Alternative names: Kabylian (Algeria) Location: North African
coastal plains and adjoining mountain ranges Population: Morocco
6 million; Algeria 3.6-5 million % of population: Morocco 40%,
Algeria 15-20% Language: Berber, Arabic The Berbers are the
indigenous inhabitants of the North African littoral, isolated
from the rest of Africa by the Sahara desert. They are the
descendants of the Capsian culture of prehistoric North Africa
but have been subject to much racial admixture over centuries of
invasion. From the mid seventh century waves of Arab migration
into the region brought cultural changes and introduced Islam,
which the Berbers willingly accepted, although the character of
North Africa remained Berber. Although rural Berber life
remained largely unchanged by Arab influence those living in the
cities found their language, tribal law and oral literary
traditions being replaced by Arabic traditions. Forced back into
the mountain regions by the city-based sultanates, the Berbers
refused to recognize centr