Chapter 15

1. Chapter 15 Northern Africa

2. Northern Africa • Has more in common with the Middle East than the rest of Africa • Main concerns: • search for water • Islamic faith • Dominated by Sahara desert- largest desert in the world • Closed to Christian missions

3. I. The Sahel • Transitional region between jungles and Sahara • Grass covered plains • 300 miles wide • Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad • Very poor region, Children rarely attend school, Lowest literacy rates in Africa • Transitional for religion and cultures too • Desertification: • Read pg. 382

4. Mauritania • TODAY: • Only country of the Sahel to have a seacoast • Only natural resource- iron ore • Nomadic people in the north called Moors • Only fertile plain- along the Senegal River • Drought, overgrazing and deforestation have taken a toll though • Many farmers living in capital, Nouakchott, off of foreign aid • History Not always so poor, Ghana Empire was in the SE corner Controlled the trade routes, kept all gold pieces, allowed gold dust to continue on Ancient capital now lies in ruins

5. Mali • Today • One of the poorest countries in the world • Mostly desert and landlocked • 90% of population lives in the Sahel • Main export: cotton– fluctuating prices make the economy vulnerable • Niger River – most important in the Sahel, flows through Mali- most cities lie on the river • Capital: Bamako- largest in the Sahel • History • Center of the glorious Mali Empire • Rose to power in 1200 when they conquered Ghana • Took control of gold trade, wealth increased greatly • Mansa Musa- leading king of Mali- reputation as the richest man in the world • brought Muslim scholars into Mali • Set up Timbuktu as his capital- became key university city in all of Northern Africa • No European laid eyes on Timbuktu until 1826

6. Niger • Today • Covered almost entirely by the Sahara • One break in the desert- the Air Mountains • Switzerland of the desert • Largest uranium reserves in Africa- provides mining jobs • Niger River in the southwest is most populous area, although temperatures reach 100*F on average • Capital: Niamey • 2005 brought drought and locust infestation- food shortage for 2.5 million • Living conditions worse than Mali, lowest per capita GDP and lowest life expectancy of the Sahel • Has to rely on foreign aid for everything

7. Niger • History • Tuaregs- white desert nomads- took control of ancient trade routes (today 8% of Nigerians are Tuareg) • Largest African empire- Songhai- was born along the Niger River in 8th century • Great ruler: Sunni Ali took over the Mali empire in 1464 • Invaded in 1591 by Morocco who blamed Songhai for economic decline • Morocco easily won- first to use firearms in a battle on African soil

8. Chad • One of the most primitive countries in the Sahel • Lake Chad- most important body of water in the Sahel, has a lot of fish, capital (N’Djamena) located here • Civil War for 3 decades • Christian population is largest in the Sahel, due to missionaries who came in the colonial days

9. II. The Maghreb • Atlas Mountains lie along the northwest coast of Africa • Arabs call them Djezirea el-Maghreb • Major impact on weather and culture • Coast along the Mediterranean is pleasant climate • Arabs call 3 countries the Maghreb—meaning west • Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco • Berbers first settled the region- traded with Romans, Greeks, etc.

10. Morocco • Has coasts on Mediterranean and Atlantic • Narrow peninsula almost touches Europe- 8 miles across the Strait of Gibraltar • Border town= Tangier • Two other major ports: Casablanca and Rabat (capital) lie on the Atlantic • Has a constitutional monarchy since 1956- royal family claims direct descent from the prophet Mohammed • Controls regions in Western Sahara

11. Algeria • Was the second largest country in Africa(size of Texas and Alaska combined) until Sudan split • Most of the country is desert, 91% of pop. Lives along the Mediterranean coast • Mild climate, makes wine and citrus fruits the main exports • Shaped by history of foreign invaders- Arab, French

12. The Sahara • Not just wide open sandy areas– called Ergs • More common- Regs- flat desert area covered with pebbles • Ahaggar Mountains- rise in the middle of the Sahara • Chotts- shallow salt lakes, contain very little water • Wadis(dry stream beds) and Oases- grass and palm trees can survive, usually only big enough to support one or two families, but some are large enough to support entire cities

13. Tunisia Several geographic advantages over neighbors pleasant climate, water supply, productive land Has twice the population of Libya, large neighbor to the East Most people live in the North, near the Atlas mountains Prominent peninsula juts out into the Mediterranean Tunis- Capital city- located for trade (ancient city of Carthage)

14. III. Libya and Egypt • Serve as transitional area between Africa and the Middle East • Are the two most influential N. African countries • Both have played important roles in world politics

15. Libya • Desert covers 90% • capital of Tripoli – largest manufacturing center today • Highest temperature ever measured was in the Sahara of Libya- 136*F • Independent from Italy in 1951, but Muammar Qaddafi overthrew the newly placed government in 1969- removed all signs of Italian culture, hoped to create a new empire • Oil deposits give Libya highest per capita GDP in Africa • Highest life expectancy in Africa • Man-Made River Project- bringing water underground from the Sahara up to farms in the North, largest engineering project in the world • In 2011 protests against Gaddafi's rule began. These escalated into an uprising that spread across the country. Qaddafi was captured alive,but then killed by the liberation army.

16. Egypt • Today • Largest population in the Arab world • Monarchy replaced with republic in 1952 • Nile is the livelihood of Egypt- nearly all the population lives along the river • Cairo- capital- largest city in Africa, major tourist spot due to Giza pyramids across the river • Alexandria- Alexander the Great established this city near the delta, home to the largest library ever compiled in the ancient world • Strong Muslim population

17. Egypt- continued • Aswan High Dam- largest dam in Egypt, created Lake Nasser- before farmers had to wait for river to flood to irrigate crops, now farm year round, but have to use fertilizer • Sinai Peninsula- part of Asia, divided from African Egypt by Isthmus of Sinai • Gulf of Suez connect to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal—read pg. 395 in textbook • Gets its name from Mount Sinai, located on the peninsula, where Moses received the Ten Commandments • Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt • Northern area – Nile Delta, lower elevation= Lower Egypt • Southern area- between Aswan High Dam and the Nile Delta = Upper Egypt– where most ruins are located

18. Egypt • History • As early as 2700 BC, Egypt was united as a state under one ruler • Long succession of dynasties and pharaohs- who built famous monuments • Thebes- great capital of Egyptian kings for 1500 years, now is the city of Luxor • Valley of the Kings- near Luxor, more than 60 tombs of pharaohs – many robbed before archeologists arrived, but King Tut’s was intact • Read pg. 393 in textbook