Northern Africa

Libya and Maghreb Nations

• Maghreb – Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco– “Land farthest west” (west of Egypt)

Europeans

• France and Italy – took colonies in N. Africa

• Italy was defeated in WWII – Libya was freed

• Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco – had to fight for independence – different relationship with European countries than Libya

Northern Africa

• Arabic speaking Muslims– Similar to middle east

• Arid Climate• Northern part of the Sahara

Sahara Desert

• world's largest hot desert, and second largest desert after Antarctica.

• Apx. Size of USA

Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco

• Many similarities

• Libya – big, oil, little agriculture

• Tunisia – small, no oil, agriculture

Tunisia

Physical Char.

• Sandy Dunes (erg) – gravel Rock (reg) deserts

• Beaches

• Wadis – dry river beds and sharp gullies – hold water

• No navigable

rivers

Think

• Why would the people in the interior keep traditional ways as the coastal areas modernized?

• Mountains and desert made it difficult to travel

Coast of Mediterranean Sea

• Blend of African, European, Asian

• Early – Berbers – original inhabitants

• Roman rule – Camels – “ships of desert” - caravans

Caravans

• South – Salt

• North – Slaves, ivory, gold, feathers

• Mid- 600s – Arab invaders – language, religion

• Golden age – center Europe, Africa, Asia

• Learning a

Rural, Urban, Nomad

• Rural – Small rural Villages

• Mud/stone houses

• 1 room – no/few windows

• Water –goatskin bag/well

Rural Work

• Subsistence Agriculture

• Centuries old tools – wood plow/camel

• 3 hr work break

Desert Nomads

• Nomadic way of life

• Tuareg – small groups central/S. Sahara

“free men”

Droughts force settlement

Urban

• Rapid urbanization

• ½ more urban

• Medinas – older Arab sections of N. Africa cities around Mosques

• Souks – market areas

Rapid growth – What type of

Problems do you think this

Might cause?

Housing and Jobs - Scarce

Morocco

DAKAR Rally

Dakar

Libya

• Colony of Italy (Italy lost WWII)

• 1951 – Libya – Independent

• Very poor - $ foreign aid, rent military bases

Flag - plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Libya cont…

• 1961 – oil = $$$$.• $=roads, schools, housing

– Hospitals, airports– Water, electricity – rural areas– New jobs – construction and oil

99% exports

Colonel Qaddafi

• 1969 – led military coup –took power

• Socialism/modern economic and political reforms

• Goal – equal distribution of wealth– (limited $3,400 savings)

Qaddafi cont…

• Root out western influence

• Closed bars and night life

• Banned blue jeans (men) – pants and short skirts (women)

Qadaffi cont..

• Spent billions on Soviet weapons

• Wars/terrorist

• 1986 – US air strikes (result of terrorism)

• 1992 – US eco. Sanctions

• Now – not terrorist - leader

Algeria

• Independent – French Colonists left

• No education, no professionals, no administrators

• Massive training/education programs

Algeria cont.

• 1950s – oil/natural gas– 96% exports– Population growth/few jobs– Emigrate to Europe (France)

Rural Farming

• Govt. encourages – 3 reasons

• 1 – provides jobs

• Reduce food imports (1/3 imported)

• Limited overcrowding in cities– (2 bedroom apt. – avg 9 people)

Algeria

• 1988 – antigovernment riots – end one party rule

• 1992 –islamic party almost won

• Army took over to prevent this

• Wave of attacks and terrorism

Algeria

Tunisia and Morocco

• Lack large oil reserves

• T. – education – free though college

• T/M – Developed manufacturing

• More $ - export clothes

Tunisia and Morocco

• Minerals – phosphates are exported

• Built up chemical industries

• Rural areas declining

• CEUTA AND MELILLA, FRAGMENTS OF EUROPE ON NORTH AFRICA'S MEDITERRANEAN COAST, CAME UNDER SPANISH CONTROL AROUND 500 YEARS AGO.

• MADRID SAYS THE URBAN ENCLAVES ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF SPAIN. THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY MOROCCO, WHICH VIEWS THE SPANISH PRESENCE AS ANACHRONISTIC AND CLAIMS SOVEREIGNTY.

• BUT IMPROVING RELATIONS WERE JEOPARDISED IN NOVEMBER 2007 BY SPANISH KING JUAN CARLOS' II FIRST VISIT TO THE TERRITORIES IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS, WHICH KING MOHAMMED VI STRONGLY CONDEMNED.

• SPAIN ALSO CONTROLS A SCATTERING OF ISLETS ALONG THE NORTH AFRICAN COAST, INCLUDING UNINHABITED PEREJIL, WHICH WAS AT THE CENTRE OF A SPAT IN 2002 WHEN MOROCCAN SOLDIERS OCCUPIED IT BEFORE BEING REMOVED BY THE SPANISH ARMY.

• MORE RECENTLY, DIFFERENCES OVER CEUTA AND MELILLA HAVE NOT PREVENTED A WARMING OF RELATIONS BETWEEN MOROCCO AND SPAIN, PARTICULARLY ECONOMIC ONES. MOROCCO'S PREMIER HAS ADVOCATED "NEIGHBOURLY" TALKS ON THE ISSUE.

• CEUTA, A STEPPING-STONE TO MAINLAND EUROPE• WITH ITS REBUILT 15TH CENTURY CATHEDRAL, SHIPYARDS AND A FISH-PROCESSING

PLANT, CEUTA IS VIEWED BY SPAIN AS THE MORE STRATEGICALLY-VALUABLE ENCLAVE. THE TOWN IS A 90-MINUTE FERRY RIDE FROM MAINLAND SPAIN.

• MELILLA, CONQUERED IN 1497, IS A MODERN TOWN WITH A DISTINCTIVE OLD QUARTER.

• THE ENCLAVES ARE SURROUNDED BY FENCES, INTENDED TO DETER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. BUT CEUTA AND MELILLA ARE NONETHELESS USED BY MANY AFRICANS AS STEPPING-STONES TO IBERIA. MANY MIGRANTS ARE CAUGHT AND SOME DROWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE SEA CROSSING. PEOPLE TRAFFICKING IS COMMON.

• AFTER A SERIES OF INCREASINGLY-DESPERATE ATTEMPTS BY WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS TO SURMOUNT THE BARRIERS IN 2005, SPAIN AND MOROCCO AGREED TO DEPLOY EXTRA TROOPS TO TRY TO SECURE THE BORDERS.

• CEUTA AND MELILLA ARE LINKED TO SPAIN BY FERRY SERVICES TO MALAGA, ALGECIRAS AND ALMERIA. BORDERS AND DEFENCE ARE CONTROLLED BY MADRID. TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT MONEY-EARNER WITH DUTY-FREE GOODS BEING A BIG DRAW FOR VISITORS.