Which country is the largest in sub-Saharan Africa by total area?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa by total area.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo covers about 2.34 million square kilometres. It is Africa’s second-largest country overall, behind Algeria, and the largest country located south of the Sahara’s northern edge.

The country is centred on the Congo Basin, which contains one of the world’s largest tropical rainforest regions. The Congo River and its tributaries drain much of the territory, while the eastern highlands rise near the borders with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is often confused with the Republic of the Congo, its smaller western neighbour. Their capitals, Kinshasa and Brazzaville, face one another across the Congo River.