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List of Cities in Africa: Area, Population and Cost of Living
Africa is currently the second-largest continent, spanning over an area of 30.3 million km2. The continent stands out for its rich culture, history and diversity. Moreover, the huge reserves of diamonds, cobalt, platinum, etc., are also popular among people who visit Africa often.
With a large number of cities, Africa can be an ideal place for living or a vacation. Keep reading to know about the top and major cities in Africa.
List of Cities in Africa
There are currently multiple primary and secondary cities in Africa. They are spread across 54 countries within the continent. Visiting Africa for the first time can get overwhelming if you are unaware of the names of African cities and countries and cities to identify the right places to stay or explore.
Here is a list of some of the major cities in Africa for your convenience:
| Name of the City | Area | Population (Subject to Change) | Cost of Living (Without Rent) |
| Algiers | 363 km2 | 45,712,529 | $319 (One Person) / $919 (Family of four) |
| Cairo | 2,734 km2 | 22,183,000 | $285 (One Person) / $831 (Family of four) |
| Kinshasa | 9,965 km2 | 16,316,000 | $512 (One Person) / $1411 (Family of four) |
| Lagos | 1,171.28 km2 | 15,946,000 | $377 (One Person) / $1090 (Family of four) |
| Kaduna | 45,061 km2 | 9,032,200 | $191 (One Person) / $539 (Family of four) |
| Dar Es Salaam | 1,493 km2 | 7,776,000 | $411 (One Person) / $1294 (Family of four) |
| Johannesburg | 1,644.98 km2 | 5,783,000 | $515 (One Person) / $1511 (Family of four) |
| Addis Ababa | 527 km2 | 5,461,000 | $445 (One Person) / $1409 (Family of four) |
| Cape Town | 2,461 km2 | 4,890,000 | $415 (One Person) / $1256 (Family of four) |
| Nairobi | 696.1 km2 | 4,735,000 | $411 (One Person) / $1214 (Family of four) |
| Kano | 499 km2 | 4,348,000 | $240 (One Person) / $660 (Family of four) |
| Ibadan | 3,080 km2 | 3,875,000 | $252 (One Person) / $717 (Family of four) |
| Casablanca | 384 km2 | 3,752,000 | $429 (One Person) / $1275 (Family of four) |
| Abidjan | 2,119 km2 | 3,677,115 | $582 (One Person) / $1670 (Family of four) |
| Accra | 20.4 km2 | 2,605,000 | $422 (One Person) / $1221 (Family of four) |
| Pretoria | 687.54 km2 | 2,566,000 | $412 (One Person) / $1231 (Family of four) |
| Khartoum | 1,010 km2 | 1,974,647 | $466 (One Person) / $1298 (Family of four) |
| Kigali | 730 km2 | 1,745,555 | $357 (One Person) / $1086 (Family of four) |
| Soweto | 200 km2 | 1,271,628 | $360 (One Person) / $1037 (Family of four) |
| Marrakesh | 230 km2 | 1,049,000 | $350 (One Person) / $1063 (Family of four) |
Disclaimer: The data provided for each city can vary according to the sources and is subject to change with time. The list is for general purposes and contains the names of the most popular cities in Africa.
Interesting Facts About the Cities in Africa
Now that you know about the top cities in Africa, it can be helpful to learn more about some interesting details about these. Africa is known for its age-old traditions and customs, which have contributed to such facts. Here are some details that will surprise you about the African cities:
- The diversity in the African cities are immense, which can be observed from the fact that the residents speak more than 2,000 languages. These include Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan and Niger-Saharan languages.
- The biggest desert in the world, the Sahara Desert, is located in North Africa. Sprawling over 9.4 million km2, this desert is bigger than the entire USA.
- Africa has the largest fire service museum located at Ehrlich Park fire station in Bloemfontein. Here, you can witness 17 vintage fire engines, vintage mayoral cars, steam engines, motorbikes, ambulance equipment, etc., dating from 1926 to 1984.
- Church Street in Pretoria is one of the longest straight streets across the globe. It is about 26 km long and beautifully lined with Jacaranda trees.
- The natural resources of Africa have made it popular worldwide. Nearly half of the total gold mined across the world comes from Africa. The diamond mining activities are also productive here.
- Fish is considered sacred with supernatural significance in most parts of North Africa. Some of the buildings are made of fish bones in Tunisia.
- Lake Malawi is one of the most popular tourist spots located near Malawi and Tanzania in Africa. It is home to 500 different types of fish species, making a record worldwide for housing the majority of diverse species of fish.
FAQs About List of Cities in Africa
Which is the most popular city in Africa?
Currently, Nairobi is the most popular city in Africa and also the capital of Kenya. Cape Town and Johannesburg follow Nairobi in the list of most advanced and popular cities in Africa.
Which cities can be the most expensive to live in Africa?
Some African cities can be expensive for most, including Dakar, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg and Pretoria. They are the most well-maintained and advanced cities in Africa.
Which cities in Africa have the maximum number of tourist sites?
If you are visiting Africa for tourism purposes, prioritise some cities over others. These include Luxor, Namibia, Alexandria, Addis Ababa, Lagos, etc.