North Africa

North Africa is a region of Africa located in the northern portion of the continent. The North African region consists of eight countries divided into two general categories: the Maghreb and the Sahara. The Maghreb is the western region of North Africa, located along the Atlas Mountains, and includes the countries of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and the Western Sahara. In some definitions of the Maghreb, Mauritania is also included, although this country is not considered a part of North Africa. The Sahara region is the eastern region of North Africa located along the Sahara Desert, including Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan. Egypt is also sometimes considered part of the Middle East.

North Africa as defined here is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea and European continent. Morocco and Western Sahara are bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Both Egypt and Sudan share eastern borders with the Red Sea, and Egypt is the only African country connected to the Sinai Peninsula. To the south, the countries of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, and Eritrea border North Africa. The region covers approximately 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million kilometers) in total area, according to the US Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. North Africa makes up less than 50 percent of the total surface area of the greater African continent. Geographically, the massive Sahara Desert separates North Africa from the rest of the continent. As a result, the rest of Africa is generally referred to as Sub-Saharan Africa. The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) gave the population of North Africa in the mid-2020s as approximately 261 million people. Egypt is North Africa’s most populous country, with approximately 113 million people. Algeria is the region’s largest country, as well as the largest country on the African continent, covering nearly 1.5 million square miles (3.9 million square kilometers) in area.

Due to the region’s separation from the rest of the African continent by the Sahara Desert, North Africa is culturally and politically distinct from Sub-Saharan Africa. Generally, the countries of North Africa are considered part of the Arab world and are members of the regional organization, the Arab League. All countries in North Africa are a part of the Arab League, except Western Sahara, whose territory is in dispute with Morocco, as well as South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in 2011. The North African region has roots in some of the world’s most prominent ancient cultures, including the Phoenicians, Romans, and Egyptians. The area was long under the political influence of many European countries. Many countries in the region experienced political revolutions and civil unrest in the first two decades of the twenty-first century, which brought about significant changes in local governments and economies.

Historical Perspective

The Phoenicians and the ancient city-state of Carthage, beginning in about 575 BCE, once ruled much of North Africa. The Carthaginians developed an extensive empire that extended to the southern Iberian Peninsula. Eventually, the Carthaginians were conquered by the Western Roman Empire, and the region became a Roman province in 146 BCE. They maintained their power over the region for centuries, until the Romans suffered devastating defeats at the hands of the Germanic peoples, and ultimately fell in 476 CE. In the fifth century, Arab Islamic conquerors reached North Africa. By 670 CE, the majority of the North African region was under Muslim influence. In the Middle Ages, North Africa was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, until the nineteenth century, when European interest in the region increased.

France ruled over much of North Africa—including Algeria for more than a century, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Both Morocco and Tunisia achieved independence from France in 1956, and Algeria gained independence in 1962. The Western Sahara territory is highly disputed with Morocco, and many consider the territory to belong to Morocco. Morocco maintains a significant military presence in Western Sahara. Great Britain possessed control of the Egyptian government in some form from 1882 until Egypt achieved independence in 1952. Italy occupied significant territory surrounding the Libyan capital of Tripoli beginning in 1911; the Italians were not ousted from the country until 1943 during World War II’s North African Campaign. Libya did not achieve complete independence until 1951. Sudan was long embroiled in a civil war with peoples in the southern portion of the country. South Sudan eventually seceded from Sudan in 2011.

Geography and Climate

Two main features characterize the geography of North Africa: the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range that separates both the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts from the Sahara. Stretching approximately 1,600 miles (2,570 kilometers), the Atlas Mountains extend through Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. These three countries are sometimes referred to as the Atlas Lands as a result of this defining feature. The highest peak of the Atlas Mountains is Toubkal, located in Morocco, and reaches 13,665 feet (4,165 meters). Much of the lands north of the Atlas range enjoy a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot and dry summers, as well as mild winters. Much of this land, as well as the Nile River valley and delta, is the site of most of North Africa’s fertile land used for agriculture. As the Atlas Mountains recede to the south, they give way to steppe lands and eventually meet the Sahara. The Sahara Desert covers more than three-fourths of the North African region, and significantly separates it from the rest of the continent. Apart from the coastal and Nile territories, much of North Africa is subject to an arid desert climate. More than 90 percent of Libya is desert, and Western Sahara’s desert conditions require the country to import the majority of its food.

Economy

Many economies in North Africa rely heavily on natural gas and oil production. Libya’s oil is particularly sought after due to its lower levels of sulfur and pollution production. As a result, Libya almost entirely relies upon its energy sector, which makes up about 60 percent of the country’s GDP, 97 percent of government revenue, and 94 percent of exports. Algeria possesses one of the world’s top-ten largest natural gas reserves, which is consequently crucial to the country’s economic well-being. Additionally, natural gas production has been vital to Sudan’s economy, but the country was devastated by the loss of the majority of this product as a result of South Sudan’s secession in 2011. Consequently, Sudan is a highly impoverished country, with approximately half of its population living below the poverty line. Attempts have been made among many of these countries to diversify their economies, with only minor success.

Egypt and Morocco boast the region’s most diversified economies, and both benefit significantly from the tourism industry. Egypt’s economy has developing technology and engineering industries, and reliable cotton textiles. Even still, much of Egypt’s economy depends on the fertility of the Nile valley, which has been stressed by desertification and overpopulation. Much of the political and social unrest that led to Egypt’s revolution was a result of this factor, in addition to limited job opportunities and inadequate living conditions. Morocco also has a relatively successful and stable economy, in part due to its trade agreements with both the European Union and the United States. Despite Morocco’s economic successes, however, the country still faces substantial social shortcomings, with high percentages of poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment.

Demographics

The countries of North Africa are relatively urbanized, with the majority of countries with more than 60 percent of the population living in urban areas. Sudan is still a generally rural country, with more than two-thirds of the country living in rural areas. The official language in all North African countries is Arabic, and English is also an official language in Sudan. French is commonly spoken in countries like Morocco, particularly in business. Additionally, various Berber languages and dialects are spoken throughout the region.

The overwhelming ethnic makeup of the region is Arab, with significant Berber minorities in Libya. The majority of North Africa identifies as Muslim (specifically, Sunni), and in most countries, this majority is 99 percent. There are small minorities of Christians in both Egypt and Libya, with between 5 and 15 percent and 0.5 percent of their populations identifying as Christian, respectively. There was once a significant Jewish population in North Africa, with approximately 600,000 Jews in the early twenty-first century. Most Jews have since immigrated to countries like France and Israel, and only a few thousand Jews remain in the region in the mid-2020s, predominately in Morocco and Tunisia.

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