Links Page on Northern Africa

Outline

  1. History of Northern Africa
  2. Physical Environment
  3. Agriculture in Northern Africa

History of Northern Africa

Artistic expressions were preserved in rock engravings and paintings.  These were developed in northwestern Africa in the Neolithic period.  During the eighth century, Phoenician traders from Lebanon created colonies by harbor sites near the coast.  Carthage’s among Phoenician, Egyptian, and Greek influences.

In Northern Africa there are eight major countries- Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara.  In these sites you can get information on currency, energy, geography, health and so on.

Sunni orthodoxy was the first belief in Northern Africa, because of efforts to politically centralize Sunnism, Islam rose in the 1800’s.  Islam was supported by the Arab Caliphal dynasties of the Umayyads.  Christianity came to Northern Africa by the Roman Empire.

Physical Environment

Northern Africa’s environment is a semi-arid, which includes mountainous regions that include the High Atlas Mountains.  Around these mountainous regions are a significant amount of plant life and different endemic species.  This also includes the oasis of the Sahara desert.

The marines and coastal zones are very important in Northern Africa, which supports tourism, fishing, and petroleum companies.  The coral reefs give the coast 194 species of coral and endemic species also.  Some species you might find there are shrimp sea cucumber, rock lobster, and so on.

 Although Northern Africa has a desert to a semi-desert climate, forests still makes up about 8 percent of the land (68 million acres).  Over the past thirty years the forests have been declining due to industries.  There are also non forest woods, like shrubs, large bushes, and sandy wadis.

Agriculture in Northern Africa

The dry arid land is an obstacle for farmers; the land is very difficult to plant crops. Also the annual precipitation is about 7 percent a year.  Plus 90 percent of precipitation is lost with evaporation. 

The importance of agriculture and livestock is huge in Africa because it employs around thirty seven percent in Arab countries.  Agriculture depends on fertilizer and irrigation.  There is a high demand on agriculture and livestock.

Types of agriculture- barley, rice, sorghum, wheat which cereals are made from, dates, olives, sugar cane, beets, nuts seeds and so on.   These crops are planted in subregioned areas.  Also have citrus fruits.

Submitted by Jason Vieux 9/19/03