North Africa

Most of the entire territory of North Africa - about 8.6 million kilometers - covers the Sahara desert. As you know, this is the largest arid place on Earth. The very territory of the desert is almost uninhabited. Exceptions are only a few tribes of Berbers and Tuaregs, who inhabit the same few oases.

Historical evidence indicates that the Sahara in ancient times was a fairly fertile land, with forests, a variety of animals and plants. Today, only territories adjacent to lakes, rivers, and also a small narrow strip along the coast (in some places) are suitable for dwelling.

Despite the high daytime temperatures, nights in the desert are very cold. The temperature can drop even to zero degrees.

Precipitation in the Sahara can not be for many years. However, sometimes there are showers causing whole floods.

In the southern part of the Sahara desert is replaced by an arid strip - the shore ("Sahel" - in Arabic coast) - the border of the sands. Within this territory dry savannahs and semi-deserts are located nearby. In the Sahel area, life is almost unbearable. Severe conditions are associated with a permanent drought here, which undermines the development of agriculture. In the direction of Central Africa from the "Sahel" are subequatorial savannah in vast areas. These places are characterized by rich vegetation, rare bushes and trees.

North Africa. Characteristics of States

The countries of this part of the continent are more developed (from the economic point of view) than in other territories. This is largely due to the immediate neighborhood of European countries, which are distinguished by a powerful economy.

Virtually all countries that include North Africa are developing. The exceptions are Mauritania and Sudan. They belong to the least developed countries in the world.

North Africa is rich in natural gas and oil fields . They are located in the territories of Libya and Algeria. The economy of Tunisia is considered the most competitive and diversified on the whole continent. Rich in North Africa and the deposits of phosphorites. In the fields located on the territory of Morocco, active extraction is conducted. Phosphorites are used in the manufacture of fertilizers. Many foreign companies take part in the development of industry in this part of the continent. Gradually, North Africa becomes a tourist territory.

To the north of the Sahara desert, the people preach Islam and speak Arabic. The peoples of North Africa are diverse. To the south of the desert lives a huge number of tribes. They talk in different languages, profess different faiths, have different traditions. In some countries of North Africa, one of the European languages is used as an official language. This, in some cases, creates certain inconveniences in communication between nationalities within the continent. For example, in some countries the official language is French.

Such a diversity of nationalities in North Africa often provokes interethnic conflicts. The strife leads to a significant decline in the standard of living and the economy.

For tourists, lovers of the Mauritanian-Berber atmosphere, North Africa is an ideal place. The territory includes Mediterranean beaches, wide, with white sand. The most famous tourist countries are Tunisia and Egypt. In North Africa, there are many historical monuments (ancient Egyptian, Roman, Phoenician).

North African dishes include, but are not limited to, two components: fragrant condiments and hot peppers.