1. Chapter 14 – North Africa Section Notes Video Maps Close-up
Physical Geography
History and Culture
North Africa Today
Impact of the Nile River
Maps
North Africa: Political
North Africa: Physical
Egypt: Population
North Africa: Agriculture
North Africa
Assessment Map: North Africa
Close-up
A Sahara Oasis
World Almanac
Egypt’s Population
Images
Geography
Great Sphinx
Focus on Culture: The Berbers
An Egyptian Pyramid
Algiers, Algeria
Quick Facts
Chapter 14 Visual Summary

2. North Africa is a dry region with limited water resources.
Physical Geography
The Big Idea
North Africa is a dry region with limited water resources.
Main Ideas
Major physical features of North Africa include the Nile River, the Sahara, and the Atlas Mountains.
The climate of North Africa is hot and dry, and water is the region’s most important resource.

3. Main Idea 1: Major physical features of North Africa include the Nile River, the Sahara, and the Atlas Mountains.
The Nile River is the longest river in the world.
Flows more than 4,000 miles northward through the desert
Formed by the union of two rivers, the Blue Nile and the White Nile
Empties into the Mediterranean Sea
The land along the Nile is very fertile.
Floods on the river deposit silt, or finely ground fertile soil, all along the river.
Before it reaches the sea, the Nile fans out into a huge fertile delta.
The Aswan High Dam controls flooding on the Nile.
Because of the lack of silt, farmers need to use fertilizer to grow crops.

4. Other Physical Features of North Africa
The Sinai and Suez Canal
The Sinai Peninsula is east of the Nile. It is mostly rocky and barren.
The Suez Canal separates the Sinai peninsula from the rest of Egypt. Ships carry oil and goods from the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea through the canal.
Mountains
Several mountain ranges can be found in the Sahara.
The highest mountains are the Atlas Mountains in the northwest, near the Mediterranean Sea. They rise to 13,600 feet (4,160 m) above sea level.

5. The Sahara Largest desert in the world, covering most of North Africa
Very dry, so very few people live there
Nearly every settlement in the Sahara is located near an oasis, a wet and fertile area in a desert where a spring or well provides water.
Common features in the Sahara include broad gravel plains, tall sand dunes, and dry streambeds.

6. Main Idea 2: The climate of North Africa is hot and dry, and water is the region’s most important resource.
Climate
Three main climates:
Desert: very dry, with temperatures ranging from mild to very hot
Mediterranean: found along the coast; mild winters and warm summers
Steppe: found between the coast and the desert
Resources
Because rain is rare, water is a valuable resource.
Oil and gas are found in Libya, Algeria, and Egypt.
Morocco has iron ore.
Coal, oil, and natural gas are found in the Sahara.

7. North Africa is rich in history and Islamic culture.
History and Culture
The Big Idea
North Africa is rich in history and Islamic culture.
Main Ideas
North Africa’s history includes ancient Egyptian civilization.
Islam influences the cultures of North Africa and most people speak Arabic.

8. Main Idea 1: North Africa’s history includes ancient Egyptian civilization.
Egyptian civilization began after 3200 BC.
The Egyptians are most famous for building huge stone monuments, especially pyramids.
The pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs, or Egyptian kings.
The largest pyramid is called the Great Pyramid. It is still standing today.
The Egyptians also developed a writing system called hieroglyphics.
Used pictures to represent words or ideas
Often carved on monuments to record pharaohs’ deeds

9. Later North African History
Greek and Arab Influence
The Greeks under Alexander the Great invaded Egypt.
They built a city, Alexandria, that became a center of trade and culture.
In the 600s the Arabs conquered much of North Africa.
They brought the Arabic language and Islam to the region.
European Influence
By 1912 European countries such as Britain, Spain, France, and Italy had taken over North Africa.
North Africa regained independence beginning in the 1920s. The last country to become free was Algeria in 1962.
Modern North Africa
Since independence the countries of North Africa have tried to build stronger ties with other Arab countries.

10. European Motives For Colonization Economic Opportunities Industrial
Source for
Raw
Materials
Industrial
Revolution
Cheap Labor
European
Motives
For Colonization
Markets to trade Finished Goods
Military & Naval Bases
Places to Dump Unwanted/ Excess Population.
Humanitarian Reasons
Help people in need

11. Africa in
1914

12. Main Idea 2: Islam influences the cultures of North Africa and most people speak Arabic.
People and Language
Egyptians, Berbers, Bedouins, and people of mixed ancestry live in North Africa.
The majority of people in the region speak Arabic.
Religion
Most North Africans are Muslims, people who practice Islam.
Islam influences many aspects of life in North Africa.
A small percentage of people in the region practice Christianity or other non-Islamic religions.

13. The Arts and Literature
North African Culture
Foods
Grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts are common.
Couscous—dish made from wheat served with meat or vegetables
Fuul—Egyptian dish made from fava beans, olive oil, garlic, and lemons
Holidays and Customs
Most holidays are religious.
Cafes are gathering places.
People greet each other by shaking hands and touching their hearts.
Traditional clothes are long and loose.
The Arts and Literature
Traditional arts include wood carving and weaving.
Egypt has a movie industry.
Music is very popular.
Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize in 1988.

14. North Africa Today The Big Idea
Many people of North Africa are farmers, and oil is an important resource.
Main Ideas
Many of Egypt’s people are farmers and live along the Nile River.
People in the other countries of North Africa are mostly pastoral nomads or farmers, and oil is an important resource in the region.

15. Main Idea 1: Many of Egypt’s people are farmers and live along the Nile River.
Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa with more than 75 million people. Most of them are poor farmers.
Government
Egypt is a republic, though its government is influenced by Islamic law. People are torn over how much influence Islam should have and how much the government should participate in foreign affairs.
Society
Most people are very poor and do not have clean water.
Disease is common.
About half of all Egyptians cannot read or write.
The Egyptian government has made great progress in improving people’s lives.

16. Egypt Today Resources and Economy Cities and Rural Life
Limited resources
Nearly all farming takes place along the Nile. The land is very fertile and good for growing cotton.
Shipping through the Suez Canal brings money to Egypt.
Petroleum exports and tourism also make money.
Many Egyptian families depend on money sent by relatives in other countries.
Cities and Rural Life
Close to 99 percent of Egypt’s population lives in the Nile Valley and Delta.
Cairo is the largest city and capital. It has a mixture of modern buildings, historic mosques, and mud houses. The city is very crowded.
Alexandria, the second-largest city, is also poor and crowded.
More than half of all Egyptians live in villages and rural areas.

17. Main Idea 2: People in the other countries of North Africa are mostly pastoral nomads or farmers, and oil is an important resource in the region.
Together, western Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are called the Maghreb, from the Arabic for “west.”
Government
Governments are torn over how much influence Islam should have in the running of countries.
Economy
Oil is the most important resource in Libya and Algeria. Money from oil pays for schools, health care, and military equipment.
Farmers in the region grow wheat, olives, fruits, and nuts.
Tourism is also an important activity.

18. North African Cities
Many North African cities have large marketplaces called souks.
Merchants in souks sell goods like spices, carpets, and copper products.
A souk is often located in the old section of a city called the Casbah.
Cities in Libya and Tunisia are mostly on the coast. The largest cities are Benghazi and Tripoli, Libya, and Tunis, Tunisia.
Morocco’s largest cities are Casablanca and Tangier. Both are tourist attractions, and Tangier is a free port, a city in which goods are not heavily taxed.

19. The Countries of North Africa
Libya
Ruled since 1969 by General Mu’ammar al-Gadhafi, a dictator, or ruler with complete power
Gadhafi supported violence against Israel, so many other countries limit their relations with Libya.
Algeria
In the 1990s violence broke out between the government and Islamic groups.
Today Algeria is working to recover from the violence and strengthen its economy.
Tunisia
Close economic relations with many European countries
Tunisian women have more rights than others in the region.
Morocco
Only country in North Africa with little oil
Important producer and exporter of fertilizer

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