The Coastlines of Africa’s 38 Countries Ranked

The Coastlines of Africa’s 38 Countries Ranked By Kilometres

If Africa’s 38 countries and island states were a single country, its total coastline length would rank as the 5th longest in the world, ahead of Russia and just under the combined coastal lengths of Australia and the United States.

Even though Africa is ranked as the second-largest continent on Earth at 30,37 million square kilometres, its coastline at an estimated at 30,500 km is considered to be shorter than that of Europe, because there are few inlets and large bays or gulfs. However, this estimate excludes the continents ocean islands, which, when added comes to just over 40,000 km (refer 38 Country Coastlines in Africa table).

To settle this contentious anomaly, as one of its objectives, Walk4Africa.org, the world’s largest and longest public-participation walkathon, aims to accurately measure the coastlines of all 38 African countries and ocean islands over a period of 10 years beginning in September 2020.

Longest Coastlines in the World

Rank	Country Coastline	Kilometres	Miles
1	Canada	202,080	125,567
2	Norway	58,133	36,122
3	Indonesia	54,720	33,939
4	Greenland	44,087	27,394
5	Africa*	40,010	24,861
6	Russia	37,653	23396
7	Philippines	36,280	22,549
8	Japan	29,751	18,486
9	Australia	25,760	16,007
10	United States	19,924	12,380
11	Antarctica	17,969	11,165
12	New Zealand	15,124	9,404
13	China	14,500	9,009
14	Greece	13,676	8,498
15	United Kingdom	12,429	7,723
16	Mexico	9,330	5,797
17	Italy	7,600	4,722
18	India	7,500	4,660
19	Brazil	7,491	4,655
20	Croatia	7,368	4,578

Source: Worldatlas.com *Own estimate (refer Africa Country Coastlines table)

When considering the above, the lengths/distances indicated need to be treated as rough estimates as the totals would vary depending on the approach used. This is because the measure of a country’s coastline varies with the scale at which it is measured, so small-scale maps yield lower values of coastline measurement than do larger-scale maps. By “scale”, we mean the point-to-point connections made along a given country’s coastline, so the larger the scale, the more points of reference become visible and hence measurable.

38 Country Coastlines in Africa

Based on current coastline data available from various online sources, Madagascar has the longest coastline, followed by Somalia, South Africa, and Mozambique, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has the shortest coastline in Africa. In the table below, we’ve ranked the 38 Africa country coastlines from longest to shortest.

Rank	Country Coastline	Kilometres	Miles
1	Madagascar	4,828	3,000
2	Somalia	3,333	2,071
3	South Africa	2,798	1,739
4	Mozambique	2,470	1,535
5	Egypt	2,450	1,522
6	Eritrea	2,234	1,388
7	Morocco	1,835	1,140
8	Libya	1,770	1,100
9	Angola	1,600	994
10	Namibia	1,572	977
11	Tanzania	1,424	885
12	Tunisia	1,148	713
13	Western Sahara	1,110	690
14	Algeria	998	620
15	Cape Verde	965	600
16	Gabon	885	550
17	Nigeria	853	530
18	Mauritania	754	469
19	Sudan	716	445
20	Liberia	565	351
21	Ghana	539	335
22	Kenya	536	333
23	Senegal	531	330
24	Cote d’Ivoire	515	320
25	Seychelles	491	305
26	Cameroon	402	250
27	Sierra Leone	402	250
28	Guinea-Bissau	350	217
29	Mauritius	330	205
30	Guinea	320	199
31	Djibouti	314	195
32	Equatorial Guinea	296	184
33	São Tomé and Príncipe	209	130
34	Congo-Brazzaville	170	106
35	Benin	121	75
36	The Gambia	80	50
37	Togo	56	35
38	DR Congo	40	25

Africa’s Ocean Islands

Excluding European dependencies and territories off the coasts of the African continent i.e St Helena, Comores, Mayotte, Réunion, Canary Islands, Madeira Islands, and Selvagens, Africa has a total of 293 islands. By country, these islands and atolls are as follows:

Cape Verde Islands

1. Boa Vista
2. Brava
3. Fogo
4. Maio
5. Sal
6. Santa Luzia
7. Santo Antão
8. São Nicolau
9. Santiago
10. São Vicente

Djibouti Islands

1. Maskali Island
2. Moucha Island
3. Sept Freres, Djibouti

Eritrea Islands

1. Dahlak Archipelago
2. Dahlak Kebir (formerly Dehalak Deset)
3. Harmil
4. Howakil
5. Nahaleg
6. Nora
7. Fatuma
8. Halib
9. Howakil Islands
10. Massawa Island

Equatorial Guinea Islands

1. Annobón
2. Bioko (formerly Fernando Po)
3. Corisco
4. Elobey Grande
5. Elobey Chico

Guinea Islands

1. Los Islands
2. Tombo Island

Guinea-Bissau Islands

1. Bijagós Archipelago

Kenya Islands

1. Lamu Island
2. Manda Island
3. Samuli Island

Liberia Islands

1. Bushrod Island
2. Providence Island (Liberia)

Madagascar Islands

1. Île Sainte-Marie (Nosy Boraha)
2. Nossi-Bé

Mauritius Islands

1. Rodrigues island
2. Agaléga Islands
3. Saint Brandon

Mozambique Islands

1. Angoche Island
2. Bazaruto Archipelago
3. Chiloane Island
4. Inhaca Island
5. Island of Mozambique
6. Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago
7. Quirimbas Islands
8. Vamizi Island

Namibia Islands

1. Albatross Island
2. Bird Island
3. Black Rock Island
4. False Plum Pudding Island
5. Flamingo Island
6. Halifax Island
7. Mercury Island
8. Impalila
9. North Long Island
10. Penguin Islands
11. Plumpudding Island
12. Pomona Island
13. Possession Island
14. Roastbeef Island
15. Seal Island
16. Shark Island
17. Sinclair’s Island
18. South Long Island

São Tomé and Príncipe Islands

1. Príncipe
2. São Tomé Island
3. Rolas

Senegal Islands

1. Gorée
2. Îles des Madeleines
3. Morfil

Sierra Leone Islands

1. Banana Islands
2. Bunce Island
3. Sherbro Island (now Bonthe Island)
4. Turtle Islands

Somalia Islands

1. Bajuni Islands (10)
   • Addilo Island
   • Ambuu Island
   • Bandarka Island
   • Bangadini Island
   • Bantaabsi Island
   • Bavadi Island
   • Bawaadi Island
   • Bengadiiene island
   • Biramlide Island
   • Koyama (island)
2. Saad ad-Din Islands (1)
   • Aibat Island

South Africa Islands

1. Dassen Island
2. Robben Island
3. Seal Island
4. Marion Island (Prince Edward Islands)

Sudan Islands

1. Mukawwar Managed Nature Reserve
2. Suakin Archipelago National Park

Seychelles Islands

1. Inner Islands: (84)
   • La Digue
   • Félicité
   • Marianne
   • Grande Soeur
   • Petite Soeur
   • Ile aux Cocos
   • Ile la Fouche
   • Silhouette Island
   • Ile du Nord
   • Les Mamelles
   • Ile aux Récifs
   • Frégate
   • L’Ilot
   • Ile aux Vaches
   • Vache Marine
   • Chauve Souris
   • Roche Canon
   • Les Trois Dames
   • Cocos Dans Trou
   • Bird Island
   • Ile Denis (Denis Island)
   • Mahé
   • Praslin
   • Sainte Anne
   • Ile Ronde
   • Moyenne Island
   • Therese
   • Roche Tortue
   • Ile Du Suete
   • Conception
   • Ile Hodoul
   • Coco Dans Milieu
   • Ile Longue
   • Ile Malice
   • L’Islette
   • Roche Bouquet
   • Baleise Island
   • Beacon Island
   • Roche Grande Maman
   • Cousin
   • Cousine
   • Zave
   • Aride
   • Ile Seche
   • Ile Cachee
   • Cerf Island
   • Ile Aux Rats
   • Souris
   • Capucins
   • Ile De La Police
   • Ilot Lascar
   • Grosse Roche
   • Reclaimed Island
   • Grande Rocher
   • Anonyme Island
   • Curieuse
   • Saint Pierre
   • Faon
   • Bastille Island
   • Bonhomme Island
   • Bonnefemme Island
   • Lazare Islet
   • Grosse Roche
   • L’Amour Island
   • Ile Consolation
   • Matelot Island
   • Maquereau Island
   • Roche Du Sud
   • Takamaka Island
   • Ile Madge
   • Pointe Cocos
   • Ile Zanguille
   • Kittery Island
   • Parasole Island
   • Ile De La Farine
   • Ilot Capitaine
   • Severe Island
   • Cabris Island
   • Roche Babri
   • Cipaille Island
   • Caimant Island
   • Bonne Carre Island
   • Brizare Rock
   • Brule
2. Outer Islands: (02)
   • Ile Plate
   • Coëtivy
3. Amirantes Group: (08)
   • Rémire
   • D’Arros
   • Desroches
   • Sand
   • Etoile
   • Boudeuse
   • Marie-Louise
   • Desnoeufs
4. African Banks: (02)
   • Bancs Africains
   • Ile du Sud
5. St. Joseph’s Atoll: (15)
   • St. Joseph
   • Ile aux Fouquets
   • Resource
   • Petit Carcassaye
   • Grand Carcassaye
   • Benjamin
   • Bancs Ferrari
   • Chiens
   • Pélicans
   • Vars
   • Residence Island
   • Ile Paul
   • Banc de Sable
   • Bancs aux Cocos
   • Ile aux Poules
6. Poivre Atoll: (03)
   • Poivre
   • Florentin
   • Ile du Sud
7. Alphonse and St. François Atolls: (03)
   • Alphonse Island
   • Bijoutier
   • St François
8. Farquhar Group: (83)
   • Farquhar Atoll: (10)
     • Ile du Nord
     • Ile du Sud
     • Manahas Nord
     • Manahas Milieu
     • Manahas Sud
     • Ile aux Goëlettes
     • Lapins
     • Ile du Milieu
     • Déposés
     • Bancs de Sable
   • Providence Atoll: (04)
     • Providence
     • Bancs Providence
     • St. Pierre
     • Cerf Island
   • Aldabra Atoll: (48)
     • Grande Terre
     • Picard
     • Polymnie
     • Malabar
     • Ile Michel
     • Ile Esprit
     • Ile aux Moustiques
     • Ilot Parc
     • Ilot Emile
     • Ilot Yangue
     • Ilot Magnan
     • Ile Lanier
     • Champignon des Os
     • Euphrates Islet
     • Grand Mentor
     • Grand Ilot
     • Green Rock
     • Gros Ilot Gionnet
     • Gros Ilot Sésame
     • Heron Rock
     • Hide Island
     • Ile aux Aigrettes
     • Ile aux Cèdres
     • Iles Chalands
     • Ile Fangame
     • Ile Héron
     • le Michel
     • Ile Suacco
     • Ile Sylvestre
     • Ile Verte
     • Ilot Déder
     • Ilot du Sud
     • Ilot du Milieu
     • Ilot du Nord
     • Ilot Dubois
     • Ilot Macoa
     • Ilot Marquoix
     • Ilots Niçois
     • Ilot Salade
     • Middle Row Island
     • Noddy Rock
     • North Row Island
     • Petit Mentor
     • Petit Mentor Endans
     • Petits Ilots
     • Pink Rock
     • South Row Island
     • Table Ronde
   • Cosmoledo Atoll: (21)
     • Menai
     • Ile du Nord
     • Ile Nord-Est
     • Ile du Trou
     • Goëlettes
     • Grand Polyte
     • Petit Polyte
     • Grand Ile (Wizard)
     • Pagode
     • Ile du Sud-Ouest
     • Ile aux Moustiques
     • Ile Baleine
     • Ile aux Chauve-Souris
     • Ile aux Macaques
     • Ile aux Rats
     • Ile du Nord-Ouest
     • Ile Observation
     • Ile Sud-Est
     • Ilot la Croix
     • Astove Island
     • Assumption Island

Tanzania Islands

1. Mafia Island
2. Nabuyongo Island
3. Pemba Island
4. Ukerewe Island
5. Zanzibar

Tunisia Islands

1. Djerba (Jerba)
2. Galite Islands
3. Kerkennah Islands
   • Chergui Island
   • Gharbi, Tunisia
4. Zembra Island

Uganda Island

1. Ssese Islands