Part of the African continent is North Africa, which is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Red Seas. From the south, this land borders the Sahara, and from the south-east - with tropical forests. North Africa is occupied by Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Western Sahara and Mauritania. The length of the section under consideration is 2 thousand km from north to south and 5, 7 thousand km from west to east. Its area is approximately 10 million square meters. km.
Natural areas
In the far north, there is a Mediterranean natural area, which is characterized by a comfortable climate. It occupies a narrow coastal strip. Then the great Sahara Desert begins, running along the Mediterranean coast.
The maximum temperature recorded on our planet was recorded in this desert - 58 ° C in the shade. There is no rainfall in the Sahara for several years, but it rarely has rainstorms causing flooding. Green oases are formed in the desert in those places where underground waters come close to the surface. The population of the Sahara is concentrated in such places. An area with good water supply - the Nile Valley. The arid region south of the desert is the Sahel, where dry savannahs are interspersed with semi-deserts. Living conditions are harsh in this area, as long droughts are often observed here. Subequatorial savannas are located south of the Sahel. There are forests with rich flora.
Countries in northern Africa
The northern part of the continent is occupied by 15 independent states, 13 of which are republics. Most of the countries are considered underdeveloped. Higher-level economies are recorded in Libya and Algeria. These are states with good reserves of natural gas and oil - the most important commodities for the world market. People living in northern Africa are mainly employed in agriculture. In Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Libya and Algeria, olives, citrus fruits, and barley are grown. The Nile Valley is home to sugarcane and cotton. Dates are grown in the fertile oases of the desert. Drought tolerant crops are cultivated in the Sahel region. Ethiopia is busy producing coffee that is considered one of the best in the world.
Industry is underdeveloped in North African countries. Production is concentrated only in the Nile Delta, near Cairo. It is the largest city in northern Africa with a population of over 9 million. Other major cities in the region are Morocco, Casablanca, Alexandria and Addis Ababa. A smaller proportion of North Africans live in large settlements. More than 60% of the population lives in villages. Most of the locals use Arabic and practice Islam. To the south of the desert, there are countries whose population is formed by numerous peoples and tribes using a variety of beliefs and languages.
