Countries That Start With A: Complete List of 11 Nations

There are 11 countries that start with the letter A: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, and Azerbaijan.

Introduction

These 11 nations span every inhabited continent except Antarctica, ranging from the vast Australian outback to the tiny European microstate of Andorra. Together, they represent an extraordinary diversity of cultures, climates, and landscapes.

This guide provides an overview of each country starting with A, including key geographic and demographic facts that make each nation unique.

Afghanistan

• Capital: Kabul
• Continent: Asia
• Population: ~42 million
• Area: 652,230 km²

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia, bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It sits at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, making it a historically strategic location along the ancient Silk Road.

Fun fact: Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountain range contains peaks exceeding 7,000 meters, and the Wakhan Corridor — a narrow panhandle — stretches to share a small border with China.

Albania

• Capital: Tirana
• Continent: Europe
• Population: ~2.8 million
• Area: 28,748 km²

Albania is a small Balkan nation on the Adriatic and Ionian coasts of southeastern Europe. After decades of isolation under a communist regime, Albania has opened up dramatically and is now a candidate for European Union membership.

Fun fact: Albania has over 750,000 bunkers — concrete military bunkers — built during the Cold War, roughly one for every four citizens at the time.

Algeria

• Capital: Algiers
• Continent: Africa
• Population: ~46 million
• Area: 2,381,741 km²

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area, stretching from the Mediterranean coast to deep into the Sahara Desert. About 80% of its territory is covered by the Sahara, making it one of the most desert-dominated nations on Earth.

Fun fact: Algeria has the largest proven natural gas reserves in Africa and is one of the world's top producers of natural gas.

Andorra

• Capital: Andorra la Vella
• Continent: Europe
• Population: ~80,000
• Area: 468 km²

Andorra is a tiny landlocked microstate nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe at 1,023 meters above sea level.

Fun fact: Andorra has no airport, railway station, or seaport, yet attracts over 8 million tourists annually — more than 100 times its population — primarily for skiing and duty-free shopping.

Angola

• Capital: Luanda
• Continent: Africa
• Population: ~37 million
• Area: 1,246,700 km²

Angola is a large Southern African country with a lengthy Atlantic coastline. It is one of Africa's major oil-producing nations, with petroleum accounting for roughly 90% of its export revenues.

Fun fact: Angola's Kalandula Falls, at 105 meters high and 400 meters wide, is one of the largest waterfalls in Africa by volume.

Antigua and Barbuda

• Capital: St. John's
• Continent: North America (Caribbean)
• Population: ~100,000
• Area: 442 km²

Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island Caribbean nation known for its 365 beaches — one for every day of the year. Tourism is the dominant economic sector, drawing visitors with white-sand beaches and coral reefs.

Fun fact: Antigua and Barbuda is the most popular Caribbean destination for sailing, hosting the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week regatta every year.

Argentina

• Capital: Buenos Aires
• Continent: South America
• Population: ~46 million
• Area: 2,780,400 km²

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and the eighth-largest in the world. It boasts extraordinary geographic diversity, from the Andes mountains to the vast Pampas grasslands, Patagonian steppes, and subtropical Iguazú Falls.

Fun fact: Argentina's Aconcagua (6,961 m) is the highest mountain outside of Asia and the highest peak in both the Western and Southern hemispheres.

Armenia

• Capital: Yerevan
• Continent: Asia (Caucasus)
• Population: ~3 million
• Area: 29,743 km²

Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus region, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. It was the first country to officially adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD.

Fun fact: Armenia's capital Yerevan is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a founding date of 782 BC — older than Rome.

Australia

• Capital: Canberra
• Continent: Oceania
• Population: ~26 million
• Area: 7,692,024 km²

Australia is both a country and a continent, the sixth-largest nation by area. Despite its vast size, most of the population lives along the eastern and southeastern coasts, as the interior is dominated by arid outback.

Fun fact: Australia is home to 21 of the world's 25 most venomous snakes, yet also hosts unique mammals like the platypus and kangaroo found nowhere else on Earth.

Austria

• Capital: Vienna
• Continent: Europe
• Population: ~9.1 million
• Area: 83,879 km²

Austria is a landlocked Alpine country in Central Europe, renowned for its classical music heritage, imperial history, and stunning mountain scenery. Vienna regularly ranks as one of the most livable cities in the world.

Fun fact: More than 60% of Austria's territory is covered by the Alps, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.

Azerbaijan

• Capital: Baku
• Continent: Asia (Caucasus)
• Population: ~10.2 million
• Area: 86,600 km²

Azerbaijan sits on the western shore of the Caspian Sea in the South Caucasus. It is known as the "Land of Fire" due to natural gas seeping from the ground that has been burning for thousands of years.

Fun fact: Azerbaijan's Yanar Dag ("Burning Mountain") has been continuously burning with natural gas flames for at least 4,000 years, and may have inspired ancient Zoroastrian fire worship.

Key Facts

• There are 11 countries that start with the letter A.
• Australia is the largest A country by area (7.69 million km²).
• Argentina has the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere (Aconcagua, 6,961 m).
• Algeria is the largest country in Africa.
• Andorra is the smallest A country by both area and population.

Fun Facts

• If you combined all 11 A countries, their total area would be approximately 14.9 million km² — nearly as large as Russia.
• Three A countries are landlocked: Afghanistan, Armenia, and Andorra.
• Australia is the only country that is also an entire continent.
• The letter A is the most popular starting letter for African country names, with Algeria and Angola among the largest.

Final Thoughts

The 11 countries starting with A showcase the remarkable diversity of our planet — from the world's smallest microstates to continent-spanning nations, from ancient civilizations to modern democracies. Each offers unique geography, culture, and history worth exploring.