World Atlas: African Continent
One thing to note when learning about the African continent is that there is often a discrepancy in the number of countries listed as ‘belonging’ to the continent.
There are 47 countries on the African continent, including the disputed territory of Western Sahara. However, the islands off the coast are also usually listed as African, bringing the total to 53. The island nations are Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Madagascar, the Comoros, the Seychelles, and Mauritius. Each is an independent nation.
Some sources do not count all of the island countries as African, so the total number fluctuates. It is important to remember that even though they may have diverse populations and cultural traditions, all of the island nations listed above have substantial African populations and strong historical connections to Africa, so they are usually considered “African.” Editors at infoplease.com
The CIA World Factbook lists 56.
Click the link below for excellent maps and information about the African continent.
Africa at WorldAtlas.com
