Berbers

The modern-day region of Maghrib - the Arab "West" consisting of present-day Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia - is inhabited predominantly by Muslim Arabs, but it has a large Berber minority. North Africa served as a transit region for peoples moving toward Europe or the Middle East. Thus, the region's inhabitants have been influenced by populations from other areas. Out of this mix developed the Berber people, whose language and culture, although pushed from coastal areas …

…an ally of Spain. In conclusion, to the strong loyalties of the tribe, the Berber added individualism, democratic participation in inter- tribal affairs and fierce opposition to foreign invaders. Over the centuries, many conquerors came to the Maghrib, but few established durable empires, and few exercised a significant cultural influence. In the religious sphere, the Berbers continued to practice their animistic beliefs, while often adopting religious heresies to oppose their Christian, Jewish or Islamic overlords.