Libya and Maghreb Nations
• Maghreb – Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco– “Land farthest west” (west of Egypt)
Europeans
• France and Italy – took colonies in N. Africa
• Italy was defeated in WWII – Libya was freed
• Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco – had to fight for independence – different relationship with European countries than Libya
Northern Africa
• Arabic speaking Muslims– Similar to middle east
• Arid Climate• Northern part of the Sahara
Sahara Desert
• world's largest hot desert, and second largest desert after Antarctica.
• Apx. Size of USA
Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
• Many similarities
• Libya – big, oil, little agriculture
• Tunisia – small, no oil, agriculture
Tunisia
Physical Char.
• Sandy Dunes (erg) – gravel Rock (reg) deserts
• Beaches
• Wadis – dry river beds and sharp gullies – hold water
• No navigable
rivers
Think
• Why would the people in the interior keep traditional ways as the coastal areas modernized?
• Mountains and desert made it difficult to travel
Coast of Mediterranean Sea
• Blend of African, European, Asian
• Early – Berbers – original inhabitants
• Roman rule – Camels – “ships of desert” - caravans
Caravans
• South – Salt
• North – Slaves, ivory, gold, feathers
• Mid- 600s – Arab invaders – language, religion
• Golden age – center Europe, Africa, Asia
• Learning a
Rural, Urban, Nomad
• Rural – Small rural Villages
• Mud/stone houses
• 1 room – no/few windows
• Water –goatskin bag/well
Rural Work
• Subsistence Agriculture
• Centuries old tools – wood plow/camel
• 3 hr work break
Desert Nomads
• Nomadic way of life
• Tuareg – small groups central/S. Sahara
“free men”
Droughts force settlement
Urban
• Rapid urbanization
• ½ more urban
• Medinas – older Arab sections of N. Africa cities around Mosques
• Souks – market areas
Rapid growth – What type of
Problems do you think this
Might cause?
Housing and Jobs - Scarce
Morocco
DAKAR Rally
Dakar
Libya
• Colony of Italy (Italy lost WWII)
• 1951 – Libya – Independent
• Very poor - $ foreign aid, rent military bases
Flag - plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Libya cont…
• 1961 – oil = $$$$.• $=roads, schools, housing
– Hospitals, airports– Water, electricity – rural areas– New jobs – construction and oil
99% exports
Colonel Qaddafi
• 1969 – led military coup –took power
• Socialism/modern economic and political reforms
• Goal – equal distribution of wealth– (limited $3,400 savings)
Qaddafi cont…
• Root out western influence
• Closed bars and night life
• Banned blue jeans (men) – pants and short skirts (women)
Qadaffi cont..
• Spent billions on Soviet weapons
• Wars/terrorist
• 1986 – US air strikes (result of terrorism)
• 1992 – US eco. Sanctions
• Now – not terrorist - leader
Algeria
• Independent – French Colonists left
• No education, no professionals, no administrators
• Massive training/education programs
Algeria cont.
• 1950s – oil/natural gas– 96% exports– Population growth/few jobs– Emigrate to Europe (France)
Rural Farming
• Govt. encourages – 3 reasons
• 1 – provides jobs
• Reduce food imports (1/3 imported)
• Limited overcrowding in cities– (2 bedroom apt. – avg 9 people)
Algeria
• 1988 – antigovernment riots – end one party rule
• 1992 –islamic party almost won
• Army took over to prevent this
• Wave of attacks and terrorism
Algeria
Tunisia and Morocco
• Lack large oil reserves
• T. – education – free though college
• T/M – Developed manufacturing
• More $ - export clothes
Tunisia and Morocco
• Minerals – phosphates are exported
• Built up chemical industries
• Rural areas declining
• CEUTA AND MELILLA, FRAGMENTS OF EUROPE ON NORTH AFRICA'S MEDITERRANEAN COAST, CAME UNDER SPANISH CONTROL AROUND 500 YEARS AGO.
• MADRID SAYS THE URBAN ENCLAVES ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF SPAIN. THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY MOROCCO, WHICH VIEWS THE SPANISH PRESENCE AS ANACHRONISTIC AND CLAIMS SOVEREIGNTY.
• BUT IMPROVING RELATIONS WERE JEOPARDISED IN NOVEMBER 2007 BY SPANISH KING JUAN CARLOS' II FIRST VISIT TO THE TERRITORIES IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS, WHICH KING MOHAMMED VI STRONGLY CONDEMNED.
• SPAIN ALSO CONTROLS A SCATTERING OF ISLETS ALONG THE NORTH AFRICAN COAST, INCLUDING UNINHABITED PEREJIL, WHICH WAS AT THE CENTRE OF A SPAT IN 2002 WHEN MOROCCAN SOLDIERS OCCUPIED IT BEFORE BEING REMOVED BY THE SPANISH ARMY.
• MORE RECENTLY, DIFFERENCES OVER CEUTA AND MELILLA HAVE NOT PREVENTED A WARMING OF RELATIONS BETWEEN MOROCCO AND SPAIN, PARTICULARLY ECONOMIC ONES. MOROCCO'S PREMIER HAS ADVOCATED "NEIGHBOURLY" TALKS ON THE ISSUE.
• CEUTA, A STEPPING-STONE TO MAINLAND EUROPE• WITH ITS REBUILT 15TH CENTURY CATHEDRAL, SHIPYARDS AND A FISH-PROCESSING
PLANT, CEUTA IS VIEWED BY SPAIN AS THE MORE STRATEGICALLY-VALUABLE ENCLAVE. THE TOWN IS A 90-MINUTE FERRY RIDE FROM MAINLAND SPAIN.
• MELILLA, CONQUERED IN 1497, IS A MODERN TOWN WITH A DISTINCTIVE OLD QUARTER.
• THE ENCLAVES ARE SURROUNDED BY FENCES, INTENDED TO DETER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. BUT CEUTA AND MELILLA ARE NONETHELESS USED BY MANY AFRICANS AS STEPPING-STONES TO IBERIA. MANY MIGRANTS ARE CAUGHT AND SOME DROWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE SEA CROSSING. PEOPLE TRAFFICKING IS COMMON.
• AFTER A SERIES OF INCREASINGLY-DESPERATE ATTEMPTS BY WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS TO SURMOUNT THE BARRIERS IN 2005, SPAIN AND MOROCCO AGREED TO DEPLOY EXTRA TROOPS TO TRY TO SECURE THE BORDERS.
• CEUTA AND MELILLA ARE LINKED TO SPAIN BY FERRY SERVICES TO MALAGA, ALGECIRAS AND ALMERIA. BORDERS AND DEFENCE ARE CONTROLLED BY MADRID. TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT MONEY-EARNER WITH DUTY-FREE GOODS BEING A BIG DRAW FOR VISITORS.