Black mambas inhabit a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa; their range includes the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. These snakes prefer moderately dry environments such as light woodland and scrub, rocky outcrops, mountain peaks, and semi-arid savanna. They also inhabit moist savanna, and lowland forests and may visit agricultural areas.