Topography

Saharan Countries 2025

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Geographicaly Status

Saharan

Sub-Saharan

Geographicaly Status

45
11
Country
Geographicaly Status
Geopolitical Status
Nigeria Flag
NigeriaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Ethiopia Flag
EthiopiaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
DR Congo Flag
DR CongoSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Tanzania Flag
TanzaniaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
South Africa Flag
South AfricaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Kenya Flag
KenyaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Uganda Flag
UgandaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Angola Flag
AngolaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Mozambique Flag
MozambiqueSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Ghana Flag
GhanaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Madagascar Flag
MadagascarSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Ivory Coast Flag
Ivory CoastSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Cameroon Flag
CameroonSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Burkina Faso Flag
Burkina FasoSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Malawi Flag
MalawiSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Zambia Flag
ZambiaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Somalia Flag
SomaliaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Senegal Flag
SenegalSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Zimbabwe Flag
ZimbabweSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Guinea Flag
GuineaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Benin Flag
BeninSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Rwanda Flag
RwandaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Burundi Flag
BurundiSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
South Sudan Flag
South SudanSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Togo Flag
TogoSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Sierra Leone Flag
Sierra LeoneSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Republic of the Congo Flag
Republic of the CongoSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Liberia Flag
LiberiaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Central African Republic Flag
Central African RepublicSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Eritrea Flag
EritreaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Namibia Flag
NamibiaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Gambia Flag
GambiaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Gabon Flag
GabonSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Botswana Flag
BotswanaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Lesotho Flag
LesothoSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Guinea-Bissau Flag
Guinea-BissauSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Equatorial Guinea Flag
Equatorial GuineaSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Mauritius Flag
MauritiusSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Eswatini Flag
EswatiniSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Djibouti Flag
DjiboutiSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Comoros Flag
ComorosSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Reunion Flag
ReunionSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Cape Verde Flag
Cape VerdeSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Sao Tome and Principe Flag
Sao Tome and PrincipeSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Seychelles Flag
SeychellesSub-SaharanSub-Saharan
Egypt Flag
EgyptSaharanMENA
Sudan Flag
SudanSaharanSub-Saharan
Algeria Flag
AlgeriaSaharanMENA
Morocco Flag
MoroccoSaharanMENA
Niger Flag
NigerSaharanSub-Saharan
Mali Flag
MaliSaharanSub-Saharan
Chad Flag
ChadSaharanSub-Saharan
Tunisia Flag
TunisiaSaharanMENA
Libya Flag
LibyaSaharanMENA
Mauritania Flag
MauritaniaSaharanSub-Saharan
Western Sahara Flag
Western SaharaSaharanMENA
  • The list of Saharan and sub-Saharan countries can vary by source and context.
  • Geographically, ""Saharan"" refers to any country touched by the Sahara desert, which runs horizontally along the northern 20-25% of the African continent, and sub-Saharan countries occupy the middle of Africa.
  • Geopolitically, the term Saharan is rarely used. Most North African countries are typically grouped with the Middle East to form the MENA (Middle-Eastern and North-African) group. However, the term sub-Saharan is still used to refer to countries just south of the Sahara and typically includes 46-48 countries, depending upon the source.
  • These dual meanings can result in confusion for countries arranged along the Sahara’s southern edge. For example, the Sahara covers more than 90% of Mauritania’s land area, making the country clearly Saharan geographically. However, geopolitically, Mauritania is considered a sub-Saharan country.