Maghreb

The Maghreb (Arabic: المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī)^[1] is the western part of the Arab world. It is in North Africa. The term is generally applied to all of Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, but in older Arabic usage meant only the area of the three countries between the high ranges of the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). Historically, some writers also included Muslim ruled regions in Spain, Portugal, Sicily and Malta in the definition. Malta, in particular, still speaks Maltese, a language based on Maghrebi Arabic. Many Maghrebis (Algeria, Morocco) emigrate to Western Europe (especially the nearby France and Spain).

Modern Maghreb

The Maghreb can be best understood by the many ways the region is both like and unlike other countries around the Mediterranean Sea and the Western Cape in South Africa, and the contrasts with the rest of Africa. The region faces various challenges, including security issues related to terrorism and migration. The population is mainly Arab or of Berber origin, or a mixture of the two. Arabic is the dominant language, but many populations also speak other languages, such as Tamazight. The region has mountain ranges (notably the Atlas), coastal plains, and the Sahara Desert. Historically, it was the westernmost point of the Islamic world, and the term was used to refer to regions beyond Egypt. Couscous is an emblematic dish of the region. The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) is a regional organization for political and economic cooperation, which includes Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.