The Largest city in Africa by population is Lagos, Nigeria. However, by landmass, the largest city is Kinshasa, Republic of Congo. Africa is the second largest and second most populated continent in the world, the first being Asia.
The Mediterranean Sea borders the continent to the north, The Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea to the northeast, The Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Africa is divided into five main geographical regions which are North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa. The continent consists of 54 countries, including 6 islands and 2 disputed areas.
10 Largest Cities in Africa by Population
10. Mogadishu
Mogadishu locally known as Xamar is the largest and the capital city of Somalia. It is located in the coastal Banadir region on the Indian Ocean and is considered to be a municipality.
It was one of the first Muslim settlements in East Africa, which was established by Arab immigrants from the Persian Gulf. Its location attracted traders who traded across the Indian Ocean with Persia, India, and China.
Mogadishu was a powerful and commercially important port city. Unfortunately, the city experienced more than two decades of violence, and government instability has caused a terrible amount of damage to its economy.
Interesting Facts About Mogadishu
- Somalia has been plagued by war since 1991 and the capital city was no exception, in fact, it was the most hit. Its schools and city buildings were transformed into refugee camps
- The main industries in the city include food, beverages, and textiles
- Mogadishu has the most port traffic in Somalia
- The city is the first part of the United Nations peacekeeping forces during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia
9. Abidjan
Formerly known as Abiathar, Abidjan is the most populated French-speaking country in West Africa and the largest city on Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire). It is considered the cultural crossroads of West Africa.
The city developed from a village, at first it depended on the wharf at Port-Bouët, on the sandbar’s ocean shore, and rose to become the shipping and financial center of French-speaking West Africa.
Abidjan was nicknamed “Paris of West Africa” because of its prosperity and growth which was a result of the long economic boom it experienced.
Fascinating Facts about Abidjan
- Abidjan is the economic capital of the Ivory coast, while Yamoussoukro is the political capital
- It houses most of the foreign embassies and most political building
- It is the 3rd largest French-speaking country in the world after Paris and Kinshasa
- The city has an impressive skyline and is situated close to a lagoon
8. Addis Ababa
8th on this list is the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. It is located on a well-watered plateau, surrounded by hills and mountains. It is the 3rd highest capital in the world.
The capital city of Ethiopia was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II, at the site of a hot spring chosen by Empress Taytu Betul.
It is also called “African Capital” due to its historical, diplomatic, and political significance. Addis Ababa is surrounded by a greenbelt of forest and semi-subsistence cultivated lands. It has a population of 5.2 million as of 2021.
Interesting Facts about Addis Ababa
- It is the highest capital city in Africa
- The city started off as a military encampment that housed the palace of the emperor
- There is a square in the city built in recognition of Mexico for their support during Italy’s occupation
- The city was occupied by Italians for 5 years and was called Italian East Africa
7. Alexandria
Fondly called “Bride of the Mediterranean”, Alexandria is a port city located on the Mediterranean sea in northern Egypt. It is the sixth-largest city in the Arab world and the eighth-largest in Africa.
The city was founded by Alexander the Great. It houses the Pharos, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the renowned Library of Alexandria.
It developed from a small port known as Rhatokis after the arrival of Alexander the Great, who laid out the basic design for the city before he left for his conquest of Persia. It would later become famous for being one of the centers of early Christianity.
The city is a popular tourist destination and also an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from the Suez canal.
Interesting Facts about the 7th Largest City in Africa
- Alexandria was once the vital cultural center of the ancient civilization
- It housed The Royal Library of Alexandria, which was once the largest library in the world
- Most of the ancient city of Alexandria including Heracleion and Canopus sunk beneath the harbor due to earthquakes and is called Abu Qir Sunken cities Museum
- It houses one of the world’s largest necropolises
- The city has the oldest tram system in Africa dating back to 1860
6. Nairobi
Fondly called the safari capital of Africa, Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, located in the south-central of the country. It originated in the late 1890s as a colonial railway settlement. Nairobi got its name from a water hole known to the Maasai tribe as “Enkare Nairobi”. It was incorporated in 1900 as the township of Nairobi.
The city attracted a stream of migrants from rural Kenya and that made it become one of the largest cities in tropical Africa. It is the main industrial hub of the country.
Nairobi is located near eastern Africa’s agricultural heartland and houses the headquarters of important regional railways, harbors, and airways corporations. It is an energetic city that serves as a hub for wild and light life.
As of 2021, it has a population of 5.2 million people in its 696 square kilometer surface area.
Fascinating Facts About Nairobi
- It has been declared as one of Africa’s top 10 destinations
- The city hosts Kenya National Archive and Kenya National Theatre
- Sheng a language spoken in Nairobi is a mix of Kiswahili and English, originating from there
- The Nairobi National Park is the only national park that borders a capital city
5. Johannesburg
At number 5 of the largest cities in Africa is one of the capitals of South Africa, Johannesburg. It sprang up in 1886 when gold was discovered in the area, causing a lot of people to move there in search of opportunities.
The city was named after two officials of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR), Johannes Meyer and Johannes Rissik. Its 1,645 square kilometers of land is home to over 5 million people.
Fondly referred to as Jo’burg, this city has been a site for many iconic events including the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010. It is also considered the economic hub of the continent.
Facts About the 5th Largest City in Africa
- Johannesburg is 2000m above sea level so the air is not as dense
- It has been rebuilt 4 times
- It has the world’s largest man-made forest
- The tallest building in Africa is in Jo’burg
- It has the largest hospital in the world, The Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, which has the capacity to serve up to 3.5 people.
4. Luanda
Angola’s largest and capital city, Luanda, is the 4th largest city in Africa. It was formerly called São Paulo de Luanda. The city is located on the north Atlantic coast of northern Angola and has one of the country’s busiest ports.
It was founded in 1576 by Paulo Dias de Novais. The city was initially occupied by the Portuguese, and it later became the administrative center of the Portuguese colony of Angola. Angola was the major outlet for slave traffic to Brazil.
The total land area is 871 square miles which is almost 2 times the size of Greater London and is home to 2,107,684 people as recorded in 2014, which gives a population density of about 2,420 people per square meter.
Interesting Facts About Luanda
- It was ranked number 3 in the most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in
- It is the 3rd most populous Portuguese-speaking city in the world
- Two-thirds of the people of Luanda survive on less than $2 a day
3. Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is famous for its music which spread across the continent and all over the world. It is the second largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris. The city evolved from two villages, Nshasa and Ntamo, which would later be called Kintamo. It was dominated by Bateke Fishermen and traders.
Kinshasa’s population is estimated to be around 13.3 million and 64% of the population is said to be living below the poverty line due to corruption and perennial conflicts. It is divided into four districts, Funa, Lukunga, Mont Amba, and Tshangu.
Interesting Facts About the 3rd Largest City in Africa
- It has the largest French-speaking population in Africa
- The city has a sharp contrast in living conditions, while part of the city lives in affluence, the other parts live in extreme poverty
- Robot Monitor traffic within the city
2. Cairo
The city of Cairo, the second largest city in Africa is the capital city of Egypt. It is the largest metropolitan area in Africa, the Middle East, the Arab World, and the 15th largest in the world. It is located west of the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal, south of the Mediterranean Sea.
Also known as the city of a thousand minarets, the city is famous for its numerous mosques, castles, and churches. Cairo also houses the world’s second higher learning Al-Azhar University and the headquarters of the Arab League.
Herald the cradle of civilization, has a population of over 20.4 million, growing at a 2.6% annually. It is Egypt’s economic hub with two-thirds of the country’s GDP generated in the greater metropolitan section. Cairo is also a vibrant hub for tourism and commerce.
Interesting Facts About Cairo
- The city houses the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
- It is the gateway to the Nile
- Cairo has the world’s oldest and biggest statue, The Sphinx, and the house of Mummification
- Cairo Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage site
See Also: List Of All Francophone Countries In Africa
1. Lagos
The largest city in Africa, Lagos is located in Nigeria and is the economic capital of the country. Located at the Atlantic Ocean’s coastline. It is the 7th fastest growing city in the world with a population of 24.6 million, according to the Lagos State Government.
The city’s first settlers were Yoruba fishermen who called it “Oko”. By the 16th century, the area was dominated by the Benin people who called it “Eko”. The Portuguese were the first foreign people to land in Lagos, and they were given a monopoly on the slave trade. It is said that the largest city in Africa flourished from the slave trade.
Lagos is made of up islands, sandbars, and lagoons. Its ports consist of Apapa Quay which is the main outlet for Nigeria’s export.
Fascinating Facts About the Largest City in Africa
- It houses the NECOM house towers, the tallest building in West Africa
- The third mainland bridge was the longest bridge in Africa measuring 11.8km until 1996. It is now ranked second.
- It is the smallest state in Nigeria by landmass but the highest by population
- It has the largest floating slum in the world
- Lagos is also known as the city that doesn’t sleep and Africa’s seat of entertainment.
Africa is blessed with human and natural resources. The list above was written based on the human population and not on the landmass. Therefore, as the population grows the list might also change.
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