Stories about Leuk the Hare are very popular in North Africa. The stories were taken to
the Caribbean and America with the slaves and have found a new home in the USA,
where Leuk the Hare has become known as Brer Rabbit.
Africa is the second largest continent (Asia is the biggest). It is also the hottest place on
Earth, because it is a tropical continent. Only the very North and South of Africa are
outside the tropics, so it is not surprising that the hottest place on Earth is Dalol, in the
African country of Ethiopia. Altogether there are 54 countries in Africa. The biggest is
Sudan, which is 9th biggest in the world, but Nigeria has the most people.
Northern Africa is very dry. Only the Atlas Mountains and the coast of the countries of
Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia have enough rain for crops to grow. Inland, from the Atlantic
Ocean, to the River Nile is the Sahara, the world’s biggest desert.
Egypt too is a land of deserts, but the Nile brings valuable water to its farmlands. Thanks
to this Egypt became the centre of an ancient civilisation, which thrived from 3,1000 until
1085 BC. Its rulers were called pharaohs, whose splendid temples and tombs may still be
seen today. A mysterious statue, known as the sphinx, guards the ancient royal tombs of
the pyramids, they stand on the edge of the desert at Giza, near the modern Egyptian
capital of Cairo.
North Africa is home to the Berbers and to the Arabs, who conquered the region in the
AD600s. Berber water-sellers offer passers-by a cool drink from their goatskin sacks.
Many Berbers live in the Atlas Mountains and on the fringes of the Sahara. Some are
farmers while others are nomadic herders and traders.
In the south there are many different African peoples, such as the Nuer, Dinka and Shilluk
of Sudan; the Ambara of Ethiopia and the Hausa, Fulani and Knuri of the Sahel. Most of
the region is Muslim, but there are Christians in Egypt, Ethiopia and Southern Sudan.
Northern Africa is made up of 13 countries in total; Cape Verde Islands; Algeria; Chad;
Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Libya; Mali; Morocco; Mauritania; Niger; Sudan; and Tunisia.
In Morocco, goat-skins are dyed in big vats. The smell from these vats is horrible, because
pigeon droppings are used during the dyeing process. Morocco is famous for is fine crafts,
particularly soft leather, woollen rugs, bass and copper. Many of these are brought by
tourists in the souks (market places).
Masks have always played an important part in the performance and festivals of North
Africa. Stilt dancers of southern Mali wear a black and white mask on their head as they
tower above the watching crowds. Pipe and drum music is still popular. Arabic music is still
heard throughout the regions, as they have been since the 7 th Century.
See how many of these questions you can answer about North Africa
If Africa is the second biggest continent, which is the first biggest?
How many countries are there in Africa?
Which North African country is the 9th largest country in the world?
Name the world biggest desert?
What is the name of the River which brings valuable water to Egypt?
What did the ancient Egyptians call their kings?
Fill in the missing words:
The mysterious S
on the desert at G
guards the royal tombs and the P
, which stand
.
Where do the following peoples live:
Berber
Amdara
Dinka
or
What smelly ingredient is used by the Moroccans to dye wool?
Can you name two of the fine arts that the Moroccans are famed for?
What are Moroccan Souks?
Below are the 13 countries that make up North Africa. Can you fill in the missing letters to
complete the names?
C pe Ve d Islands
Al er a
C ad
Eg pt
E itrea
thiop a
L by
ali
M r cc
Ma ri ania
Ni er
Sud n
Tun s a.