Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa I. Culture of North Africa A. The People 1. Three main groups – Egyptians, Berbers, and Arabs – make up the population of North Africa. a) Varied culture. b) Egypt’s ancient culture is still present. c) French influence is present in Morocco to Tunisia. d) Islam is the dominant religion in the region. 2. Some Christians and Jews live in the region. a) Egypt’s Coptic Christians (formed in the A.D. 400s) 3. Of the North African nations, Libya has the highest rate of urbanization. a) 3 out of every 4 live in an urban area. b) ½ of Egypt’s people live in a city.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa B. Daily Life 1. Patterns of daily life differ between the city and the countryside. a) Cities are centers of business and trade. b) Blend of traditional cultures and modern life. 2. Towns and cities in North Africa show no signs of being planned. a) Streets are narrow and curving. 3. Cairo, Egypt is by far North Africa’s largest city with 9.3 million people. a) Other large cities are Algiers, Algeria; Casablanca, Morocco; and Tunis, Tunisia.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa 4. Cairo’s buildings reflect its more than 1,000 year old history. a) The Nile waterfront has modern day skyscrapers and parks. b) Throughout the city are historic mosques. c) Tourists enjoy museums. d) To the west of the city is a cluster of mud huts where poor people lived called the “The City of the Dead”. 5. An important feature of North African cities is the souk, or open-air market. a) stalls or stands of food, crafts, and other goods. b) Singers and acrobats perform. 6. Life in rural areas follows a different pattern. a) Farming villages in rural areas can be as small as 500 people.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa b) Each morning, the fellaheen, poor farmers of Egypt, walk to work in the fields outside the village. c) They use hand tools and rely on muscle and animal power to do farm work. 7. Farms in Libya are clustered around oases. a) Small communities due to the lack of water. 8. Some rural dwellers still live like nomads. a) Berbers have embraced this lifestyle for centuries. b) Most are shepherds. C. Food 1. Moroccan food has gained fame around the world for its rich and complex flavors. a) The base of many meals is couscous, small nuggets of semolina wheat that are steamed. b) Meat & vegetables are poured over it.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa c) This style of cooking and food are also present in Algeria and Tunisia. 2. Sandwiches in North Africa are often made with pita bread. a) Lamb, chicken, or fish. b) Falafel is made from ground, dried beans and formed into cakes and fried. c) Pigeon is also popular in Egypt and Morocco. D. Arts 1. The arts in North Africa reflect the influence of Islam. a) The Islamic religion forbids art that shows the figures of animals or humans.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa b) Folk art, like weaving and embroidery, has intricate patterns but no figures. c) These patterns are also used to decorate buildings. 2. Many young people in North Africa are attracted to Western music and movies. a) This make traditional strict Muslim angry. b) Algerian artists and performers have left the country. c) Egypt has long been a center of television and film production for the Arab world. E. Languages and Literature 1. Arabic is the official language of all five countries in North Africa. a) French is prominent in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa b) French and English can be heard in the cities, but Berber languages can be found in rural areas. 2. As the largest Arabic-speaking country, Egypt has played an important part in the literature of the region. a) Writers have explored themes like western influence on North African culture. II. Challenges in North Africa A. Economic Issues 1. When oil was discovered in Libya, Muammar al-Qaddafi, the leader of the country, said that a major goal was to provide social benefits to everyone. a) That did not happen.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa b) When Qaddafi fell from power, people thought their lives would improve, but progress was slow. 2. Algeria has tried to shift its economy away from the emphasis of the sale of natural gas and oil. a) Government keeps tight control of businesses. b) Businesses from other countries are not willing to invest there. 3. Morocco’s economy is the most diversified, a mix of many different economic activities. a) Mining, some manufacturing, farming, and tourism. b) Poverty and unemployment still grips Morocco. 4. In recent years, thousands have left the region for Europe to find employment.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa B. Social Issues 1. High population growth is a major concern in Libya and Egypt. a) Overpopulation and inadequate health care. b) Large share of the population is 14 years or younger. 2. A large amount of time and effort would have to be spent to develop the economies of North Africa. a) The U.S. government has pledged money to several countries to help them accomplish these goals. 3. Literacy rates in North Africa is another issue. a) Libya is the highest in the region at 89%. b) Morocco is the lowest in the region at 50% c) Men in the region are more likely to be literate than women and this is a leading factor in the slow development of the region’s economies.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa III. North Africa’s Future A. Political Issues 1. Two political forces are strong in the region of North Africa. 2. One is a push for democracy. a) People are frustrated with their leaders who seem to only be in power for themselves. 3. The second force is an increase in Islamic fundamentalism. a) Strict Muslims want laws to change to be in line with Islamic law. b) Some want to see an end to Western influence on their culture.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa c) The political party of the Muslim Brotherhood gained a majority in Egypt’s parliament in the 2011 elections. d) The Muslim Brotherhood also gained a majority in Morocco and seats in Tunisia. e) These conditions helped to bring forth the Arab Spring of 2010 and 2011 which has left a cloud of uncertainty on the region. 4. Egypt began writing a new constitution, a set of rules for a nation and a government, in 2012. 5. For nearly 20 years, Algeria has undergone brutal conflict between Islamic groups and the government and its forces. a) 100,000 people have died in the fighting. 6. Victorious Libyan rebels found it difficult to set up a new government and rebuild after the Libyan civil war.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa a) The eastern part of the Libyan country wanted self rule which threatens Libya’s future. B. Islam in the Modern World 1. Many Muslims worry about the impact of Western culture on their lands. a) Disagreement about western entertainment and women’s rights. 2. Women in North Africa generally have more rights than those in other Muslim lands. 3. Several million of Egypt’s Coptic Christians have grown more worried about their position in recent years. a) Muslim extremists have attacked them and bombed their churches. b) Early in 2012, the head of the Coptic church died which left the church in uncertainty.

Ch. 19, L3 Life in North Africa C. Relations with Other Nations 1. Egypt broke ranks with other Muslim nations in 1979 when it signed a peace treaty with Israel. a) It has also developed close ties with the United States. b) Morocco also has close ties with the U.S. c) Muslim fundamentalist groups have criticized the governments for its close ties with the U.S. 2. If fundamentalist groups gain power in North Africa, it might damage relations with the United States.