<P> North Africa has three main geographic features: the Sahara desert in the south, the Atlas Mountains in the west, and the Nile River and delta in the east . The Atlas Mountains extend across much of northern Algeria Morocco and Tunisia . These mountains are part of the fold mountain system that also runs through much of Southern Europe . They recede to the south and east, becoming a steppe landscape before meeting the Sahara desert, which covers more than 75 percent of the region . The tallest peaks are in the High Atlas range in south - central Morocco, which has many snowcapped peaks . </P> <P> South of the Atlas Mountains is the dry and barren expanse of the Sahara desert, which is the largest sand desert in the world . In places the desert is cut by irregular watercourses called wadis--streams that flow only after rainfalls but are usually dry . The Sahara's major landforms include ergs, large seas of sand that sometimes form into huge dunes; the hammada, a level rocky plateau without soil or sand; and the reg, a level plain of gravel or small stones . The Sahara covers the southern part of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, and most of Libya . Only two regions of Libya are outside the desert: Tripolitania in the northwest and Cyrenaica in the northeast . Most of Egypt is also desert, with the exception of the Nile River and the irrigated land along its banks . The Nile Valley forms a narrow fertile thread that runs along the length of the country . </P> <P> Sheltered valleys in the Atlas Mountains, the Nile Valley and Delta, and the Mediterranean coast are the main sources of fertile farming land . A wide variety of valuable crops including cereals, rice and cotton, and woods such as cedar and cork, are grown . Typical Mediterranean crops, such as olives, figs, dates and citrus fruits, also thrive in these areas . The Nile Valley is particularly fertile, and most of the population in Egypt live close to the river . Elsewhere, irrigation is essential to improve crop yields on the desert margins . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Countries and territories </Th> <Th> Area (2016) (km2) </Th> <Th> Population (2016) </Th> <Th> Density (2016) (per km2) </Th> <Th> Capital </Th> <Th> Total GDP (2016) </Th> <Th> GDP per capita (2016) </Th> <Th> Currency </Th> <Th> Government </Th> <Th> Official languages </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Algeria </Td> <Td> 2,381,740.00 </Td> <Td> 40,606,052.00 </Td> <Td> 17.05 </Td> <Td> Algiers </Td> <Td> $160,784 </Td> <Td> $15,281 </Td> <Td> Algerian dinar </Td> <Td> Presidential republic </Td> <Td> Arabic and Berber (both official), French is commonly used </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Egypt </Td> <Td> 1,001,450.00 </Td> <Td> 95,688,681.00 </Td> <Td> 96 </Td> <Td> Cairo </Td> <Td> $332,349 </Td> <Td> $12,554 </Td> <Td> Egyptian pound </Td> <Td> Semi-presidential republic </Td> <Td> Arabic </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Libya </Td> <Td> 1,759,540.00 </Td> <Td> 6,293,253.00 </Td> <Td> 3.58 </Td> <Td> Tripoli </Td> <Td> $33,157 </Td> <Td> $8,678 </Td> <Td> Libyan dinar </Td> <Td> Provisional authority </Td> <Td> Arabic </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Morocco </Td> <Td> 446,550.00 or 710,850 (including the disputed Western Sahara) </Td> <Td> 35,276,786.00 </Td> <Td> 73.1 </Td> <Td> Rabat </Td> <Td> $103,615 </Td> <Td> $8,330 </Td> <Td> Moroccan dirham </Td> <Td> Constitutional monarchy </Td> <Td> Arabic and Berber (both official), French is commonly used </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tunisia </Td> <Td> 163,610.00 </Td> <Td> 11,403,248.00 </Td> <Td> 63 </Td> <Td> Tunis </Td> <Td> $41,869 </Td> <Td> $11,634 </Td> <Td> Tunisian dinar </Td> <Td> Parliamentary republic </Td> <Td> Arabic, French is commonly used . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="10"> <P> Source: </P> <Ul> <Li> The World Bank </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Why is the political situation in north africa important to the united states