21 Most Beautiful, Civilized Places in Africa to Live

If you’ve always been interested in Africa, check out our list of 21 most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live below.

It’s more than the continent that inspired The Lion King. It’s a vast land filled with countless different cultures, languages, climates, and terrains. Not to mention, the wildlife here is extraordinary, what we Americans can only see at the zoo. Made up of 54 sovereign states, 1 independent state, and 10 territories, you’ll be surprised at some of the things you can learn about this continent.

From the Great Pyramids to the Sahara desert, the tropical paradises to the breathtaking mountains, Africa has something for everyone. It might even be a nice place to take up residence for a while. But Africa does have somewhat of a reputation. Poverty, wild tribes, poor sanitary health and unbearably hot weather, are only a few of its stereotypes. So please don’t accidentally move to the dirtiest city in Africa. It’s best to be cautious before moving in. Know what you’ll be in for, what languages you’ll need a feel for, and how friendly the locals are known to be. Because the stereotypes can’t be true everywhere in Africa, can they? Some parts of it have to be somewhat civilized and pleasant, right? (And if you are trying to avoid as much dirt as possible, Cape Town is said to be one of the cleanest cities in Africa.)

That’s why we created this list. This is a list of countries that easily contain some of the most developed cities in Africa. To rank each place in Africa, we combed the Internet for credible articles about the best places to be in this part of the world, and we used the following articles for our research: US Travel News’s Best African and Middle Eastern Vacations, CNN’s Amazing Places in Africa, USA Today’s 10 Best Places to Go in Africa, Trip Advisor’s Top 10 Destinations in Africa, Touropia’s Best Places to Visit in Africa, Insider Monkey’s 10 Best Places in Africa that are Beautiful and Safe, The Culture Trip’s 10 Most Beautiful Cities and Towns in Africa, Africa Point’s 12 Great Places You Must Visit in Africa Before You Die, and A World To Travel’s Safest Countries in Africa. Each time a country or destination appeared on one of the lists above, we gave it one point, and that’s how we ranked our countries. Because if a country is beautiful, safe, and/or a great travel destination, it’s bound to be a great place to live as well.

But keep in mind that so many factors go into a desirable place to live, and many of them depend on personal preferences. You may be looking for an inexpensive country in Africa to live, or maybe one with the most English speakers. Maybe you want to live among a high class, or maybe you want to expose yourself to some of the more poverty-stricken areas to provide help or cultivate gratitude. Maybe you just want to see a giraffe grazing outside your window every morning or hear the cries of monkeys in the daytime and the laugh of hyenas at night. Whatever your idea of the perfect African dwelling place is, these are just a general idea of the countries and areas people enjoy the most. Make sure to do your research before banking on any of them.

The region can be key as well. For example, some parts of Rwanda could be “civilized and beautiful” as the list indicates, but other areas of it may not be a pretty sight at all. Just as it’s a general statement to say that California is civilized and beautiful, all of the places below are spoken of generally.

“Beautiful” can also mean many different things, and it doesn’t always mean civilized. After all, the richest country in Africa could contain the rudest citizens. In fact, one of the most beautiful aspects of Africa is the strength of the people in the poorest cities of Africa. People who wonder where their next meal will come from daily, yet keep a smile on their face. (Remember that as Thanksgiving rolls around and you’re complaining because the turkey’s too salty.)

And for our visuals, instead of wildlife or scenery, we decided to focus on those beautiful faces of Africa instead. These are faces of joy and of poverty, laughter and strength, singing and suffering. It should help you get an idea of what it really means to be an African. So whether you’re looking for the most beautiful city in West Africa or the most civilized country in the East, we’ve got you covered.

And for more great Africa related reading material, check out our lists of most racist countries in Africa, most economically developed countries in Africa, and best places to visit in Africa before you die.

Here goes! 21 most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live.

21. Antsiranana Province

1 point

This former province of Madagascar has a very diverse population of ethnic groups. Plus, it’s got beautiful beaches.

20. Lesotho

1 point

With a population of 2 million, this kingdom in southern Africa is landlocked but beautiful and mountainous.

19. Sao Tome and Principe

1 point

Though it resides right off the coast of Africa, this is a Portuguese speaking Democratic Republic made up of two main archipelagos.

18. Zanzibar Island

2 points

Another island on our list of 21 most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live, Zanzibar is a region of East African Tanzania.

17. Congo

2 points

We are continuing our list of most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live with the Democratic Republic of Congo, sometimes known as Zairewhich is in central Africa, with an Atlantic coastline.

16. Mali

2 points

More than 40 African languages are spoken in this country, so you might want to pick one and brush up before you decide to live there.

15. Uganda

3 points

Want a few gorillas as your neighbor? Move to Uganda, where the locals are known for their especially warm welcomes (hopefully the gorillas are friendly too).

14. Madagascar

4 points

The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar, the next one on our list of most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live, contains many different plant and animal species that are unique to the island.

13. The Republic of Seychelles

4 points

The world’s heaviest land tortoise lives here, and it’s also home to many different nature parks and reserves.

12. Mozambique

4 points

Gorongosa National Park, found here, is one of the richest wildlife refuges in the world, also known as “the place Noah parked his ark.”

11. Zimbabwe

5 points

Did you know that Zimbabweans see pot bellies on men as a sign of success and wealth? You know where to go if you’ve put on a few pounds.

10. Rwanda

6 points

We are continuing our list of most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live with Rwanda, which placed an outright ban on plastic bags in 2007. Those Rwandans are sure environmentally savvy.

9. Malawi

6 points

Instead of four seasons like in the US, those in Malawi (and in many other parts of Africa) experience three seasons: windy, dry and rainy. The question is, which season do they drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes?

8. Zambia

8 points

Check out the giant Victoria falls here, and if you look at its mist from a certain angle, you’ll be able to see a perfect circular rainbow.

7. Botswana

8 points

This country ranks 7th on our list of most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live. It was nominated by Lonely Planet as the top travel destination, so it must be awesome.

6. South Africa

9 points

South Africa moves approximately 2 inches away from South America each year. This is as a result of the continental drift. It’s also a very multicultural country.

5. Kenya

10 points

Coffee is a huge export here. But oddly enough, most locals prefer tea or beer.

4. Namibia

11 points

Until World War I, Namibia, the number 4 on our list of most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live, was actually a German colony. Here in the desert, they also practice a sport called sandboarding. It’s like snowboarding, but with sand. #mindblown

3. Egypt

12 points

Home of the Great Pyramids. And if all you can think of when it comes to pyramids is this part of Despicable Me, we don’t blame you.

2. Morocco

15 points

You can see both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic oceans at the same time in this country, which is just across the Strait of Gibraltar.

1. Tanzania

18 points

Come here to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, and watch the Great Wildebeest Migration. This is number one on our list of 21 most beautiful, civilized places in Africa to live. Hope you enjoyed reading and learned a few new things along the way as well.