MORAL SOCIAL & CULTURAL STUDIES

GRADE 8
CLASSNOTES
GEOGRAPHY OF NORTH AFRICA

I. Fill in the blanks:

1. Agriculture and settlements were established in Tunisia during the Greek and Roman empire.
2. The Nile flows through Sudan, an area with limited rainfall.
3. Southern Sudan is a land of mixed agriculture and pasturing animals.
4. Western North Africa and Morocco are referred to as the Maghrib which means “the sunset”.
5. The caravans carried valuable salt and gold from Mali and Western Africa to the northern ports.
6. Tunisia includes the lands of the ancient city of Carthage.
7. The caravan routes across the Sahara were difficult and risky passages that required guidance and
needed assistance from the nomads.
8. Khartoum is located on the convergence point of the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers.
9. The cities of Fez and Marrakesh in Morocco have mosques and colleges which are examples of
elegance and design.
10. The great Muslim scholar and historian, Ibn Khaldun attended the Al-Zaytuna university.

II. State whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The Atlas Mountains extend from the southwest to Algeria and then to the northwest near the
Mediterranean. True
2. In 2012, Southern Sudan became an independent state. False
3. The Nile Valley and its fan-shaped delta region in Egypt are rich agricultural areas dependent upon
the Nile. True
4. The snow-capped mountains in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains supply valleys that support
Morocco's agricultural lands. True
5. The Great Mosque of Kairouan was built in the early 10th century. False
6. Tripoli has a blend of architectural styles and ancient civilizations. True
7. Mali was once a poor kingdom. False
8. Algiers is the major port city and capital city of Algeria. True
9. Kairouan was the capital city of the New Islamic Empire. True
10. The Mosque of Al-Qarawiyyin was established in 947 CE, as a private mosque. False
III. Answer the following:

1. Name the countries located on the North African coast.

Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.

2. List any two benefits of the River Nile to the regions of Sudan and Egypt.
• The river provides a source of irrigation to transform the dry areas around it into lush
agricultural land.
• It continues to serve as a source of irrigation, as well as an important transportation and
trade route.

3. What are the geographical features found in North Africa?

Three main physical features of North Africa are the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert, and the
Nile River. Most of North Africa's population lives along the Mediterranean coast or the Nile
River.

4. Which was the first North African country to gain its independence? Egypt

5. Why were African trading activities so successful in the past?

a) The trade routes of Ancient Africa played an important role in the economy of many African
Empires. Goods from Western and Central Africa were traded to faraway places like Europe,
the Middle East, and India. The main items traded were gold and salt.
b) Besides the trade in ivory, gold, and other commodities identified earlier, produce from
agriculture was also exchanged in the form of cash crops. These trade relations put them at
the center of the economy of the ancient world
c) The ancient people utilized the bartering system to get the food, weapons, and spices they
needed. Roman soldiers bartered their services for the empire in exchange for salt due to its
high value.
d) The African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) could deliver far greater benefits in terms
of jobs, growth, and poverty reduction than previously estimated, making it a potential
game changer for Africa's economic development if its ambitious goals are fully realized.

6. Explain why cities in North Africa are located on or near the coast.
a) The cities in North Africa are located on or near the coast that connects to the
Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. The reason is the vast Sahara, the largest desert
in the world, that stretches all the way across from the Atlantic Ocean to Nile Valley in the
east.
b) Although the desert is vast and inhospitable, nomads and traders used caravan routes to
trade. These trade routes connected the important lands and Muslim settled areas of Mali
and the important cities of Djenné and Timbuktu. These cities were famous centers of
learning and commercial trade in salt, gold, and other commodities.
c) Coastal habitats such as mangroves and coral reefs, both important breeding grounds for
fish, as well as hydrocarbon and mineral deposits, have helped foster thriving cities, trade,
commerce, and economic development in the region's coastal zones.
 7. How does climate change affect the coastal cities in Africa?
Flooding, deforestation, and an increase in the ocean surface temperature that raises the salinity
of inland water are increasingly putting mangroves in danger and further weakening the fragile
adaptive capacity of African coastlines.

8. How did the political systems in Africa change as a result of European colonialism in the 19th
century?
Traditional forms of tribal authority were weakened. One factor that motivated U.S imperialism
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the acquisition of new markets and sources of
raw materials.

9. Why was the Nile River so significant in the ancient Egypt?

Every aspect of life in Egypt depended on the river – the Nile provided food and resources,
land for agriculture, a means of travel and was critical in the transportation of materials for
building projects and other large-scale endeavors. Check this statement

IV.Identify the following pictures and write 2- 3 points each to describe them:

Kairouan, Tunisia: The Great Mosque of

Kairouan was built in the early 8th
century. Kairouan was the capital city
of the new Islamic empire as it
expanded across North Africa toward
Andalusia.

Fez, Morocco: The Mosque of Al-

Qarawyyin, near the Suq al- ‘Attarin, or
Spice Market is one of the world’s
oldest universities and the largest
mosque in Africa. It was first
established in 847 CE as a private
mosque, with funds by a wealthy
woman named Fatima al- Fahri.
Algiers, Algeria: A major port city and
capital city of Algeria

Khartoum, capital city of Sudan:

Khartoum is located on the
convergence point of the White Nile
and Blue Nile Rivers.