Northern Africa

history & heritage

The Sahara Desert acted as a rather effective barrier between the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Northern region of the continent.

Therefore... migration, trading and most of the communication between the seafaring civilizations from Southwestern Asia and Europe, and the north of the continent went down through the Mediterranean Sea.

The area has been influenced by various civilizations thoughout history, from the Muslim coquests in 670 b.c. to the european colonies anfter the 19th century.

Because of this, the region's culture, religions and languages are wide and varied.

religions

• 97% Islam
• 2% Christians
• 1% Jewish

ethnicity and influence

• Ethnic Groups °°°°°°°°°°°°
• 81% Berbers
• 19% Arabs

ethnicity and infuence

• Berber people were influenced by Nubians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, etc...
• France, the United Kingdom, Spain & tialy colonized the area between 18th & 19th century

languages

• Nnoumerous varieties of Berber languages
• Noumerous varieties of Arab dialects
• French
• Spanish
• English
• Italian

countries inclueded in the subregion

• Algeria
• Egypt
• Lybia
• Morocco
• Sudan
• Western Sahar

countries also mentioned

• South Sudan
• Canary Islands
• "Ceuta and Melilla"

Most of the Northern African countries are developing economies, relaying on natual gas and oil reserves, agriculture and turism.

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