18 / 80
The Maghreb
In modern times the Maghreb
comprises the political units of
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,
and Mauritania. To the north, the
region is bounded by the
Mediterranean Sea, and to the west
by the Atlantic Ocean, running
south-west from the Straits of
Gibraltar to the deserts of
Mauritania. The eastern boundary is
geographically open, and some
medieval Arab geographers
considered the Maghreb began
westwards from Alexandria in
Egypt, although most accepted that
Egypt was in fact outside the
Maghreb. Maghreb means “western”
in Arabic, and was often called
Barbary by the Europeans.
Later, the Sahara came to form
an ethnic and cultural divide, with
Arabs and Islam predominating
along Africa’s northern coast, and
the lands stretching from the Atlas
Mountains to the sea adopting
Mediterranean influences. The
Saharan interior was inhabited by
Berbers and Tuaregs, while the
sub-Saharan region was more
ethnically diverse.
To the Sahara’s south lies the
Sahel (meaning “shore” or “border”
in Arabic), which forms the
transition between the Sahara Desert
to the north and the more fertile
region to the south, and which is
lightly populated by pastoralists.
This is a vast area of semi-arid
savanna, known as the Sudan (not to
be confused with the country of that
name). The West Sudanian savanna
runs from the Atlantic Ocean to
eastern Nigeria, the East Sudanian
savanna runs from the Cameroon
Highlands east to the Ethiopian
Highlands, extending to the tropical
equatorial zone in the south.
Since travel by sea was easier
than crossing the Sahara, these
countries have historically had more
in common with other
Mediterranean lands than with
Africa. They also have a different
population, comprising the original
18
NORTH AFRICA
Words to Understand
Annexation:
To incorporate a territory into an existing
political unit such as a country, state, county, or city.
Predynastic:
Pertaining to, or existing in the period before the rule
of a given dynasty or dynasties.
Slavery:
The condition in which one person is owned as property
by another and is under the owner's control.