Modern North Africa Notes #2

Class Objective Students will investigate the religion, ethnicity, customs, language, and government of North Africa.

Religion North Africa’s religions were shaped by the isolation caused by the Sahara Desert from the rest of Africa. The most dominant religion in the area is Islam. People that belong to the Islamic faith are typically called Muslim.

The reason Islam is the most prevalent religion is because of the proximity to Arabic countries in the middle east. There are also other religions such as Christianity, and Judaism.

Ethnicity Even though the people are located in Northern Africa they mostly consider themselves Arab. After the collapse of Roman power Arab armies swept through the area maintaining control for centuries. The Berbers are a group of people who claim to be descendants from the cultural group that inhabited the area before the Arabs took over.

Customs Most people wear traditional clothing. This traditional clothing serves two purposes. It functions according to Muslim traditions. It is very functional in the hot desert climate.

Government North African politics have long been influenced by Islamic beliefs. This can cause tension on how the government of a country should function for it’s people. Islamic fundamentalists feel that the government should operate on the Islamic beliefs.

Others want government to limit the role of Islam in politics. In Algeria in 1992, an Islamic party was going to win the upcoming election and take power. In response to this the government shut down the elections and suspended Parliament (congress).

In retaliation to the governments choice civil war broke out throughout the country. Thousands have died from fighting over this political decision. If the U.S was to get involved which side would we choose? Which side would you choose?

The U.S has became increasingly involved in North Africa sending both military and economic aid to the countries that are not anti-American. The President of Libya has pursued many anti-American policies, and sees himself as a defender of Arab causes.

Economy Most North African countries would be considered as developing countries. Some countries such as Morocco have tried to strengthen their economy by creating ties with Europe.

Natural Resources Oil and Natural gas are the main products of the Libyan and Algerian economies. Egypt and Tunisia also have oil industries. Oil production is yet another thing that ties North Africa with the Middle East.

Agricultural production is also a necessity. Egypt has millions of farmers producing agriculture along the Nile Valley. The only country in the region without strong agricultural production is Libya, which imports about 75% of its food.

Cities The main cities in the region have a mix of modern and traditional buildings. These cities are becoming increasingly overcrowded as people move to the cities to find work. Cities such as Cairo do not have enough housing for the migrants. People crowd into slums, or live in tents on rooftops. People also have converted tombs into bedrooms and kitchens.