North Africa

North Africa, also known as Northern Africa, is a region that makes up the northern part of the African continent. It stretches from the Atlantic shores of the Western Sahara in the west all the way to Egypt and Sudan's Red Sea coast in the east.

The most common way people define North Africa includes countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Some groups, like the United Nations, also include Sudan, while others, like the African Union, may leave Sudan out but add Mauritania. This area has been home to many groups of people for thousands of years, including the Berbers in the west and the Ancient Egyptians and Nubians in the east.

Starting many centuries ago, people from the Arabian Peninsula moved into North Africa, bringing with them new ways of life and beliefs. This changed the region a lot and shaped its culture, which today is mostly connected to the Arab and Islamic traditions. Because of this history, North Africa shares many similarities with the Middle East, West Asia, East Africa, and areas around the Sahara desert.

Countries and territories

History

Main article: History of North Africa

Further information: African empires § North Africa, and List of kingdoms in pre-colonial Africa § North Africa

Prehistory

Main article: Prehistoric North Africa

Further information: History of North Africa § Prehistory

North Africa has a rich prehistoric history that helps us understand early human life. Some believe North Africa was where modern humans first left the continent. Early human remains and tools have been found in places like Setif and Saïda, dating back millions of years.

Recent discoveries in Morocco suggest that early humans may have lived across Africa much earlier than previously thought. Cave paintings in Tassili n'Ajjer show lively scenes from thousands of years ago. During this time, people began to farm and raise animals as the climate changed.

Evidence shows that people lived in Nubia long ago, while the Nile Valley in Egypt had less evidence from that time. Some believe Egyptian civilization grew from communities along the Nile.

When Egypt entered a new age, western North Africa had smaller groups of people. The Phoenicians and Greeks set up colonies along the coast in the 7th century BCE.

Antiquity and ancient Rome

Main article: History of North Africa § Classical period

Important nations in western North Africa included Carthage, Numidia, and Mauretania. The Phoenicians set up colonies, including Carthage. The story says a Phoenician princess named Dido used a clever trick to get land for her city.

Carthage grew into a powerful trading empire but often fought with Rome. Over time, Rome took over all of Carthage's lands, making them a Roman province. This led to wars with Numidia. Mauretania stayed independent until Rome took it over in 42 AD.

North Africa stayed part of the Roman Empire, home to famous people like Augustine of Hippo. But later, new groups like the Vandals took over, which helped the Western Roman Empire weaken.

Arab conquest to modern times

Main article: History of North Africa § Arrival of Islam

Further information: Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, European enclaves in North Africa before 1830, Colonisation of Africa, Decolonisation of Africa, Postcolonial Africa § North Africa, and Neocolonialism

See also: Status of forces agreement

By 640, North Africa became part of the early Muslim conquests. By 700, most of it was under Muslim rule. Local Berbers formed their own governments in places like Fez.

A movement called the Almoravid dynasty spread into Africa in the 11th century. Later, invasions by groups like the Banu Sulaym and Banu Hilal caused big changes and made some areas desert.

After the Middle Ages, the Ottoman Empire had influence over much of the area. Privateers, known as Barbary pirates, operated from coastal cities. European powers like Spain, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy took control of North Africa in the 19th century.

During World War II, from 1940 to 1943, North Africa was an important battleground. In the 1950s and 1960s, North African countries gained independence. Today, there is a dispute over Western Sahara between Morocco and groups supported by Algeria.

The Arab Spring began in Tunisia and Egypt, leading to changes in their governments and civil conflict in Libya. There were also protests in Algeria and Morocco.

Geography

North Africa has three main geographic features: the Sahara desert in the south, the Atlas Mountains in the west, and the Nile River and delta in the east. The Atlas Mountains stretch across much of northern Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. These mountains are part of a large mountain system that also runs through much of Southern Europe. They gradually slope down to the south and east, turning into a dry, grassy landscape before meeting the Sahara desert, which covers more than 75 percent of the region. The highest peaks are in the High Atlas range in south-central Morocco, which often has snow on top.

South of the Atlas Mountains lies the vast and dry Sahara desert, the largest sand desert in the world. In some places, the desert has dry riverbeds called wadis, which only fill with water after rain but are usually dry. The Sahara has many interesting landforms, including large seas of sand called ergs that sometimes form huge dunes, flat rocky areas called hammada, and desert pavement known as reg. The Sahara covers southern Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and most of Libya. Only two parts of Libya are not desert: Tripolitania in the northwest and Cyrenaica in the northeast. Most of Egypt is also desert, except for the Nile River and the land that is watered by it. The Nile Valley is a narrow strip of very fertile land that runs the length of the country.

Fertile farming land can be found in sheltered valleys in the Atlas Mountains, the Nile Valley and Delta, and along the coast where the Mediterranean Sea meets the land. Many important crops are grown there, such as grains, rice, cotton, and woods like cedar and cork. Other common crops from the Mediterranean area, like olives, figs, dates, and citrus fruits, also grow well in these places. The Nile Valley is especially fertile, and most people in Egypt live close to the river. In other areas, extra water from irrigation is needed to help crops grow better near the desert edges.

Economy

See also: Economy of Algeria, Economy of Egypt, Economy of Libya, Economy of Morocco, Economy of Tunisia, Economy of Sudan, and Economy of Western Sahara

Science and technology

Further information in the sections of History of science and technology in Africa:

• Education
• Astronomy
• Mathematics
• Metallurgy
• Medicine
• Agriculture
• Textiles
• Maritime technology
• Architecture
• Communication systems
• Warfare
• Commerce
• By country

Demographics

Main articles: Maghrebis, Maghrebi Arabs, Berbers, Egyptians, Copts, Nubians, and Haratins

Further information: Demographics of Africa, Demographics of the Middle East and North Africa, List of ethnic groups of Africa § North Africa, List of African countries by population, and Writing systems of Africa § Ancient orthographies

The people of North Africa come from many different backgrounds. The main groups include Arabs, Berbers, Egyptians, Copts, Nubians, and Haratins. Most people speak Arabic, but some also speak Berber. Algeria and Morocco recognize Berber as an official language alongside Arabic. French is used in government work in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Most people in North Africa follow the Muslim faith. There are also smaller groups of Jewish people in Morocco and Tunisia, and Christian Copts mainly in Egypt, with smaller communities in Algeria, Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia. In 2001, about 9 million Christians lived in North Africa, mostly in Egypt, with others in the Maghreb countries.

People from the Canary Islands in Spain and Malta have mixed ancestry from Spain, North Africa, and other regions, but these places are considered part of Europe, not North Africa. Haratins, who are thought to be descendants of ancient Sahara inhabitants, live mainly in Mauritania and also in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Nubians live along the Upper Nile Valley, especially in Egypt. The Beja people live in Sudan and Egypt and have mixed with Arab groups over time.

Culture

Main article: Culture of North Africa

Further information: African art § North Africa, Architecture of Africa § North Africa, Folk costume § Northern Africa, African cuisine § North Africa, List of African cuisines § Central African cuisine, Music of Africa § North Africa and the Horn of Africa, Cinema of Africa § North Africa, History of theatre § North African theatre, and Traditional African religions § North Africa

Most people in North Africa speak different types of Arabic and follow the religion of Islam. The Arabic and Berber languages are related, both coming from the same big family of languages called Afroasiatic. The Berber languages spoken by the Tuareg people are older than those used in the coastal cities.

Over time, Berbers have met and learned from many other cultures, including Egyptians, Greeks, Punic people, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Europeans, and other Africans. Because of this, the cultures of North Africa mix Arab, Berber, and African traditions. In the Sahara desert, life is different for people who live in oases and those who move around with their animals, like the Bedouin Arabs and Tuaregs.

Egyptians have changed their language over time from ancient Egyptian to modern Egyptian Arabic, but they still feel unique compared to others in the area. Most Egyptians follow Sunni Muslim beliefs, but there are also many Coptic Christians there. The Copts are the biggest group of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.