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.)
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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.
