Geography
While many may think of Northern Africa as the Northern half of the continent, there are actually two variances, North Africa and Northern Africa. North Africa consists of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Northern Africa consists of the countries previously mentioned and Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad. The reason that Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad are not considered as being part of North Africa is because the United Nations do not consider them to be a part of it, but all of the countries mentioned are geographically a part of Northern Africa.
Terrain
Northern Africa is separated from the rest of the continent by the Atlas Mountains. The mountains go through the countries Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The Atlas Mountains are home to the Berber people. The Atlas Mountains descend downwards, until they become a steppe landscape before meeting the Sahara Desert. The Sahara Desert covers about 75% of Africa. The desert spans through Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, and Tunisia. Although the Sahara Desert is not the largest desert overall, it is the largest hot desert.
Stephen Colebourne, Atlas Mountains, 3 March 2013, CC
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Monica Guy, Atlas Mountains, 30 December 2014, CC
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ANDR3W A, The Journey, Morocco 2013, 1 November 2013, CC
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Natural Resources
While most of Northern Africa is covered by the Sahara Desert, there are still many locations in which resources can be grown such as; the sheltered valleys in the Atlas Mountains, the Nile Valley and Delta, and the Mediterranean coast all provide rich, fertile land for cropping. This allows Northern Africa to be able to grow a variety of crops including; rice and cotton, and woods such as cedar and cork. The Mediterranean provides an area that allows the growing of crops that consist of olives, figs, dates, and citrus fruits.
Farrukh, Olives, 22 December 2012, CC
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Clemens v. Vogelsang, Figs, 14 November 2011, CC
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Aleksander Cocek, date, 23 August 2008, CC
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Trade
Northern Africa is full of natural resources, which helps boost the economy of the countries within it. Each country includes a variety of industrial and agricultural products that are exported and distributed to the rest of the world. Northern Africa offers a variety of unique resources that the rest of the world can enjoy.
Algeria:
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Resources
Encyclopedia Britannica
Mikesell, M. W., & İsnard, H. (2012, July 03). Atlas Mountains. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlas-Mountains
North Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Africa
The Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook
Contact CIA. (2016, April 01). Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/
Live Science
Zimmermann, K. A. (2012, September 12). The Sahara: Facts, Climate and Animals of the Desert. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/23140-sahara-desert.html
New World Encyclopedia
Northern Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2017, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Northern_Africa
Mikesell, M. W., & İsnard, H. (2012, July 03). Atlas Mountains. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlas-Mountains
North Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Africa
The Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook
Contact CIA. (2016, April 01). Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/
Live Science
Zimmermann, K. A. (2012, September 12). The Sahara: Facts, Climate and Animals of the Desert. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/23140-sahara-desert.html
New World Encyclopedia
Northern Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2017, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Northern_Africa