African Union: An In-Depth Overview

The African Union (AU) is a continental organization consisting of 55 member states located in Africa. Established on July 9, 2002, in Durban, South Africa, the AU succeeded the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded in 1963. The AU aims to promote unity, peace, stability, and economic growth across the continent. Here, we provide a detailed look at each member country, including their populations, land masses, GDP per capita, current presidents, and major natural resources.

Algeria

Population: 43 million
Land Mass: 2.38 million km²
GDP per Capita: $3,970
Current President: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Major Natural Resources: Oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates

Angola

Population: 32 million
Land Mass: 1.25 million km²
GDP per Capita: $2,866
Current President: João Lourenço
Major Natural Resources: Oil, diamonds, gold, copper

Benin

Population: 12 million
Land Mass: 114,763 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,295
Current President: Patrice Talon
Major Natural Resources: Limestone, marble, timber

Botswana

Population: 2.4 million
Land Mass: 581,730 km²
GDP per Capita: $7,250
Current President: Mokgweetsi Masisi
Major Natural Resources: Diamonds, copper, nickel

Burkina Faso

Population: 21 million
Land Mass: 272,967 km²
GDP per Capita: $794
Current President: Ibrahim Traoré
Major Natural Resources: Gold, manganese, limestone

Burundi

Population: 12 million
Land Mass: 27,834 km²
GDP per Capita: $269
Current President: Évariste Ndayishimiye
Major Natural Resources: Nickel, uranium, rare earth elements

Cabo Verde

Population: 0.5 million
Land Mass: 4,033 km²
GDP per Capita: $3,652
Current President: José Maria Neves
Major Natural Resources: Salt, limestone, pozzolana

Cameroon

Population: 26 million
Land Mass: 475,442 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,557
Current President: Paul Biya
Major Natural Resources: Oil, timber, bauxite

Central African Republic

Population: 5 million
Land Mass: 622,984 km²
GDP per Capita: $511
Current President: Faustin-Archange Touadéra
Major Natural Resources: Diamonds, gold, uranium

Chad

Population: 17 million
Land Mass: 1.28 million km²
GDP per Capita: $651
Current President: Mahamat Déby Itno
Major Natural Resources: Oil, uranium, gold

Comoros

Population: 0.9 million
Land Mass: 2,235 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,447
Current President: Azali Assoumani
Major Natural Resources: Vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Population: 89 million
Land Mass: 2.34 million km²
GDP per Capita: $577
Current President: Félix Tshisekedi
Major Natural Resources: Copper, cobalt, diamonds

Republic of the Congo

Population: 5 million
Land Mass: 342,000 km²
GDP per Capita: $2,308
Current President: Denis Sassou Nguesso
Major Natural Resources: Oil, timber, potash

Djibouti

Population: 1 million
Land Mass: 23,200 km²
GDP per Capita: $3,574
Current President: Ismaïl Omar Guelleh
Major Natural Resources: Salt, gypsum, natural gas

Egypt

Population: 104 million
Land Mass: 1.01 million km²
GDP per Capita: $3,020
Current President: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Major Natural Resources: Oil, natural gas, phosphates

Equatorial Guinea

Population: 1.4 million
Land Mass: 28,051 km²
GDP per Capita: $7,143
Current President: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Major Natural Resources: Oil, natural gas, timber

Eritrea

Population: 3.6 million
Land Mass: 117,600 km²
GDP per Capita: $550
Current President: Isaias Afwerki
Major Natural Resources: Gold, copper, zinc

Eswatini

Population: 1.2 million
Land Mass: 17,364 km²
GDP per Capita: $3,566
Current President: King Mswati III
Major Natural Resources: Coal, timber, hydropower

Ethiopia

Population: 118 million
Land Mass: 1.1 million km²
GDP per Capita: $936
Current President: Sahle-Work Zewde
Major Natural Resources: Gold, platinum, copper

Gabon

Population: 2.2 million
Land Mass: 267,668 km²
GDP per Capita: $8,602
Current President: Ali Bongo Ondimba
Major Natural Resources: Oil, manganese, timber

Gambia

Population: 2.4 million
Land Mass: 11,295 km²
GDP per Capita: $804
Current President: Adama Barrow
Major Natural Resources: Fish, oil, titanium

Ghana

Population: 31 million
Land Mass: 238,533 km²
GDP per Capita: $2,226
Current President: Nana Akufo-Addo
Major Natural Resources: Gold, oil, cocoa

Guinea

Population: 13 million
Land Mass: 245,857 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,050
Current President: Mamady Doumbouya
Major Natural Resources: Bauxite, iron ore, diamonds

Guinea-Bissau

Population: 2 million
Land Mass: 36,125 km²
GDP per Capita: $674
Current President: Umaro Sissoco Embaló
Major Natural Resources: Fish, timber, phosphates

Ivory Coast

Population: 26 million
Land Mass: 322,463 km²
GDP per Capita: $2,286
Current President: Alassane Ouattara
Major Natural Resources: Cocoa, coffee, oil

Kenya

Population: 54 million
Land Mass: 580,367 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,838
Current President: William Ruto
Major Natural Resources: Tea, coffee, petroleum

Lesotho

Population: 2 million
Land Mass: 30,355 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,200
Current President: Sam Matekane
Major Natural Resources: Diamonds, water, agriculture

Liberia

Population: 5 million
Land Mass: 111,369 km²
GDP per Capita: $580
Current President: George Weah
Major Natural Resources: Iron ore, rubber, timber

Libya

Population: 6.7 million
Land Mass: 1.76 million km²
GDP per Capita: $4,875
Current President: Mohamed al-Menfi (Chairman of the Presidential Council)
Major Natural Resources: Oil, natural gas, gypsum

Madagascar

Population: 28 million
Land Mass: 587,041 km²
GDP per Capita: $501
Current President: Andry Rajoelina
Major Natural Resources: Graphite, chromite, bauxite

Malawi

Population: 19 million
Land Mass: 118,484 km²
GDP per Capita: $421
Current President: Lazarus Chakwera
Major Natural Resources: Tobacco, tea, sugarcane

Mali

Population: 20 million
Land Mass: 1.24 million km²
GDP per Capita: $859
Current President: Assimi Goïta
Major Natural Resources: Gold, phosphates, salt

Mauritania

Population: 4.6 million
Land Mass: 1.03 million km²
GDP per Capita: $1,683
Current President: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Major Natural Resources: Iron ore, gold, copper

Mauritius

Population: 1.3 million
Land Mass: 2,040 km²
GDP per Capita: $11,437
Current President: Prithvirajsing Roopun
Major Natural Resources: Sugarcane, textiles, fish

Morocco

Population: 37 million
Land Mass: 710,850 km²
GDP per Capita: $3,201
Current President: Aziz Akhannouch (Prime Minister)
Major Natural Resources: Phosphates, lead, zinc

Mozambique

Population: 32 million
Land Mass: 801,590 km²
GDP per Capita: $460
Current President: Filipe Nyusi
Major Natural Resources: Natural gas, coal, titanium

Namibia

Population: 2.5 million
Land Mass: 825,615 km²
GDP per Capita: $4,300
Current President: Hage Geingob
Major Natural Resources: Diamonds, uranium, gold

Niger

Population: 24 million
Land Mass: 1.27 million km²
GDP per Capita: $563
Current President: Mohamed Bazoum
Major Natural Resources: Uranium, coal, gold

Nigeria

Population: 206 million
Land Mass: 923,769 km²
GDP per Capita: $2,097
Current President: Bola Tinubu
Major Natural Resources: Oil, natural gas, coal

Rwanda

Population: 13 million
Land Mass: 26,338 km²
GDP per Capita: $855
Current President: Paul Kagame
Major Natural Resources: Tin, tantalum, tungsten

São Tomé and Príncipe

Population: 0.2 million
Land Mass: 964 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,895
Current President: Carlos Vila Nova
Major Natural Resources: Fish, hydropower, cocoa

Senegal

Population: 17 million
Land Mass: 196,722 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,578
Current President: Macky Sall
Major Natural Resources: Phosphates, iron ore, fish

Seychelles

Population: 0.1 million
Land Mass: 459 km²
GDP per Capita: $15,306
Current President: Wavel Ramkalawan
Major Natural Resources: Fish, tourism, coconuts

Sierra Leone

Population: 8 million
Land Mass: 71,740 km²
GDP per Capita: $509
Current President: Julius Maada Bio
Major Natural Resources: Diamonds, iron ore, titanium

Somalia

Population: 15 million
Land Mass: 637,657 km²
GDP per Capita: $309
Current President: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Major Natural Resources: Uranium, iron ore, fish

South Africa

Population: 60 million
Land Mass: 1.22 million km²
GDP per Capita: $6,531
Current President: Cyril Ramaphosa
Major Natural Resources: Gold, platinum, coal

South Sudan

Population: 11 million
Land Mass: 619,745 km²
GDP per Capita: $237
Current President: Salva Kiir Mayardit
Major Natural Resources: Oil, timber, iron ore

Sudan

Population: 44 million
Land Mass: 1.88 million km²
GDP per Capita: $709
Current President: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council)
Major Natural Resources: Oil, gold, cotton

Tanzania

Population: 59 million
Land Mass: 947,303 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,105
Current President: Samia Suluhu Hassan
Major Natural Resources: Gold, diamonds, natural gas

Togo

Population: 8 million
Land Mass: 56,785 km²
GDP per Capita: $849
Current President: Faure Gnassingbé
Major Natural Resources: Phosphates, limestone, marble

Tunisia

Population: 12 million
Land Mass: 163,610 km²
GDP per Capita: $3,413
Current President: Kais Saied
Major Natural Resources: Phosphates, oil, gas

Uganda

Population: 45 million
Land Mass: 241,038 km²
GDP per Capita: $794
Current President: Yoweri Museveni
Major Natural Resources: Copper, cobalt, oil

Zambia

Population: 18 million
Land Mass: 752,618 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,306
Current President: Hakainde Hichilema
Major Natural Resources: Copper, cobalt, gemstones

Zimbabwe

Population: 15 million
Land Mass: 390,757 km²
GDP per Capita: $1,309
Current President: Emmerson Mnangagwa
Major Natural Resources: Platinum, gold, diamonds

The African Union continues to strive towards achieving its goals of economic integration, social progress, and political stability for all its member states. Through its various programs and initiatives, the AU works to harness the vast natural and human resources across the continent to foster sustainable development and prosperity