WORLD GEOGRAPHY
CHAPTER 21
“NORTH AFRICA”

NORTH AFRICA JOINS WITH SOUTHWEST ASIA TO FORM A REGION CALLED THE “MIDDLE EAST” BY WESTERNERS.

I. NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS
A. Landforms
1. Atlas Mountains run parallel to the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts from northern Tunisia to the Atlantic Ocean
2. Sahara Desert (physical region)
a. World’s largest desert and it is expanding southward (desertification)
b. Deserts created by two separate factors
1. Weather pattern dominated by high pressure
2. Absence of moist sea air (distance or blocked by
mountains)
c. Sahara created by both factors
d. Almost uninhabited as human settlement is limited to sites
with water (i.e., oases, wadis)
e. Rainwater carves out wadis (dry streambeds that only fill
with water after rain falls)
3. Nile River
a. Valley and delta contain thousands of acres of rich, fertile
land
b. Longest river in world (4187 miles)
c. Regularly flooded every summer and deposited rich, fertile
silt in the farm fields before dams were built upstream
d. Created the Nile Delta (a physical region)
B. Climates
1. Mediterrean (dry, sunny, warm summers; mild, wetter winters) is
found along the coast
2. Semiarid (10”-20” rainfall/year)
3. Arid (dry) covers most of North Africa as subtropical high pressure keeps the region very dry
C. Plants and animals are concentrated around oases
D. Natural Resources
1. Most valuable natural resources are oil and natural gas
2. Rich fishing grounds off Morocco’s Atlantic coast
3. Rain or irrigation makes farming possible in areas with good soil
II. THE REGION TODAY
A. Economic Activities
1. Oil and natural gas are basis of Libyan and Algerian economies
2. Agriculture is very important in this region despite dry climates
3. Tourism is another important activity which falls victim to violence
4. Still not enough jobs due to rapid population growth
5. Many skilled and educated workers leave to find better jobs in Europe or oil-rich countries in Southwest Asia (guest workers)
B. Urban environments
1. Cities have a mix of modern and traditional buildings
2. Many cities are becoming overcrowded with a ring of slums (shantytowns) surrounding the older core
3. Not enough housing
C. Political Issues
1. Role of Islam in society
2. Role of the United States
D. Environmental Challenges
1. Desertification (spreading of desert conditions)
2. Pollution from oil refining
3. Polluted water supplies
4. Health of the Nile River
III. EGYPT
A. Nile River is main resource
B. Little rain falls here so Nile is very important for irrigation (97 percent of land is irrigated by Nile)
C. Largest dam is the Aswan Dam
1. Positive effects
a. Allows year-round irrigation
b. Produces one-third of Egypt’s electricity
c. Stabilized water availability
2. Negative effects
a. Required to use artificial fertilizers
b. No longer provides nutrients for fish in the Mediterranean
c. Salt buildup in the water
d. Erosion in the Nile waterway and delta
e. Caused poor drainage of nearby land
f. Increase in schistosomiasis (disease)
D. Home of the Suez Canal
E. Member of the Arab League
F. Islamic nation; speaks Arabic, English & French
G. Most populous nation in North Africa
H. Capital is Cairo
I. Major city is Alexandria which developed at the site of a natural harbor
IV. LIBYA
A. Member of the Arab League
B. Islamic nation; speaks Arabic, Italian & English
C. Major oil-producer (member of OPEC)
1. Positive effects
a. Money for social programs
b. Political power
2. Negative effects
a. Produces few jobs
b. Changes traditional ways of life by increasing contact with Western culture
c. Economy is totally tied to oil prices
V. TUNISIA
A. Islamic nation that speaks Arabic and French
B. Member of the Arab League
VI. ALGERIA
A. Member of the Arab League
B. Major oil-producer (member of OPEC)
C. Islamic nation that speaks Arabic and French
VII. MOROCCO
A. Islamic nation that speaks Arabic and French
B. Member of the Arab League
C. Claims Western Sahara as part of its territory