Countries of Asia, Oceania, and Africa in French

Understanding country names in French is a crucial step in expanding your vocabulary and cultural knowledge. This extensive guide focuses on the countries of Asia, Oceania, and Africa, providing their French names and important grammar rules for using them correctly.

Before we explore the extensive list of countries, let's review some key grammar points for talking about countries in French.

French Grammar Rules for Countries

Gender of Countries in French

In French, every noun, including country names, has a gender. This affects the articles and adjectives used with them.

• Masculine countries: Use "le" (e.g., le Japon)
• Feminine countries: Use "la" (e.g., la Chine)
• Countries starting with a vowel: Use "l'" (e.g., l'Inde)
• Plural countries: Use "les" (e.g., les Philippines)

Prepositions with Countries

The preposition you use depends on the country's gender and whether it's singular or plural.

• For feminine countries: Use "en" (e.g., en Chine)
• For masculine countries: Use "au" (e.g., au Japon)
• For plural countries: Use "aux" (e.g., aux Philippines)
• For countries starting with a vowel: Use "en" (e.g., en Inde)

Examples:

• Je vais au Vietnam. (I'm going to Vietnam.)
• Elle habite en Thaïlande. (She lives in Thailand.)
• Nous voyageons aux Émirats arabes unis. (We're traveling to the United Arab Emirates.)

Now, let's explore the extensive list of countries in these regions.

Countries of Asia in French

East Asia

1. Chine (f) - China
2. Japon (m) - Japan
3. Corée du Nord (f) - North Korea
4. Corée du Sud (f) - South Korea
5. Mongolie (f) - Mongolia
6. Taïwan (m) - Taiwan

Southeast Asia

7. Birmanie/Myanmar (f) - Myanmar
8. Brunei (m) - Brunei
9. Cambodge (m) - Cambodia
10. Indonésie (f) - Indonesia
11. Laos (m) - Laos
12. Malaisie (f) - Malaysia
13. Philippines (f, plural) - Philippines
14. Singapour (m) - Singapore
15. Thaïlande (f) - Thailand
16. Timor oriental (m) - East Timor
17. Vietnam (m) - Vietnam

South Asia

18. Afghanistan (m) - Afghanistan
19. Bangladesh (m) - Bangladesh
20. Bhoutan (m) - Bhutan
21. Inde (f) - India
22. Maldives (f, plural) - Maldives
23. Népal (m) - Nepal
24. Pakistan (m) - Pakistan
25. Sri Lanka (m) - Sri Lanka

Central Asia

26. Kazakhstan (m) - Kazakhstan
27. Kirghizistan (m) - Kyrgyzstan
28. Ouzbékistan (m) - Uzbekistan
29. Tadjikistan (m) - Tajikistan
30. Turkménistan (m) - Turkmenistan

West Asia (Middle East)

31. Arabie saoudite (f) - Saudi Arabia
32. Bahreïn (m) - Bahrain
33. Émirats arabes unis (m, plural) - United Arab Emirates
34. Irak (m) - Iraq
35. Iran (m) - Iran
36. Israël (m) - Israel
37. Jordanie (f) - Jordan
38. Koweït (m) - Kuwait
39. Liban (m) - Lebanon
40. Oman (m) - Oman
41. Palestine (f) - Palestine
42. Qatar (m) - Qatar
43. Syrie (f) - Syria
44. Turquie (f) - Turkey
45. Yémen (m) - Yemen

Countries of Oceania in French

46. Australie (f) - Australia
47. Fidji (f, plural) - Fiji
48. Kiribati (m) - Kiribati
49. Îles Marshall (f, plural) - Marshall Islands
50. Micronésie (f) - Micronesia
51. Nauru (m) - Nauru
52. Nouvelle-Zélande (f) - New Zealand
53. Palaos (m) - Palau
54. Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée (f) - Papua New Guinea
55. Îles Salomon (f, plural) - Solomon Islands
56. Samoa (m) - Samoa
57. Tonga (m) - Tonga
58. Tuvalu (m) - Tuvalu
59. Vanuatu (m) - Vanuatu

Countries of Africa in French

North Africa

60. Algérie (f) - Algeria
61. Égypte (f) - Egypt
62. Libye (f) - Libya
63. Maroc (m) - Morocco
64. Soudan (m) - Sudan
65. Tunisie (f) - Tunisia

West Africa

66. Bénin (m) - Benin
67. Burkina Faso (m) - Burkina Faso
68. Cap-Vert (m) - Cape Verde
69. Côte d'Ivoire (f) - Ivory Coast
70. Gambie (f) - Gambia
71. Ghana (m) - Ghana
72. Guinée (f) - Guinea
73. Guinée-Bissau (f) - Guinea-Bissau
74. Liberia (m) - Liberia
75. Mali (m) - Mali
76. Mauritanie (f) - Mauritania
77. Niger (m) - Niger
78. Nigeria (m) - Nigeria
79. Sénégal (m) - Senegal
80. Sierra Leone (f) - Sierra Leone
81. Togo (m) - Togo

Central Africa

82. Cameroun (m) - Cameroon
83. République centrafricaine (f) - Central African Republic
84. Tchad (m) - Chad
85. Congo (m) - Congo
86. République démocratique du Congo (f) - Democratic Republic of the Congo
87. Guinée équatoriale (f) - Equatorial Guinea
88. Gabon (m) - Gabon
89. São Tomé-et-Príncipe (m) - São Tomé and Príncipe

East Africa

90. Burundi (m) - Burundi
91. Comores (f, plural) - Comoros
92. Djibouti (m) - Djibouti
93. Érythrée (f) - Eritrea
94. Éthiopie (f) - Ethiopia
95. Kenya (m) - Kenya
96. Madagascar (f) - Madagascar
97. Malawi (m) - Malawi
98. Maurice (f) - Mauritius
99. Mozambique (m) - Mozambique
100. Ouganda (m) - Uganda
101. Rwanda (m) - Rwanda
102. Seychelles (f, plural) - Seychelles
103. Somalie (f) - Somalia
104. Soudan du Sud (m) - South Sudan
105. Tanzanie (f) - Tanzania
106. Zambie (f) - Zambia
107. Zimbabwe (m) - Zimbabwe

Southern Africa

108. Afrique du Sud (f) - South Africa
109. Angola (m) - Angola
110. Botswana (m) - Botswana
111. Eswatini (m) - Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
112. Lesotho (m) - Lesotho
113. Namibie (f) - Namibia

Using Country Names in Sentences

Now that you know the names and genders of these countries, let's practice using them in various contexts.

Expressing Origin

To say you're from a country, use the preposition "de" (from), which changes form based on the country's gender and first letter:

• Masculine: du (de + le)
• Feminine: de la
• Vowel sound: de l'
• Plural: des

Examples:

1. Je viens du Japon. (I'm from Japan.)
2. Elle est originaire de la Chine. (She's originally from China.)
3. Ils viennent de l'Inde. (They come from India.)
4. Nous sommes des Philippines. (We are from the Philippines.)

Talking About Living in a Country

Use the appropriate preposition as discussed earlier:

1. J'habite en Thaïlande. (I live in Thailand.)
2. Il vit au Vietnam. (He lives in Vietnam.)
3. Elles habitent aux Émirats arabes unis. (They live in the United Arab Emirates.)
4. Nous vivons en Australie. (We live in Australia.)

Discussing Travel

Use "aller" (to go) with the appropriate preposition:

1. Je vais au Japon cet été. (I'm going to Japan this summer.)
2. Nous allons en Indonésie pour les vacances. (We're going to Indonesia for the holidays.)
3. Ils vont aux Philippines pour une conférence. (They're going to the Philippines for a conference.)
4. Elle va en Inde pour étudier le yoga. (She's going to India to study yoga.)

Common Phrases with Country Names

Here are some useful phrases you can use when talking about countries:

1. La capitale de [country] est... (The capital of [country] is...)

   • La capitale du Japon est Tokyo. (The capital of Japan is Tokyo.)
   • La capitale de la Thaïlande est Bangkok. (The capital of Thailand is Bangkok.)

2. La langue officielle de [country] est... (The official language of [country] is...)

   • La langue officielle de la Chine est le mandarin. (The official language of China is Mandarin.)
   • Les langues officielles de l'Inde sont l'hindi et l'anglais. (The official languages of India are Hindi and English.)

3. [Country] est connu(e) pour... ([Country] is known for...)

   • Le Japon est connu pour sa technologie avancée. (Japan is known for its advanced technology.)
   • L'Australie est connue pour ses plages magnifiques. (Australia is known for its beautiful beaches.)

4. La monnaie de [country] est... (The currency of [country] is...)

   • La monnaie du Vietnam est le dong. (The currency of Vietnam is the dong.)
   • La monnaie de l'Afrique du Sud est le rand. (The currency of South Africa is the rand.)

5. La population de [country] est d'environ... (The population of [country] is about...)

   • La population de l'Indonésie est d'environ 270 millions d'habitants. (The population of Indonesia is about 270 million inhabitants.)
   • La population du Kenya est d'environ 54 millions d'habitants. (The population of Kenya is about 54 million inhabitants.)

Practice Exercises

To reinforce your learning, try these exercises:

1. Create sentences describing a trip through multiple countries in Asia:

   • L'été dernier, j'ai voyagé en Chine, au Japon, et en Corée du Sud. (Last summer, I traveled to China, Japan, and South Korea.)

2. Describe the languages spoken in different African countries:

   • Au Maroc, on parle arabe et français. En Éthiopie, on parle amharique. (In Morocco, they speak Arabic and French. In Ethiopia, they speak Amharic.)

3. Compare the populations of Oceanian countries:

   • L'Australie a une population beaucoup plus importante que la Nouvelle-Zélande. (Australia has a much larger population than New Zealand.)

4. Discuss the capitals of Southeast Asian countries:

   • La capitale du Vietnam est Hanoï, tandis que celle de la Thaïlande est Bangkok. (The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi, while that of Thailand is Bangkok.)

5. Talk about the currencies used in different Middle Eastern countries:

   • En Arabie saoudite, on utilise le riyal, alors qu'en Jordanie, c'est le dinar. (In Saudi Arabia, they use the riyal, while in Jordan, it's the dinar.)

Remember, consistent practice is key to mastering country names and their usage in French. leçon.ai offers personalized exercises and real-time feedback on your French language skills, including pronunciation of these country names. It can generate custom practice materials tailored to your level, helping you improve your French geography vocabulary efficiently.

Additional Topics to Explore

To further enhance your understanding of countries in French, consider exploring these related topics:

1. French-speaking countries in Africa (La Francophonie)
2. Former French colonies and their current relationship with France
3. Major cities in Asian, African, and Oceanian countries
4. Geographic features (mountains, rivers, deserts) in these regions
5. Cultural traditions and festivals specific to different countries
6. Famous landmarks and tourist attractions in various countries
7. Economic relationships between France and countries in these regions
8. Historical connections between France and countries in Africa and Asia

By expanding your knowledge in these areas, you'll not only improve your French language skills but also gain a deeper understanding of global geography and culture.