Angola is larger by total area than Mali or South Africa.
Angola covers about 1,246,700 square kilometres, compared with approximately 1,240,192 square kilometres for Mali and 1,221,037 square kilometres for South Africa. The differences are modest, but Angola is the largest of the three.
Angola occupies the southwestern coast of Africa, with a mainland territory and the northern exclave of Cabinda. Its landscape ranges from Atlantic coastal plains to the central highlands and the dry areas near Namibia. The capital, Luanda, sits on the Atlantic coast.
Mali is often underestimated because it is landlocked, but its Sahara and Sahel regions make it nearly as large as Angola. South Africa is also slightly smaller in total area, despite being one of Africa’s best-known large states. Angola’s modern borders reflect Portuguese colonial rule and were retained when the country became independent in 1975.