North Africa: Where the Desert Meets the Sea

North Africa is a magical place where the enormous Sahara Desert meets the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Thousands of years ago, it was home to some of the greatest ancient civilizations, like Ancient Egypt with its giant pyramids, and Carthage, a powerful trading empire. Over time, the region was influenced by Romans, Arabs, and later colonized by the French and Italians. Following strong independence movements, North African countries became free sovereign nations.

Today, the people of North Africa share a rich blend of Amazigh (Berber) and Arab cultures. You can hear beautiful Arabic music, taste delicious foods like couscous and tagine, and visit colorful, bustling markets called 'souks'. North Africa includes countries like Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Even though the Sahara is very hot and dry, people have lived there for centuries, traveling on camels and building incredible cities around water sources called oases.