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The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī; also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb), meaning "place of sunset" or "western" in Arabic. It is generally applied to all of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia but in older Arabic usage pertained only to the area of the three countries between the high ranges of the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Historically some writers also included Spain — especially during its period of Muslim domination — in the definition. Isolated from the rest of the continent by the Atlas Mts. and the Sahara, the Maghreb has long been more closely connected in terms of climate, landforms, population, economy, and history to the Mediterranean basin than to the rest of Africa, although it has important historical ties to sub-Saharan Africa. The region as a single political entity was united only during the first years of Arab rule (early 8th century), and again under the Almohads (1159–1229). The Arab Maghreb Union was established in 1989 to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of North Africa. Its members are Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and recently, Mauritania. Envisioned initially by Muammar al-Qaddafi as an Arab superstate, the organization is expected eventually to function as a North African common market, although economic and political unrest, especially in Algeria, have hindered progress on the union’s joint goals.

A majority of the current population in the Maghreb consider themselves generally Arab in identity, regardless of mixed ethnic or linguistic heritage, but there are significant non-Arab or non-Arab identifying populations in the region. Most important of the non-Arab populations that found throughout the Maghreb, particularly in Morocco and Algeria, are the Berbers, who represented the majority of the pre-Islamic population, and subsequently assimilated in large numbers to Arab or mixed Arab-Berber ethnic identities. Various other influences are also prominent throughout the Maghreb. In particular in northern coastal towns several waves of European immigrants have influenced the population — most notably the moriscos and muladies, that is, indigenous Spaniards who had earlier converted to the Muslim faith and were fleeing, together with ethnic Arab and Berber Muslims, from the Catholic Reconquista. Other European contributions include French, Italians, and others captured by the corsairs. Among West Asians are Turks who came over with the Ottoman Empire. A large Turkish descended population exists, particularly in Tunisia and Algeria. Additionally, historically the Maghreb was home to important Jewish communities, including unusually the Berber Jews who predated even the introduction and conversion of the majority of Berbers to Islam in the 7th century. Later Spanish Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish Catholic Reconquista, established a presence, largely in the urban trading centers, and have contributed to the wider population through conversion and assimilation. In Algeria especially, a large European minority, the "pied noirs", immigrated under French colonial rule; the overwhelming majority of these, however, left following independence. France maintains a close relationship with the Maghreb countries.

The Maghreb largely shares a common culinary tradition; indeed, it was jocularly defined by Habib Bourguiba as the part of the Arab world where couscous is the staple food, as opposed to Arab countries of the Eastern Arab world, where white rice is the staple food. In terms of food, similarities are found throughout the Arab world.

Religion

Historic record of religion in the Maghreb region begins with its gradual inclusion in the Classical World and coastal colonies established first by Phoenicians, some Greeks, and later extensive conquest and colonization by the Romans. By the second century common era, the area had started to become a center of Latin-speaking Christianity as gradually, both Roman settlers and Romanized populations converted to Christianity. The region produced figures such as Christian Church writer Tertullian (c 155 - c 202), Christian Church martyrs or leading figures such as St Cyprian of Carthage (+ 258), Righteous Monica, her son the philosopher Augustine, Bishop of Hippo I (+ 430) (1), and St Julia of Carthage (5th century).

The domination of Christianity was ended with the first Arab invasion, bringing Islam in 647, with Carthage falling in 698 and the remainder of the region following in the decades after. Gradual Islamization proceeded subsequently, although letters from Christians in the region to Rome up to the ninth century indicate that Christianity was still a living faith at that time. Christian bishoprics and dioceses continued to be active with relations continuing with Rome with record towards the end of the century, under Pope Benedict VII (974-983) of a priest being sent to Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of Carthage. However, record of Christianity in the region faded through the tenth century.

Islam

From the 7th century onward, the region has been almost entirely Muslim in religion, with a small but thriving Jewish community, as well as a small Christian community. Most follow the Sunni Maliki school, although small Ibadi communities remain in some areas. A strong tradition of venerating marabouts and saint's tombs is found throughout regions inhabited by so called Berbers, still commemorated by the proliferation of "Sidi"s on any map of the region, though this tradition has substantially decreased over the twentieth century. A network of zaouias traditionally helped proliferate basic literacy and knowledge of Islam in rural regions.

History

From the end of the Ice Age, when the Sahara dried up, contact between the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa was virtually non-existent. This remained the case until after the time of the Arab expansion and the spread of Islam; even then, trans-Saharan trade was restricted to costly (but often profitable) caravan expeditions, trading such goods as salt, gold, ivory, and slaves.

Paleo-anthropological evidence suggests that originally the Maghreb was inhabited by "Caucasoid" Cro-Magnoids (Iberomaurusians) in the north. Later, about 8000 BC, there came from the east "Caucasoid" speakers of northern Afro-Asiatic languages such as Berber at least since the Capsian culture.

Many ports along the Maghreb coast were occupied by Phoenicians, particularly Carthaginians; with the defeat of Carthage, many of these ports naturally passed to Rome, and ultimately it took control of the entire Maghreb north of the Atlas Mountains, apart from some of the most mountainous regions like the Moroccan Rif.

The Arabs reached the Maghreb in early Umayyad times, but their control over it was quite weak, and various Islamic "heresies" such as the Ibadis and the Shia, adopted by some Berbers, quickly threw off Caliphal control in the name of their interpretations of Islam. The Arabic language became widespread only later, as a result of the invasion of the Banu Hilal (unleashed, ironically, by the Berber Fatimids in punishment for their Zirid clients' defection) in the 1100s. Throughout this period, the Maghreb fluctuated between occasional unity (as under the Almohads, and briefly under the Hafsids) and more commonly division into three states roughly corresponding to modern Morocco, western Algeria, and eastern Algeria and Tunisia.

After the Middle Ages, the area east of Morocco was loosely under the control of the Ottoman Empire. After the 19th century, it was colonized by France, Spain and later Italy.

Today over two and a half million Maghrebins live in France, especially from Algeria, as well as many more French of Maghrebin origin.

Maghribi traders in Jewish history

In the tenth century, as the social and political environment in Baghdad became increasingly hostile to Jews, many Jewish traders there left for the Maghrib, Tunisia in particular. Over the following two (three?) centuries, a distinctive social group of traders throughout the Mediterranean World became known as the Maghribis, passing on this identification from father to son.

Source: Avner Greif, "Contract Enforceability and Economic Institutions in Early Trade: The Maghribi Traders' Coalition," American Economic Review 82: 128 (1994).

Modern territories of the Maghreb

• Algeria
• Ceuta (a Spanish exclave)
• Libya
• Melilla (a Spanish exclave)
• Morocco
• Tunisia

Medieval regions of the Maghreb

• Ifriqiya
• Djerid
• Sous
• Zab
• Hodna
• Rif
• Maghreb al-Awsat (Central Maghreb)
• Morocco (Maghreb al-Aqsa)
• Tamesna
• Tripolitania

Notes

See also

• Arab Maghreb Union
• Barbary Coast
• Berber
• Moors
• History of Algeria
• Maghreb toponymy
• North Africa
• Tamazgha
• Mashriq
• Northwest Africa
• Maghrebi script
• Jews of the Bilad el-Sudan (West Africa)
• Jews and Judaism in Africa

External links

• literature, cinema and music of the Maghreb
• News and Views of the Maghreb

• Maghreb
• North Africa
• Regions of Africa
• Muslim history