Arabic is the official language, but some people speak either French or Spanish. The typical household consists of the parents, children and married sons with their families. When the father dies, the son begins his own household. Housing varies according to climate and building materials. In the south, one can find homes of dried mud bricks.
Many homes have only one large room.
Weekly outdoor markets are an important part of life in the country. In the city, people live in small attached houses. Wealthier people live in spacious homes or apartment buildings. Sprawling slums border the cities. There is a severe crowding problem.