Countries That Start with A

Did you know that only about 5.6% of all sovereign countries in the world start with the letter “A”? That’s 11 out of 195 recognized nations — making it a surprisingly exclusive club in global geography. In total, 11 countries start with A, spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

These are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, and Azerbaijan. Despite sharing a first letter, these nations are remarkably diverse — spanning six continents, dozens of languages, and vastly different economies and geographies.

Collectively, “A” countries represent nearly 10% of Earth’s total landmass, largely due to the size of Australia and Algeria, both ranking in the global top 10 for area. In population, Argentina, Algeria, and Afghanistan lead, while Andorra and Antigua and Barbuda are among the smallest by size and population.

Know Continents of Countries That Start with A

🏳️ Flags of Countries That Start with A

Each “A” country has a national flag that reflects its identity:

• Afghanistan: Black, red, and green vertical stripes with national emblem
• Albania: Red flag with a black double-headed eagle
• Algeria: Green and white with a red crescent and star
• Andorra: Vertical stripes of blue, yellow, and red with coat of arms
• Angola: Split red and black with an emblem of a star, gear, and machete
• Antigua and Barbuda: Black, blue, and white triangles with sun and flag colors
• Argentina: Light blue and white stripes with a yellow “Sun of May”
• Armenia: Horizontal tricolor of red, blue, and orange
• Australia: Blue with Union Jack and six white stars
• Austria: Horizontal red-white-red
• Azerbaijan: Blue, red, and green stripes with crescent and star

Countries That Start with A in Spanish & French

Spanish Names:

• Afganistán, Albania, Argelia, Andorra, Angola, Antigua y Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaiyán

French Names:

• Afghanistan, Albanie, Algérie, Andorre, Angola, Antigua-et-Barbuda, Argentine, Arménie, Australie, Autriche, Azerbaïdjan

These translations help with correct usage in multilingual platforms and support SEO for non-English search queries.

Countries That End With The Letter A

You might be surprised to learn that over 60 countries around the world end with the letter “A” in English. This is a fun and fascinating pattern, often rooted in Latin-based or Romance language naming structures. Countries ending with “A” span every continent, offering a rich tapestry of linguistic history and regional identity.

Below is a shuffled list of countries whose English names end with the letter “A”:

• Argentina
• Angola
• Guatemala
• Botswana
• Sri Lanka
• Saint Lucia
• Costa Rica
• Micronesia
• Malaysia
• Gambia
• Rwanda
• Syria
• Mongolia
• Bolivia
• Nigeria
• Tunisia
• Dominica
• Serbia
• Canada
• Croatia
• Georgia
• Colombia
• Namibia
• India
• Bulgaria
• Estonia
• Cuba
• Malta
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Mauritania
• Australia
• Armenia
• Andorra
• Ethiopia
• Lithuania
• Nicaragua
• Kenya
• Algeria
• Jamaica
• Romania
• Eritrea
• Albania
• Slovakia
• United States of America
• Latvia
• Indonesia
• Panama
• Moldova
• South Africa
• Antigua and Barbuda
• North Macedonia
• Slovenia
• Cambodia
• Guyana
• Tanzania
• Russia

As you can see, there’s significant overlap between countries that start with A and those that end with A. In fact, several countries like Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, and Austria fall into both categories!

Linguistic Patterns in Country Names Ending with “A”

Many countries ending in “A” derive their names from Latin or Romance languages, where the “-a” suffix is commonly used for feminine nouns. For instance:

• “Colombia” is named after Christopher Columbus
• “Bolivia” takes its name from Simón Bolívar
• “Venezuela” translates roughly to “Little Venice”
  

Other countries like India and China have names ending in “a” due to Anglicization and phonetic adaptation rather than linguistic roots.

Interestingly, countries ending in “A” are not exclusive to a single continent. For example:

• Africa: Nigeria, Angola, Tanzania
• Asia: India, Armenia, Malaysia
• Europe: Austria, Albania, Slovakia
• Americas: Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela
• Oceania: Australia, Micronesia

This widespread naming pattern reveals how colonial influence, indigenous language structure, and modern globalization have shaped country names over time.

Why “A” Is a Common Start and End Letter in Country Names?

The letter “A” is one of the most commonly used vowels in the English language, which may explain its frequency in naming conventions. Countries that start with A are often among the first listed in alphabetical directories, international agreements, or statistical reports.

Meanwhile, countries ending with “A” often reflect linguistic heritage from Latin, Greek, Arabic, and native tongues—where words end in open vowels, especially “a.”

For example:

• In Arabic, “-ia” endings are used to denote “land of”
• In Latin, countries were feminized with “-a” endings
• In Slavic and Romance languages, feminine suffixes are very common

These patterns show the intersection of language, history, and geography in shaping how we refer to nations.

Conclusion

Whether you’re diving into trivia or studying global patterns, the topic of a country that starts with A opens a window into an incredibly diverse group of nations. With 11 recognized countries beginning with the letter A, and more than 60 ending with “A,” there’s no shortage of fascinating insights to explore.

From the alpine beauty of Austria to the red deserts of Australia, and from war-torn Afghanistan to oil-rich Algeria, each country that starts with A adds its unique thread to the global tapestry.

Add to that the rich history of countries like India, Colombia, Slovakia, and Canada—all ending in “A”—and you begin to see just how meaningful a single letter can be in global naming and identity.