African Capitals

A national capital or, in general, a capital (of Latin “caput,” “capitis,” which means “head”) is the city or locality where the central government, and all the main supreme organs of the State, reside. Capitals in Africa are generally recognized as a city which physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government of the State, or which is fixed by law or by the constitution. Depending on each country or jurisdiction, capitals may exist at different levels or hierarchies. For historical capitals in general, see here.

African Countries and Capitals List since 1800

Cape Verde

• COW Number: 402 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Cabo Verde; Ilhas do Cabo Verde
• Capital(s) since 1800: Praia
• Name of Cape Verde in Spanish: Cabo Verde

Sao Tome and Principe

• COW Number: 403 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Sao Tome e Principe
• Capital(s) since 1800: Sao Tome
• Name of Sao Tome and Principe in Spanish: Santo Tomé y Príncipe

Guinea-Bissau

• COW Number: 404 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Guine-Bissau; Portuguese Guinea
• Capital(s) since 1800: Bissau (Bolama 1879-1941, Boe 1973-1974)
• Name of Guinea-Bissau in Spanish: Guinea-Bissau

Equatorial Guinea

• COW Number: 411 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Guinea Ecuatorial; Spanish Guinea
• Capital(s) since 1800: Malabo
• Name of Equatorial Guinea in Spanish: Guinea Ecuatorial

Gambia

• COW Number: 420 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Banjul
• Name of Gambia in Spanish: Gambia

Mali

• COW Number: 432 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: French Sudan; Haut Senegal; Sudanese Republic (1958-60); Upper Senegal; Upper Senegal & Niger (through 1920)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Bamako
• Name of Mali in Spanish: Mali

Senegal

• COW Number: 433 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Saint Louis. Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Dakar
• Name of Senegal in Spanish: Senegal

Benin

• COW Number: 434 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Dahomey
• Capital(s) since 1800: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)
• Name of Benin in Spanish: Benin

Mauritania

• COW Number: 435 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Mauretania; Mauritanie; Muritaniyyah
• Capital(s) since 1800: Nouakchott
• Name of Mauritania in Spanish: Mauritania

Niger

• COW Number: 436 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: (none)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Niamey (Zinder 1899-1926)
• Name of Niger in Spanish: Níger

Ivory Coast

• COW Number: 437 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Cote d’Ivoire; Ivory Coast
• Capital(s) since 1800: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (administrative) (Grand Bassam 1893-1900, Bingerville 1900-1933, Abidjan 1933-1983)
• Name of Ivory Coast in Spanish: Costa de Marfil

Guinea

• COW Number: 438 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: French Guinea; Guine; Guinea-Conacri/Conakri/Conakry; Guinee; Rivieres du Sud
• Capital(s) since 1800: Conakry
• Name of Guinea in Spanish: Guinea

Burkina Faso

• COW Number: 439 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Bourkina-Fasso/Bourkina Fasso; Haute-Volta/Haute Volta; Upper Volta (through 1984); Voltaic Republic
• Capital(s) since 1800: Ouagadougou
• Name of Burkina Faso in Spanish: Burkina Faso

Liberia

• COW Number: 450 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Cape Mesurado Colony; Grain Coast
• Capital(s) since 1800: Monrovia
• Name of Liberia in Spanish: Liberia

Sierra Leone

• COW Number: 451 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Freedom Province
• Capital(s) since 1800: Freetown
• Name of Sierra Leone in Spanish: Sierra Leona

Ghana

• COW Number: 452 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Gold Coast (includes British Togoland)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Accra (Cape Coast until 1877)
• Name of Ghana in Spanish: Ghana

Togo

• COW Number: 461 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: French Togo/French Togoland (British Togoland became part of Ghana); Togoland; Togolese Republic
• Capital(s) since 1800: Lome (Aneho from 1880s-1897)
• Name of Togo in Spanish: Togo

Cameroon

• COW Number: 471 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: British Cameroons / French Cameroons; Cameroons; Cameroun; Kamerun
• Capital(s) since 1800: Yaounde
• Name of Cameroon in Spanish: Camerún

Nigeria

• COW Number: 475 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Federation of Nigeria; Niger Coast Protectorate; Oil Rivers Protectorate
• Capital(s) since 1800: Abuja (Lagos until 1991)
• Name of Nigeria in Spanish: Nigeria

Gabon

• COW Number: 481 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Gabonese Republic; Gaboon; Gabun; Republique Gabonaise
• Capital(s) since 1800: Libreville
• Name of Gabon in Spanish: Gabón

Central African Republic

• COW Number: 482 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Central African Empire/CAE/C.A.E.; CAR/C.A.R.; Kodorosese ti Beafrika; Oubangi-Chari; Republique Centrafricaine; Ubangi-Shari
• Capital(s) since 1800: Bangui
• Name of Central African Republic in Spanish: República Centroafricana

Chad

• COW Number: 483 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Bornu (pre-colonial); Tasad; Tchad
• Capital(s) since 1800: N’Djamena
• Name of Chad in Spanish: Chad

Congo

• COW Number: 484 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Congo-Brazzaville; French Congo; Middle Congo; Moyen Congo; Republic of the Congo
• Capital(s) since 1800: Brazzaville
• Name of Congo in Spanish: Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• COW Number: 490 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Belgian Congo; Congo-Kinshasa; DRC; Zaire (1971-97)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Kinshasa (Renamed from Leopoldville in 1966)
• Name of Democratic Republic of the Congo in Spanish: República Democrática del Congo

Uganda

• COW Number: 500 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: (none)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Kampala
• Name of Uganda in Spanish: Uganda

Kenya

• COW Number: 501 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: British East Africa Protectorate; Kenia
• Capital(s) since 1800: Nairobi
• Name of Kenya in Spanish: Kenia

Tanzania

• COW Number: 510 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: German East Africa; Tanganyika (1920-64)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (administrative)
• Name of Tanzania in Spanish: Tanzania

Zanzibar

• COW Number: 511 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: (none)
• Capital(s) since 1800: Zanzibar City
• Name of Zanzibar in Spanish: Zanzíbar

Burundi

• COW Number: 516 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Uburundi; Urundi
• Capital(s) since 1800: Bujumbura
• Name of Burundi in Spanish: Burundi

Rwanda

• COW Number: 517 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Ruanda
• Capital(s) since 1800: Kigali
• Name of Rwanda in Spanish: Ruanda

Somalia

• COW Number: 520 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: British Somaliland/Somaliland Protectorate; Italian Somaliland (Somalia Italiana)/Somaliland Trust Territory; Soomalia
• Capital(s) since 1800: Mogadishu
• Name of Somalia in Spanish: Somalia

Djibouti

• COW Number: 522 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: French Somaliland; French Territory of the Afars & Issas; Jibuti
• Capital(s) since 1800: Djibouti City
• Name of Djibouti in Spanish: Djibouti

Ethiopia

• COW Number: 530 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Abyssinia; Ityop’iya/Ityopiya
• Capital(s) since 1800: Addis Ababa
• Name of Ethiopia in Spanish: Etiopía

Eritrea

• COW Number: 531 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Erithrea; Ertra; Iritriya
• Capital(s) since 1800: Asmara
• Name of Eritrea in Spanish: Eritrea

Angola

• COW Number: 540 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Portuguese West Africa
• Capital(s) since 1800: Luanda
• Name of Angola in Spanish: Angola

Mozambique

• COW Number: 541 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Mocambique; Portuguese East Africa
• Capital(s) since 1800: Maputo
• Name of Mozambique in Spanish: Mozambique

Zambia

• COW Number: 551 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Northern Rhodesia
• Capital(s) since 1800: Lusaka
• Name of Zambia in Spanish: Zambia

Zimbabwe

• COW Number: 552 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Rhodesia (through 1980); Southern Rhodesia
• Capital(s) since 1800: Harare
• Name of Zimbabwe in Spanish: Zimbabue

Malawi

• COW Number: 553 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: British Central Africa Protectorate; Nyasaland
• Capital(s) since 1800: Lilongwe
• Name of Malawi in Spanish: Malawi

South Africa

• COW Number: 560 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Mzantsi Afrika; Ningizimu Africa; Republiek van Suid-Afrika; Suid-Afrika/Suid Afrika
• Capital(s) since 1800: Pretoria (official and adminstrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
• Name of South Africa in Spanish: Sudáfrica

Namibia

• COW Number: 565 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: German West Africa; South-West Africa
• Capital(s) since 1800: Windhoek
• Name of Namibia in Spanish: Namibia

Lesotho

• COW Number: 570 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Basutoland
• Capital(s) since 1800: Maseru
• Name of Lesotho in Spanish: Lesoto

Botswana

• COW Number: 571 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Bechuanaland
• Capital(s) since 1800: Gaborone
• Name of Botswana in Spanish: Botswana

Swaziland

• COW Number: 572 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: eSwatini
• Capital(s) since 1800: Mbabane
• Name of Swaziland in Spanish: Swazilandia

Madagascar

• COW Number: 580 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Madagasikara; Malagasy Republic; Malgache Republic
• Capital(s) since 1800: Antananarivo
• Name of Madagascar in Spanish: Madagascar

Comoros

• COW Number: 581 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Comores; Comoro Islands; Iles Comores; Komori; Qumur
• Capital(s) since 1800: Moroni
• Name of Comoros in Spanish: Comoras

Mauritius

• COW Number: 590 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Ile de France; Maurice
• Capital(s) since 1800: Port Louis
• Name of Mauritius in Spanish: Isla mauricio

Seychelles

• COW Number: 591 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Sesel
• Capital(s) since 1800: Victoria
• Name of Seychelles in Spanish: Seychelles

Morocco

• COW Number: 600 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: al Magrib; Al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah; French Morocco; Maroc; Marruecos
• Capital(s) since 1800: Rabat
• Name of Morocco in Spanish: Marruecos

Algeria

• COW Number: 615 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Algerie; Al-Jazair/Al-Jaza’ir
• Capital(s) since 1800: Algiers
• Name of Algeria in Spanish: Argelia

Tunisia

• COW Number: 616 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Tunis; Tunisie
• Capital(s) since 1800: Tunis
• Name of Tunisia in Spanish: Túnez

Libya

• COW Number: 620 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Libia; Libiyah; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Included Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezzan
• Capital(s) since 1800: Tripoli
• Name of Libya in Spanish: Libia

Sudan

• COW Number: 625 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan; As-Sudan; Jumhuriyat as-Sudan; Soudan
• Capital(s) since 1800: Khartoum
• Name of Sudan in Spanish: Sudán

South Sudan

• COW Number: 626 (see the “Correlates of War” Project)
• Historical Country Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: Southern Sudan
• Capital(s) since 1800: Juba
• Name of South Sudan in Spanish: Sudán del Sur