North Africa: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous edit Next edit →Content deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 22:18, 24 May 2008 editClueBot (talk \| contribs)1,596,818 editsm Reverting possible vandalism by 70.224.62.149 to version by 76.65.181.223. False positive? Report it. Thanks, User:ClueBot. (393006) (Bot)← Previous edit		Revision as of 19:23, 27 May 2008 edit undo69.253.46.40 (talk) ←Replaced content with 'pooop poop poo poooooo poop pooop opppopoop popopopop poopoopoopoopoo poop'Next edit →
Line 1:		Line 1:
			pooop
	[[Image:LocationNorthernAfrica.png\|right\|thumb\|350px\|
			poop
	{{legend\|#00a000\|Northern Africa (])}}
			poo
	{{legend\|#00ff00\|geographic, including above}}]]
			poooooo
	'''North Africa''' is the ]ernmost ] of the ]n ], separated by the ] from ].
			poop
	Geopolitically, the ] ] of Northern (not North) Africa for the collection of statistical information (and not its geographical definition) includes the following seven territories:
			pooop
	<table><tr><td valign=top>
			opppopoop
	*]
			popopopop
	*]
			poopoopoopoopoo
	*]
			poop
	*]
	</td><td valign=top>
	*]
	*]
	] (Under Moroccan rule)
	</td></tr></table>

	<nowiki>*</nowiki> The disputed territory of ] is administered by Morocco; the ] also claims it.

	The ] '']'' (]) are on the southern coast of the ], surrounded by Morocco on land.

	The Spanish ] and ] ] in the ] are northwest of the ]n mainland and sometimes included in this region.{{Fact\|date=February 2007}}

	Geographically, ] and more rarely the ] are sometimes included. There are also other older names for certain locations in North Africa that have been changed since ancient times.

	The ] includes Western Sahara (claimed by Morocco), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. North Africa generally is often included in common definitions of the ], as both regions make up the Arab world. In addition, the ] of Egypt is part of ], making Egypt a ].

	==Geography==
	The ], which extend across much of ], northern ] and ], are part of the fold mountain system which also runs through much of ]. They recede to the south and east, becoming a ] landscape before meeting the Sahara desert which covers more than 90% of the region. The sediments of the Sahara overlie an ancient plateau of ], some of which is more than four billion years old.

	Sheltered valleys in the ], the ] and delta, and the ] coast are the main sources of good farming land. A wide variety of valuable crops including cereals, rice and cotton, and woods such as cedar and cork, are grown. Typical mediterranean crops such as olives, figs, dates and citrus fruits also thrive in these areas. The Nile valley is particularly fertile, and most of ]'s population lives close to the river. Elsewhere, irrigation is essential to improve crop yields on the desert margins.

	==People==
	]
	The inhabitants of North Africa are generally divided in a manner roughly corresponding to the principal geographic regions of North Africa: the ], the ], and the ]. ] on the whole is believed to have been inhabited by ] since before the beginning of recorded history, while the eastern part of North Africa has been home to the ]. Ancient Egyptians record extensive contact in their Western desert with peoples that appear to have been ] or proto-Berber. Following the Muslim-Arab conquest in the 7th century AD, the region underwent a process of ] and ] that has defined its cultural landscape ever since. Questions of ethnic identity usually rely on an affiliation with ] and/or ], or with indigenous cultures and religions.

	Many North African nomads, such as the ], maintain a traditional pastoral lifestyle on the desert fringes, moving their herds of sheep, goats and camels from place to place – crossing country borders in order to find sufficient grazing land.

	==Culture==
	{{main article\|Culture of North Africa}}
	Though people of the ] and the ] speak various dialects of ] and ], and almost exclusively follow ]. The Arabic and Berber groups of languages are distantly related, both being members of the ]. The Sahara dialects are notably more conservative than those of coastal cities (see ]). Over the years, ]s have been influenced by other cultures with which they came in contact: ], ], ], ], ], ], and lately ]s. The cultures of the Maghreb and the Sahara therefore combine indigenous Berber, Arab and elements from neighboring parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. In the Sahara, the distinction between sedentary ] inhabitants and nomadic ] and ] is particularly marked.
	The diverse peoples of the Sahara chi que en categorized along ethno-linguistic lines. In the Maghreb, where Arab and Berber identities are often integrated, these lines can be blurred. Some ]-speaking North Africans may identify as "Arab" depending on the social and political circumstances, although substantial numbers of ] (or ''Imazighen'') have retained a distinct cultural identity which in the ] has been expressed as a clear ethnic identification with Berber history and language. Arabic-speaking ]ns, regardless of ethnic background, often identify with Arab history and culture and may share a common vision with other ]. This, however, may or may not exclude pride in and identification with Berber and/or other parts of their heritage. Berber political and cultural activists for their part, often referred to as ]s, may view all ]ns as principally Berber, whether they are primarily Berber- or Arabic-speaking (see also ]).

	The Nile Valley traces its origins to the ancient civilizations of ] and ]. The ] over the centuries have shifted their language from ] to modern ] (both ]), while retaining a sense of national identity that has historically set them apart from other people in the region. Most Egyptians are ] Muslim and a significant ] adheres to ] which has strong historical ties to the ] and ].

	North Africa formerly had a large ] population, many of whom emigrated to France or Israel when the North African nations gained independence. A smaller number went to Canada. Prior to the modern establishment of ], there were about 600,000–700,000 Jews in North Africa, including both ] (refugees from France, Spain and Portugal from the Renaissance era) as well as indigenous ]. Today, less than fifteen thousand remain in the region, almost all in Morocco and Tunisia. (See ].)

	==History==
	{{main\|History of North Africa}}
	===Antiquity and Ancient Rome===
	The most notable nations of antiquity in western North Africa are ] and ]. The Phoenicians colonized much of North Africa including Carthage and parts of present day Morocco (including ], ] and ]<ref></ref>). The Carthaginians were of ]n origin, with the Roman myth of their origin being that ], a Phoenician princess was granted land by a local ruler based on how much land she could cover with a piece of cowhide. She ingeniously devised a method to extend the cowhide to a high proportion, thus gaining a large territory. She was also rejected by the ] prince ] according to ], thus creating a historical enmity between Carthage and ], as Aeneas would eventually lay the foundations for Rome. The ] were a commercial power and had a strong navy, but relied on mercenaries for land soldiers. The Carthaginians developed an empire in ] and ], the latter being the cause of ] with the ].

	Over a hundred years and more, all Carthaginian territory was eventually conquered by the Romans, resulting in the Carthaginian North African territories becoming the ] in 146 B.C.<ref>''The Punic Wars 264-146 BC'', by Nigel Bagnall </ref> This led to tension and eventually ] between ] and Rome. The Numidian wars are notable for launching the careers of both ], and ], and stretching the constitutional burden of the Roman republic, as Marius required a professional army, something previously contrary to Roman values to overcome the talented ] leader ].<ref>], ''De Bello Iugurthino''</ref> North Africa remained a part of the ], which produced many notable citizens such as ], until incompetent leadership from Roman commanders in the early fifth century allowed the ] ] tribe, the ], to cross the ], where upon they overcame the fickle Roman defense. The loss of North Africa is considered a pinnacle point in the fall of the Western Roman Empire as Africa had previously been an important grain province that maintained Roman prosperity despite the barbarian incursions, and the wealth required to create new armies. The issue of regaining North Africa became paramount to the Western Empire, but was frustrated by Vandal victories and that the focus of Roman energy had to be on the emerging threat of the ]. In 468 A.D., the last attempt by the Romans, with ] aid, made a serious attempt to invade North Africa but were repelled. This is placed as the point of no return for the western ] in a historical sense and the last Roman Emperor was deposed in 475 by the ] generalissimo ] who saw no purpose in regaining North Africa. ] between ] and North Africa remained intact until the coming of the Moslems.

	===Arab Conquest to modern times===

	The ] reached North Africa in 640 AD. By 670, most of North Africa had fallen to ] rule. Indigenous ] subsequently started to form their own polities in response in places such as ], ], and ]. In the eleventh century a reformist movement made up of members that called themselves ], launched a ] against the kingdoms to the south in the ]. This movement solidified the faith of Islam, and allowed for penetration into ].

	After the ] the area was loosely under the control of the ], except ]. After the ], it was colonized by ], ], ] and ].

	In ] from 1940 to 1943 the area was the setting for the ]. During the 1950s and 1960s all of the North African states gained independence. There remains a dispute over ] between ] and the ]n-backed ].

	==Transport and industry==
	The economies of ] and ] were transformed by the discovery of oil and natural gas reserves in the deserts. ]'s major exports are ]s and agricultural produce, and as in ] and ], the tourist industry is essential to the economy. ] has the most varied industrial base, importing technology to develop electronics and engineering industries, and maintaining the reputation of its high-quality cotton textiles.

	Oil rigs are scattered throughout the deserts of ] and ]. Libyan oil is especially prized because of its low ] content, which it means it produces much less pollution than other fuel oils.

	==See also==
	*]
	*]
	*]

	==References==
	{{reflist}}

	==External links==
	* Analytical magazine
	:*
	:*
	:*
	:*
	:*
	:*
	:*
	* News and culture

	{{Regions of the world}}

	]
	]

	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]

Revision as of 19:23, 27 May 2008

pooop poop poo poooooo poop pooop opppopoop popopopop poopoopoopoopoo poop