Egypt and North Africa

Egypt’s Land 3 main land areas: Nile River Valley, Sinai Peninsula, and the desert Lifeline of Egypt is the Nile River Silt left behind after flooding that made land good for farming Sinai Peninsula is a crossroad between Africa and Southwest Asia Suez Canal, opened to help trade, links Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea

Egypt’s Land Desert are the Eastern and Libyan Deserts which are part of the Sahara Oasis- fertile or green area in a desert Dry desert climate is found here Very little rainfall, instead spring brings hot winds, not cooling rain

Egypt’s Economy Economy based on farming Raw cotton, cotton yarn, and clothing are main exports Aswan High Dam controls flooding of the Nile for farming and provides electricity Disadvantages of the dam: block silt so they use fertilizers that pollute the water and freshwater doesn’t reach the delta, but saltwater from Med. Sea does, making the land less fertile

Egypt’s Economy Industry produces food products, textiles, and consumer goods Tourism an important industry Main energy source is oil Country has phosphate- mineral salt used in fertilizers

Egypt’s History Came under British control during building of the Suez Canal Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew monarchy and created a republic Population 72.1 million Cairo- capital and largest city in terms of population in Africa Fellahin- Egyptian peasant farmer

Egypt’s History Bazaar- marketplace Many city dwellers work in service industry- provide services to people rather than produce goods Religion- Islam First Muslim nation to sign peace treaty with Israel

Libya 90% of land is covered by the Sahara Desert Lacks freshwater so government built pipelines to carry water from aquifers underneath the desert. An aquifer is an underground rock layer that store water. Discovery of oil in 1959 brought country great wealth.

Libya 5.5 million people are mixed Arab and Berber. Berber first known people to live in North Africa. Most people live in coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Libya is a Muslim nation. Tripoli is the capital In 1969, Muammar al-Kaddafi led a military coup that ended Libya’s monarchy and set up the Libyan Arab Republic.(Kaddafi was overthrown and assassinated in 2011)

Libya In 1977, Libya changed its name to the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.(Jamahiriya means “state of the masses”) This is a form of a democratic government because the people that serve in the Jamahiriya are elected by the people.

Tunisia Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco make up region known as the Maghreb (land farthest west) Tunisia is Africa’s smallest country Farming takes place in coastal areas Factories produce food products, textiles, and oil products Tourism is a growing industry

Tunisia Carthage was a powerful trading empire that fought against the Roman empire for control of the Mediterranean. Tunisia was a colony of France Tunisia is a Muslim nation 9.9 million people are of mixed Arab and Berber ancestry Tunis is the capital

Algeria The largest country in North Africa Atlas Mountains run through northern Algeria Ergs- huge, shifting sand dunes Imports one-third of its food Oil is an important resource Algeria has trouble with widespread poverty

Algeria 31.7 million people of mixed Arab and Berber ancestry Algeria was a French colony Fought a fierce civil war to gain independence in 1954 Algeria is a republic Algeria is a Muslim nation

Algeria Muslims have fought civil wars to oppose secular (nonreligious) policies Algiers is the capital People enjoy casbahs, older sections of the city of Algiers

Morocco Borders both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean Strait of Gibraltar separates Africa and Europe by only 8 miles Farming takes place on coastal plains Morocco is a leading producer of phosphate Tourism is a growing industry

Morocco Morocco was a colony of both Spain and France Berbers were the first to settle in Morocco Morocco is a constitutional monarchy Morocco has claimed an area called the Western Sahara Have fought a war for control over this area with a rebel group that wants to create an independent country

Morocco United Nations has not settled anything over the Western Sahara region Morocco is a Muslim nation Population is 30.7 million Rabat is the capital Moors are an ethnic group of Arab/Berber descent Souks are marketplaces in Morocco