Berber Geography
A look at the demographics, climate, landscapes, and ecosystems of the Berber cultures.
Geographical Statistics of the Maghreb
The Berbers, or Imazighen, are the indigenous people of North Africa’s Maghreb. They are members of an ethnic and linguistic family extending through Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. A greater region, known as the Tamazgha, also includes portions of Mali, Niger, and Egypt.
Berber lifestyles and cultures are diverse and largely influenced by their local landscape, colonial history, and proximity to urban centers. Among the Maghreb's largest cities are Casablanca (approx. population 3.684 million), Algiers (2.694 million), Tunis (2.291 million), Rabat (1.847 million), Nouakchott (1.205 million), and Tripoli (1.158 million). The total population of the five Maghreb nations is estimated at about 96.5 million, though not all of their citizens are of Berber ancestry. Their total land area is 5,773,640 square kilometers, or 2,229,215 square miles.
Landscapes and Climates of the Maghreb
North Africa is, for the most part, a dry and rugged region. The Atlas Mountains run roughly parallel to the Mediterranean coast, casting a rain shadow from north to south. Areas between the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and these mountains see more rainfall and are often suited to agriculture. They experience a temperate Mediterranean climate, and the vast majority of the area’s population live along the coast. South of the Atlas range, dry highlands and the sandy Sahara desert stretch southward.
The Maghreb is home to many ecosystems. Common tree species of its forests include oak, wild olive, thuja, carob, and pine. The region supports a wide variety of wildlife. Some species, such as the Barbary lion and North African elephant, were driven extinct in Roman times. Among its surviving species are Barbary sheep, macaques, jackals, chameleons, and rare Barbary leopards.
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References
Ennaji, Moha. Multilingualism, Cultural Identity, and Education in Morocco. Springer Science & Business Media. 2005.
Hart, David M. Tribe and Society in Rural Morocco. Routledge. 2014.
Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce. The Berber Identity Movement and the Challenge to North African States. University of Texas Press. 2011.
Nisan, Mordechai. Minorities in the Middle East: A History of Struggle and Self-Expression. 2nd ed. McFarland. 2012.
“Northern Africa: Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/pa1214.
“The World Factbook: Algeria.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ag.html.
“The World Factbook: Morocco.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 8 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html.
“The World Factbook: Tunisia.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html.
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