HISTORY:
The five largest empires in African History by land mass (of native origin) were:
1. The Songhai Empire: The Songhai Empire was one of the largest empires in African history. It existed from the 15th to the 16th century and was located in what is now modern-day Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. At its height, it covered an estimated area of about 1.4 million square kilometers.
2. The Mali Empire: The Mali Empire, also known as the Manden Kurufaba, was a West African empire that existed from the 13th to the 17th century. It was located in what is now Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania. The Mali Empire’s territorial extent varied over time, but it covered an estimated area of about 1.3 million square kilometers at its peak.
3. The Aksumite Empire: The Aksumite Empire, also known as the Kingdom of Aksum, was an ancient empire that existed from the 1st century AD to the 7th century AD. It was located in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it extended its influence across the Red Sea into present-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The empire covered an estimated area of about 1.25 million square kilometers at its height.
4. The Kanem-Bornu Empire: The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a medieval empire that existed from the 9th to the 19th century. It was located in what is now Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Sudan. The empire covered a vast area of approximately 1 million square kilometers at its height.
5. The Ethiopian Empire: The Ethiopian Empire, also known as Abyssinia, is one of the oldest continuously existing countries in the world. It reached its height of power in the 16th century under the rule of Emperor Lebna Dengel and covered an estimated area of about 1 million square kilometers, including present-day Ethiopia, Eritrea, and parts of Sudan.
Please note that the rankings and exact land areas covered by these empires may vary based on different historical sources and interpretations. These are snapshots and a sample.