Population: 29,460,753.

Religions: Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%.

Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages.

Literacy: Total population: 67.8% male: 79.4% female: 56.8%.

Climate: Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands.

Terrain: Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south.

Natural resources: Hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel.

Government: Republic.

National capital: Dar es Salaam.

Leader: President Benjamin William Mkapa.

Per capita: $650.

Industries: Primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer.

Agricultural products: Coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats.

Exports: Coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, cloves, tobacco, sisal.

Imports: Manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 4,735,610.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 70%, Christian 20%, Muslim 10%.

Languages: French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye, and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north).

Literacy: Total population: 51.7% male: 67% female: 37%.

Climate: Tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north.

Terrain: Gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes.

Natural resources: Phosphates, limestone, marble.

Government: Republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule.

National capital: Lome.

Leader: President Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema.

Per capita: $970.

Industries: Phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts, textiles, beverages.

Agricultural products: Coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; meat.

Exports: Phosphates, cotton, coffee, cocoa.

Imports: Machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemical products.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 9,245,284.

Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%.

Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce).

Literacy: Total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female : 54.6%

Climate: Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, desert in south.

Terrain: Mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara.

Natural resources: Petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt.

Government: Republic.

National capital: Tunis.

Leader: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Per capita: $4,800.

Industries: Petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages.

Agricultural products: Olives, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar beets, grapes; poultry, beef, dairy products.

Exports: Hydrocarbons, textiles, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals.

Imports: Industrial goods and equipment, hydrocarbons, food, consumer goods.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, amd airways.

Population: 20,604,874.

Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%.

Languages: English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages.

Literacy: Total population: 61.8% male: 73.7% female: 50.2%.

Climate: Tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast.

Terrain: Mostly plateau with rim of mountains.

Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, limestone, salt.

Government: Republic.

National capital:Kampala.

Leader: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Per capita: $900.

Industries: Sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement.

Agricultural products: Coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry.

Exports: Gold, cotton, coffee, tea, corn, fish.

Imports: Petroleum products, machinery, metals, transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, food.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 47,440,362.

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%.

Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba.

Literacy: Total population: 77.3% male: 86.6% female: 67.7%.

Climate: Tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Terrain: Vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east.

Natural resources: Cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential.

Government: Republic.

National capital: Kinshasa.

Leader: Gen. Laurent-Desire Kabila.

Per capita: $400.

Industries: Mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds.

Agricultural products: Coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products.

Exports: Diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil.

Imports: Consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 9,349,975.

Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%.

Languages:English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages.

Literacy: Total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3%.

Climate: Tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April).

Terrain: Mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains.

Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential.

Government: Republic.

National capital: Lusaka.

Leader: President Frederick Chiluba.

Per capita: $1,060.

Industries: Copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer.

Agricultural products: Corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry meat, milk, eggs, hides.

Exports: Copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco.

Imports: Machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, miscellaneous manufactured goods.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.