2011年是非洲大选年，共计17个非洲国家原定于该年举行总统大选。而2011年初北非政局动荡和科特迪瓦大选后爆发的内战给非洲大选年蒙上了一层阴霾。尽管北非思变，但撒哈拉以南非洲却人心思稳，其政治发展并未受过多外部环境影响。2011年非洲除了2国因故未能举行大选，其余15国顺利举行了大选，撒哈拉以南非洲在纷繁复杂的世界形势下基本实现了政治平稳发展。展望2012年，恐怖主义、热点国家大选和世界经济增长的放缓将影响非洲政治稳定。
The year of 2011 was the "African Year of Elections", for there should have been 17 African countries to hold their presidential elections. In 2011, Africa witnessed the civil war in Cote d'Ivoire and the anarchy in North Africa, which overshadowed the African elections. Although facing such difficulties and challenges, the African countries got through the year smoothly. 15 African countries succeeded in holding their presidential elections except two. The Sub-Saharan Africa basically realized its political development stably. Looking ahead to 2012, it would be expected that terrorism, elections in the hotspot countries and slowdown of the world economy would affect African political stability.
