Ethnic groups in Algeria
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Ethnic groups in Algeria include Arabs and Berbers, who represent 99% of the population, of which 75–85% are Arab and about 15–25% are Berber.[1][2] Algeria also has a minority population of Europeans that represents less than 1% of the population.[1] The minority European population is predominantly of French, Spanish, and Italian descent.[3]
Arabs
Approximately 75–85% of the Algerian population identify as Arabs.[4] The Arabs of Algeria are primarily descended from the Arabian conquerors and migrants who arrived in the region between the 7th and 17th centuries during the Arab migrations to the Maghreb.[5][6] As a result of the migrations, these Arab tribes have contributed to the Arabization of many indigenous Berber tribes that were native to the region, resulting in their adoption of Islam as a religion, and the replacement of their local languages with the more socially and culturally dominant Arabic.[7] In addition to these two aforementioned processes, the intermingling between Arabs and Berbers has also contributed to the formation of the Algerian Arab identity.
The Arab population of Algeria is concentrated mainly in the northern and coastal regions of the country, where they make up a majority of the population. They are predominantly
Throughout the years there has been a growing movement among Algerians to reclaim their Arabic cultural and linguistic identity, which has been suppressed under the
Berbers
A minority of 15–25% of the Algerian population identifies as
From western Egypt to the Canary Islands (a region called
Due to the growth of Arabic as the official language of culture and religion, the rise of French as a prestige language during colonization, and assimilationist laws that forbade the use of this language, Tamazight in Algeria experienced a decline.[6]
Previous Roman-Berber cities gradually began to become Arabo-Berber cities where an Arabo-Islamic culture was involved. Arabization was considered as a low phenomenon, mostly due to cultural and economical exchanges between the new Maghreb and the old Mashreq of the Arab world until the 12th century with the immigration of the Bedouin tribe Banu Hilal expanded their cultural influence towards the inland areas. Within the few centuries later, the linguistical Arabization of the Maghreb became much more important and dominant.
Berbers have played an important role in the struggle for Algerian independence, and they continue to be an important political and cultural force in the country while keeping their identity and distinct language, customs, and traditions.[6]
Other ethnic groups
Europeans
A small percentage of Algerians are of French, Spanish, or Italian heritage.[10] They represent the faction that persisted following Algeria's 1962 declaration of independence from France. While Algeria was ruled by France, these European immigrants had sizable farms and companies.[10] They had greater economic benefits than Algeria's native population, despite being a minority.[10] The majority of Europeans are Christians or Jews, as opposed to most Algerians, who are Muslims.[10]
Jewish
Algeria was the home of a significant
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-5107-5826-1.
- ^ "Algeria reinstates term limit and recognises Berber language". BBC News. 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ UNESCO (2009). "Diversité et interculturalité en Algérie" (PDF). UNESCO. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-5107-5826-1.
- ISBN 978-1-63355-981-3.
- ^ a b c d "Algeria - World Directory of Minorities & Indigenous Peoples". Minority Rights Group. 2015-06-19. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ Abu-Haidar, F. (2000). Arabisation in Algeria. International Journal of Francophone Studies, 3(3).
- ^ Mehri, Abdelhamid (1972-01-01). "La langue arabe reprend sa place". Le Monde diplomatique (in French). Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Les Berbères en Afrique du Nord". Chaire pour le développement de la recherche sur la culture d'expression française en Amérique du Nord., Université Laval Québec, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Ethnic Groups In Algeria". WorldAtlas. 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ a b c d "Jews of Algeria". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ a b Congress, World Jewish. "World Jewish Congress". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 2023-03-22.