uninhabited![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sierra Leone | Kingdom of Koya, also known as Koya Temne and Temne Kingdom (1505-1896)![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Somalia | Land of Punt (legendary, mentioned by Ancient Egyptian sources) Macrobian Kingdom (legendary, mentioned by the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus City-states were established on the coast of what is now Somalia. Examples are Mosylon, Opone, Malao, Sarapion, Mundus and Essina (c.100 AD-500 AD) Tunni Sultanate (800s-1200s) Sultanate of Mogadishu (c. 900- 1500s) ![]() Warsangali Sultanate (1218–1886) Ifat Sultanate (1285–1415) ![]() Geledi Sultanate (1600s −1910) Hiraab Imamate (1600s-1800s) ![]() Habr Yunis Sultanate (1769–1907) ![]() ![]()
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South Africa | Before the Bantu expansion, Khoisan peoples were the first inhabitants of Southern Africa. Various Bantu peoples migrated and settled in the territory of the future South Africa (300 AD-500 AD) Kingdom of Mapungubwe (c.1075-c.1220) ![]() Mthethwa Paramountcy (c.1780-1817) (independent state) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
South Sudan | The territory of South Sudan has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era, hosting a wide variety of ethnic groups, tribes and the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sudan | Kingdom of Kerma (c. 2500 BCE–c. 1500 BCE) Part of the New Kingdom of Egypt (c. 1500 BCE-c. 1070 BCE) Kingdom of Kush (c. 1070 BC – c. 350 AD) Blemmyes (c. 600 BC - c. 800 AD) ![]() Kingdom of Nobatia (c.400s-c.700s) Kingdom of Alodia (c.700s-c.1500) Daju Kingdom (c.1100s-1400s) Kingdom of al-Abwab (13th–15/16th century) Tunjur Kingdom (1400s-c.1650) Kingdom of Fazughli (1500–1685) Funj Sultanate, also known as Sultanate of Sennar and Blue Sultanate (1504-1821) ![]() Part of the ![]() ![]() Part of the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tanzania | Bantu city-states settled on the coast, several nomadic tribes inhabited the rest of what is today Tanzania. Kilwa Sultanate, in the coast of modern-day Tanzania (957-1513) Kingdom of Karagwe (1450–1963) Part of the ![]() ![]() Chagga states (1600–1963) Part of the ![]() Kilindi dynasty (1790s–1862) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Togo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tunisia | Catharginian Monarchy (c. 814 BC–480 BC) Catharginian Republic (c.480 BC-146 BC) |
Uganda | The territory of Uganda has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era Bantu peoples migrated and settled the region during the Bantu expansion (c.300 BC-400 AD) Empire of Kitara (???-1300s) After the fall of the Empire of Kitara several kingdoms and chiefdoms were established in what is today Uganda: Kingdom of Buganda, Bunyoro Kitara-Kingdom, Kingdom of Busoga, Kingdom of Rwenzururu, the Tooro Kingdom, the Kingdom of Ankole, the Kingdom of Kooki, the Chiefdom of Bunya and the Alur Kingdom (c.1300s-1894) ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Zambia | Southern regions of what is today Zambia was part of the Great Zimbabwe (c.1300s-c.1430s) Eastern regions of what is today Zambia was part of the Kingdom of Maravi (c.1480s-c.1720s) Kingdom of Barotseland (c.1600s-1890) Northwestern regions of what is today Zambia was part of the Lunda Kingdom (c.1700s-1800s) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Zimbabwe | Southern regions of what is today Zimbabwe was part of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe (c.1075–c.1220) Kingdom of Zimbabwe (1220-1450) Kingdom of Mutapa (1430-1760) Kingdom of Butua (1450-c.1683) Rozvi Empire (1660-1889) Kingdom of Mthwakazi (1823-1894) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
See also
References
- "United Nations Statistics Division – Countries of Africa". Millenniumindicators.un.org. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- 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.