In Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, the region's agricultural resources are limited by its dry climate. Its products are those typical of the Mediterranean, steppe, and desert regions: wheat, barley, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, some vegetables, dates, sheep, and goats.
Agriculture employs less than 20 percent of the working population in Libya and as much as 55 percent in Egypt. From about the middle of the twentieth century North Africa's production failed to keep pace with its population growth and remained susceptible to large annual fluctuations. Cropland occupies about 33 percent of Tunisia but less than 3 percent of Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. Some export crops, such as citrus fruits, tobacco, and cotton, have suffered from strong international competition. The northern region is not a major contributor to the continent's fish catch. Morocco, however, with its cool, planktonrich Atlantic waters and access to the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the world's largest fish producers.
See also: Gulf of Guinea, Central Region, Eastern Region
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