Accra, May 25, GNA – As Ghana joins in the celebration of the 2020 African Union Day, we submit here a brief profile of some of the countries:
Country: Mozambique
Mozambique attained independence from the Portuguese in June 25, 1975. It is located in Eastern Africa. First President was Samora Machel.
Population size: 29.5 million (2018)
Major exports include Prawns, Cotton, Aluminum, Coal, cashew nuts and sugar
GDP: US$14.72 billion (2018)
Current President: Filipe Nyusi
Name of football national team: Os Mambas

Country: Morocco
Attained independence from France on March 2, 1956. Her official language is French
Population size: 36.03 million (2018)
Major exports include Citrus fruit, vegetables, crude minerals, clothing and textile
GDP: US$117.9 billion (2018)
Head of Government: Saad Eddine El Othmani
Name of football national team: Atlas Lions

Country: Mauritius
Mauritius attained her independence from Great Britain in March 12, 1968. Official language is English. First President was Veerasamy Ringadoo.
Population size: 1.265 million (2018)
Major exports include fish, clothing and sugar cane
GDP: US$14.22 billion (2018)
Name of football national team: Les Dodos
Country: Madagascar
Madagascar is an island which gained independence from France on June 26, 1960. Philibert Tsiranana was the first President of Madagascar.
Population size: 26.26 million
Major exports include Vanilla, Raw nickel, Cloves and Cobalt
GDP: US$13.85 billion (2018)
Current President: Andry Rajoelina
Name of football national team: Barea

Country: Namibia
Independence date: March 21, 1990
Person who led them into independence: Sam Nujoma
Official language: English
Current President: Hage Gottfried Geingob
Current population size: 2,540,905
GDP: $14.368 billion (nominal, 2019 est)
However, it is expected to reach $16.00 billion by the end of 2020, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations.
Major exports: Diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, white fish and mollusks
Name of football national team: Brave Warriors

Country: Nigeria
Independence date: October 1, 1960
Person who led them into independence: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe
Official language (s): English
Current President: Muhammadu Buhari
Current population size: 206,139,589
GDP: $446.543 billion (nominal, 2019 est.)
Major exports: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, vehicles, aircraft parts, vessels, vegetable products, processed food, beverages, spirits and vinegar, cashew nuts, processed leather, cocoa, tobacco, aluminum alloys
Name of football national team: Super Eagles

Country: Niger
Independence date: August 3, 1960
Person who led them into independence: Hamani Diori
Official language (s): French
Current President: Mahamadou Issoufou
Current population size: 24,206,644
GDP: $9.50 Billion in 2019
Major exports: uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
Name of football national team: Meyna or Ménas

Country: Rwanda
Independence date: July 1, 1962
Person who led them into independence: Grégoire Kayibanda
Official language (s): Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili
Current President: Paul Kagame
Current population size: 12,952,218
GDP: $10.209 billion (nominal, 2019 est.)
Major exports: coffee, tea, tin cassiterite, Wolfframite, and pyrethrum. Coffee makes up between 50 per cent to 80 per cent of the total export.
Name of football national team: Amavubi (The Wasps)

Country: Sao Tome & Principe
Independence date: July 12, 1975
Person who led them into independence: Manuel Pinto da Costa
Official language (s): Portuguese
Current President: Manuel Pinto da Costa
Current population size: 219,159
GDP: $422.3 million (2018)
Major exports: Cocoa, copra, coffee, palm oil
Name of football national team: The Falcons and True Parrots Team

Country: Senegal
Independence date: June 20, 1960
Person who led them into independence: Léopold Sédar Senghor
Official language (s): French
Current President: Macky Sall
Current population size: 16,743,927
GDP: $24.13 billion (2018)
Major exports: fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Name of football national team: The Lions of Teranga

Country: Seychelles
Independence date: June 29, 1976.
Person who led them into independence: Sir James Mancham and France-Albert René
Official language (s): English, French, Seychellois Creole.
Current President: Danny Faure
Current population size: 98,347
GDP: $1.59 billion (2018)
Major exports: canned tuna, frozen fish, petroleum products
Name of football national team: The Pirates

Country: Sierra Leone
Independence date: April 27, 1961
Person who led them into independence: Sir Milton Margai
Official language (s): English
Current President: Julius Maada Bio
Current population size: 7,976,983
GDP: $4.085 billion (2018)
Major exports: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Name of football national team: Leone Stars

Country: Somalia
Independence date: July 1, 1960
Person who led them into independence: Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf
Official language (s): Somali
Current President: Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo
Current population size: 15,893,222
GDP: $ 4.721 billion (2018)
Major exports: livestock, bananas, skins, fish, charcoal and scrap metal.
Name of football national team: The Ocean Stars

Country: South Africa
Independence date: May 31, 1961
Person who led them into independence: Nelson Mandela
Official language (s): Southern Sotho, Pedi/Northern Sotho, Tswana, Swati, Ndebele, Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans, English, Venda, Tsonga
Current President: Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
Current population size: 59,308,690
GDP: $368.3 billion (2018)
Major exports: corn, diamonds, fruits, gold, metals and minerals, sugar, and wool.
Name of football national team: Bafana Bafana

Country: South Sudan
Independence date: July 9, 2011
Person who led them into independence: Salva Kiir Mayardit
Official language (s): English
Current President: Salva Kiir Mayardit
Current population size: 11,193,725
GDP: $4.58 billion (2018)
Major exports: Crude Petroleum ($1.22B), Scrap Iron ($2.98M), Aircraft Parts ($1.65M), Sawn Wood ($1.22M) and Gas Turbines ($1.22M)
Name of football national team: Bright Stars

Country: Sudan
Independence date: January 1, 1956
Person who led them into independence: Ismail al-Azhari
Official language (s): Literary Arabic and English
Current President: Omar al Bashir
Current population size: 43,849,260
GDP: $40.85 billion (2018)
Major exports: gold; oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, peanuts, gum Arabic, sugar
Name of football national team: Falcons on Jediane
Country: Swaziland
Swaziland, also known as Eswatini attained independence from the British on September 6, 1968. Official languages are English and French. Swaziland operates a Monarchical government, that is, the country is governed by a King.
The name of the current king is Mswati III.
Population size: 1.136 million (2018)
Major exports include Sugar, Cotton yarn, Wood pulp, Citrus and Canned fruits
GDP: US$4.711 billion (2018)
Name of football national team: Sihlangu Semnikati

Country: Tanzania
Independence date: December 9, 1961
Person who led them into independence: Julius Kambarage Nyerere
Official language (s): Swahili; English; Arabic (Zanzibar)
Current President: John Magufuli
Current population size: 59,734,218
GDP: $58 billion (2018)
Major exports: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, and cotton.
Name of football national team: Taifa Stars

Country: Togo
Independence date: April 27, 1960
Person who led them into independence: Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio
Official language (s): French
Current President: Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Current population size: 8,278,724
GDP: $5.359 billion (2018)
Major exports: coffee, cocoa, maize and cotton.
Name of football national team: Les Éperviers (The Sparrowhawks)

Country: Tunisia
Independence date: March 20, 1956,
Person who led them into independence: Habib Bourguiba
Official language (s): Arabic
Current President: Kais Saied
Current population size: 11,818,619
GDP: $39.87 billion (2018)
Major exports: clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
Name of football national team: Eagles of Carthage

Country: Uganda
Independence date: October 9, 1962
Person who led them into independence: Milton Obote
Official language (s): English
Current President: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
Current population size: 45,741,007
GDP: $27.46 billion (2018)
Major exports: Coffee ($555M), Gold ($416M), Dried Legumes ($98.4M), Fish Fillets ($87.1M) and Cocoa Beans ($74.9M)
Name of football national team: The Cranes

Country: Zambia
Independence date: October 24, 1964,
Person who led them into independence: Kenneth Kaunda
Official language (s): English
Current President: Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Current population size: 18,383,955
GDP: $26.72 billion (2018)
Major exports: copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton
Name of football national team: “Chipolopolo” aka “The Copper Bullets”.

Country: Zimbabwe
Independence date: April 18, 1980.
Person who led them into independence: Robert Mugabe
Official language (s): English language, Shona language, Northern Ndebele language
Current President: Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa
Current population size: 14,862,924
GDP: $31 billion (2018)
Major exports: platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Name of football national team: The Warriors
GNA

Accra, May 25, GNA – As Ghana joins in the celebration of the 2020 African Union Day, we submit here a brief profile of some of the countries:

Country: Angola
Angola is a Portuguese country with a current population of 30.1 million. It gained independence in 1975.
Its major exports are Crude Oil and diamond. It has an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$114.5 billion (2019).
Current President is João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço
Football national team is the Palancas Negras (Sable Antelopes).

Country: Algeria
Algeria is an Arabic state. She gained her independence from France on July 5, 1962.
First Prime Minister/President: Ahmed Ben Bella
Population: 43.8 million as at May 2020
Major export is Crude Oil.
GDP: US$178.10 billion (2019)
Current President: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Name of football national team: Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes)

Country: Benin
Benin is a French speaking nation located in West Africa. It gained its independence from France on August 1, 1960.
First President: Hubert Maga
Population size: 12.1 million as at May, 2020
Major export(s): Cotton, Fruits, Nuts, Oil seeds, Mineral fuel
GDP: estimated at USD10.40 billion as at 2019
Current President: Patrice Talon
Name of national football team: Les Écureuils (The Squirrels)

Country: Republic of Botswana
The Republic of Botswana is an english-speaking nation located in southern Africa. It attained her independence from British colonial masters on September 30, 1966.
First President: Seretse Khama
Population size: 2.3 million, as at May, 2020.
Major export(s) include diamonds, soda ash, copper, nickel, meat and textiles
GDP: US$18.62 billion (2018)
Current President: Mokgweetsi Masisi
Name of football national team: The Zebras

Country: Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo or DR Congo is a French-speaking central African country. It gained independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, with Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister and Joseph Kasavubu as President.
Population: 89.2 million, as at May 2020
Major export(s): Gold, Diamond, Copper, Crude Oil, Coffee, Tea
GDP: US$47.23 billion (2018)
Current President: Felix Tshisekedi
Name of national football team: Leopards

Country: Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is a landlocked country situated in the centre of Africa. Her official language is French, having attained independence from France on August 13,1960.
First President: David Dacko
Population size: 4.8 million
Major exports include diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee and tobacco
GDP: US$2.22 billion (2018)
Current President is Faustin-Archange Touadéra
Name of national football team: Les Fauves (The Wild Beast)

Country: Congo-Brazzaville
The Republic of the Congo or Congo-Brazzaville is a french-speaking nation located in West-central of Africa. Congo-Brazzaville attained independence from masters France on August 15, 1960.
First President: Fulbert Youlou
Population size: 5.5 million, as at May, 2020
Major export (s): Petroleum, wood and wood products
GDP: US$11.26 billion (2018)
Current President: Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Name of national football team: Diables Rouges (The Red Devils)

Country: Comoros
Comoros are a group of Islands located at the eastern part of southern Africa. It is a Comorian, French and Arabic speaking nation and attained her independence on July 6, 1975.
First President: Ahmed Abdallah
Population size as at 2018 was 832,322
Major export(s) include vanilla, cloves and ylang-ylang
GDP is US$1.178 billion (2018)
Current President is Moustadroine Abdou
Name of national football team is Les Coelecantes

Country: Djibouti
Djibouti is a French-Arabic speaking country located in eastern Africa. She attained her independence from the French on June 27, 1977.
First President: Hassan Gouled Aptidon
Population size is 958,920 (2018)
Major export(s) include coffee, legumes, wood charcoal and Rubber tires
GDP is US$2.956 billion in 2108
Current President is Ismail Omar Guelleh
Name of national football team is Les Riverains de la Mer Rouge

Country: Eritrea
Eritrea is an East Africa country which speaks Tigrinya, Arabic and English. Eritrea attained independence from Ethiopia, another East African country on May 24, 1991.
First President is Isaias Afwerki
Population size: 3.5 million as of May, 2020
Major exports include Zinc Ore, Copper Ore, Precious Metal Ore, Unpackaged Medicaments and Precious Stone
GDP: US$6.50 billion in 2019
Current President: Isaias Afwerki
Name of national football team: The Red Sea Boys

Country: Ethiopia
Ethiopia is multilingual state in East Africa. Languages spoken by Ethiopians include Amharic, English, Arabic, Italian and French. Even though she was never a colony Ethiopia regained her independence from Italy on May 5, 1941.
First President: Mengistus Haile Mariam
Population size: 109.2 million (2018)
Major exports include Coffee, Livestock, Oil Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers, Textiles
GDP: US$84.36 billion (2018)
Current President is Sahle-Work Zewde
Name of national football team: Walias

Country: Egypt
Egypt is a North African country with Arabic as her official language. She gained her independence from Great Britain on February 28, 1922.
First President: Mohammed Naguib
Population size: 98.42 million (2018)
Major exports include Petroleum and Petroleum products, Cotton, Cotton Yarns and Textiles
GDP: US$ 250.9 billion (2018)
Current President: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Name of national football team: The Pharoahs

Country: Republic of Burundi
Burundi is an Anglophone-Francophone speaking country in Eastern Africa. It gained independence from Belgium on July 1, 1962
First President: Mwami Mwambutsa
Population size: 11.9 million as at May, 2020
Major Export(s): Coffee, Gold, Tea, Raw Lead
GDP: US$3.20 Billion (2019)
Current President: Pierre Nkurunziza
Name of national football team: The Swallows

Country: Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a French-speaking country in West Africa. Burkina Faso attained independence from France in August 5, 1960.
First President: Maurice Yameogo
Population size: 20.8 Million as at May, 2020
Major export(s): cotton, livestock, sesame seeds
GDP: US$13.80 Billion as at 2019
Current President: Roch Marc Christian Kabore
Name of national football team: Les Etalons (The Stalliions)

Country: Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a Portuguese-speaking islandic state west of Senegal. Cape Verde attained independence from Portugal on July 5, 1975.
First President: Aristides Pereira
Population size: 525,000 as at 2015
Major export(s): limestone, salt
GDP: US$1.9 Billion as at 2019
Current President: Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca
Name of national football team: Blue Sharks

Country: Cameroon
Cameroon is an Anglophone-Francophone speaking nation. It regained independence from France on January 1, 1960.
First President: Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo
Population size: 26.5 million as at May, 2020
Major export(s): Crude Oil, Sawn Wood, Cocoa, Bananas and Rough Wood
GDP: US$38 billion (2019)
Current President: Paul Biya
Name of national football team: Les Lions Indomptable (The Indomitable Lions)

Country: Cote d ’Ivoire
Cote d’Ivoire is a French-speaking West African state. It attained independence from France on 1960
First President: Felix Houphouet-Boigny
Population size:
Major export(s): cocoa, gold
GDP: US$43.01 billion (2018)
Current President: Alassane Ouattara
Name of national football team: The Elephants

Country: Chad
Chad is a French-speaking country located in the northern central of Africa. Chad attained independence from France on August 11, 1960.
First President: Francois Tombalbaye
Population size: 15.48 million (2018)
Major exports: Gold, Uranium and Crude Oil
GDP: US$11.27 billion (2018)
Current president: Idriss Deby
Name of national football team: Les Sao

Country: The Gambia
The Gambia is a former British located in western Africa. The Gambia attained independence from Great Britain February 18, 1965, the last British colony in western Africa to do so.
First President: Dawda Kairaba Jawara
Population size: 2.28 million (2018)
Major exports include Rough Wood, Coconut, Brazil Nuts, Cashew, Non-fillet frozen Fish, Scrap Iron and Tropical Fruits
GDP: US$1.633 billion (2018)
Current President:
Name of national football team:

Country: Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is a Portuguese-speaking island located in Central Africa. She attained independence from the Spanish on October 12, 1968.
First President: Francisco Macias Nguema
Population size; 1.309 million (2018)
Major exports include Crude Petroleum, Petroleum Gas, Rough Wood and Acyclic Alcohol
GDP: US$13.43 billion (2018)
Current President is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Name of national football team: Nzalang Nacional

Country: Ghana
Ghana is an English-speaking nation located in the Western part of Africa. She shares border with Togo, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire. Ghana attained independence from the British on March 6, 1957.
First President: Dr Kwame Nkrumah
Population size is currently estimated at 30 million.
Major exports include Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Paste, Gold, Crude Petroleum, Coconut and Cashew
GDP: US$65.56 billion (2018)
Current President is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Name of national football team: The Black Stars

Country: Guinea
Guinea is a French-speaking country. She attained independence from France on October 2, 1958.
First President: Sekou Toure
Population size: 12.41 million (2018)
Major exports include Aluminum Ore, Gold, Petroleum Gas, and Rubber
GDP: US$10.91 billion (2018)
Current President: Alpha Conde
Name of national football team: Syli Nationale

Country: Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a Portuguese-speaking nation located in West Africa. Guinea-Bissau attained independence on September 24, 1973 from colonial master Portugal.
First President: Luis Severino de Almeida Cabral
Population size as at 2018 was 1.874 million
Major exports include Cashew nuts, Peanuts, Palm kernel and also fish
GDP: US$1.458 billion (2018)
Current President is Umaro Sissoco Embalo
Name of national football team: The African Wild Dog

Country: Lesotho
Lesotho is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Her official language is English, having attained independence from the British on October 4, 1966.
First President: Jonathan Leabua
Population size: 2.108 million (2018)
Major exports include Garments, Water, Diamond, Electricity, Wool and Mohair
GDP: US$1.739 billion (2018)
Current Prime Minister: Thomas Thabane
Name of national football team: The Likuena (The Crocodile)

Country: Kenya
Kenya is an English-speaking nation located in Eastern Africa. Kenya attained independence from the British on December 12, 1963.
First President: Jomo Kenyatta
Population size: 51.39 million (2018)
Major exports include Tea, Cut Flowers and Refined Petroleum
GDP: US$87.91 billion (2018
Current President: Uhuru Kenyatta
Name of national football team: Harambee Stars

Country: Liberia
Liberia is an English-speaking country located in West Africa. She was declared independent from the Americans on July 26, 1847.
First President: Joseph Jenkins Roberts
Population size: 4.819 million (2018)
Major exports include Rubber, Iron Ore and Gold
GDP: US$3.264 billion (2018)
Current President: George Weah
Name of national football team: The Lone Star

Country: Libya
Libya is a North African country and has Arabic as official language. Libya declared independence on December, 24, 1951.
First President: Muammar Gaddafi
Population size: 6.679 million (2018)
Major exports include Mineral Fuel, Iron, Steel, Copper, Fertilizers and Precious Metals
GDP: US$48.36 billion (2018)
Name of national football team: Al Akhdar (The Greens)

Country: Malawi
Malawi attained independence on Jul 6, 1966 from Great Britain. Her official language is English
First President: Hastings Kamuzu Banda
Population size: 18.14 million (2018)
Major exports include Tobacco, Dried Legumes, Tea, Cotton, Peanuts and Coffee
GDP: US$7.065 billion
Current President: Peter Mutharika
Name of national football team: The Flames

Country: Mali
Mali is a French-speaking, landlocked country situated in West Africa. She regained independence from France on June 20, 1960.
First President: Modibo Keita
Population size: 19.08 million (2018)
Major exports include Gold and Cotton
GDP: US$17.16 billion (2018)
Current President: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
Name of national football team: Les Aigles (The Eagles)

Country: Mauritania
Mauritania is located in the Northwest of Africa. Arabic is the recognised language and she attained independence from the French on November 28, 1960.
First President: Mohtar Ould Daddah
Population size: 4.403 million (2018)
Major exports include Iron Ore, Non-fillet frozen fish and Gold
GDP: US$5.235 billion (2018)
Current President: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Name of national football team: Les Mourabitounes
GNA