In Marvel Comics, the fictional African nation ruled by the Black Panther is Wakanda.
Wakanda was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52, published in July 1966. The country is portrayed as an independent, technologically advanced nation in East Africa. Its extraordinary development is linked to vibranium, a fictional metal found there and associated with several important Marvel inventions.
The Black Panther is not simply a costume or nickname: it is a hereditary and ceremonial title connected to Wakanda’s leadership and protector. T’Challa is the best-known bearer of the title, although other characters have held it in Marvel stories. Wakanda’s isolationist policies and advanced technology are recurring parts of its characterization.
Readers sometimes confuse Wakanda with other Marvel fictional countries. Latveria is ruled by Doctor Doom, Genosha is an island nation associated with mutants, and Sokovia is a fictional Eastern European country. Wakanda’s comic-book setting predates its appearances in Marvel Studios films.