The Amazigh world is not one place. It is a wide cultural and linguistic area stretching from the Atlantic coast of Morocco to the Siwa Oasis in western Egypt, and from the Mediterranean southward across the Sahara into the Sahel.

Tamazgha is the modern Amazigh term for this space. The exact geographic definition varies by source, but it usually includes:

  • Morocco · Algeria · Tunisia · Libya · Egypt
  • Mauritania · Mali · Niger · Burkina Faso

The Amazigh presence in these areas is ancient and predates the arrival of Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Ottoman and European powers. Today the largest Amazigh-speaking populations are in Morocco and Algeria, with significant communities in Libya, Tunisia and among Tuareg groups across the Sahel.

North Africa

🇲🇦 Morocco

Morocco has the largest Amazigh-speaking population. The main varieties are:

  • Tarifit — Rif, northern Morocco
  • Central Atlas Tamazight — Middle Atlas, central Morocco
  • Tashelhit / Tachelhit — Souss and High Atlas, southern Morocco

Smaller varieties include Ghomara, Senhaja and Figuig. In 2011 Tamazight was recognised as an official language of Morocco alongside Arabic.

🇩🇿 Algeria

Algeria has several major Amazigh varieties:

  • Kabyle — Taqbaylit — Kabylia, east of Algiers
  • Chaoui — Tacawit / Tachawit — Aurès mountains
  • Chenoui — Tachenwit — Dahra and Ouarsenis
  • Mozabite — Tumzabt — M'Zab valley
  • Ouargli, Gurara, Tidikelt — northern Sahara
  • Tuareg — Tamahaq — extreme south (Hoggar, Tassili)

Kabyle is the most widely spoken and most documented variety in Algeria. In 2016 Tamazight was recognised as an official language of Algeria.

🇹🇳 Tunisia

The Amazigh presence in Tunisia is old but small today. Main varieties:

  • Djerbi — Djerba island
  • Matmata
  • Zraoua — near Tataouine
  • Other small southern varieties

🇱🇾 Libya

Amazigh communities are concentrated in the northwest and in a few oasis towns:

  • Nafusi — Nafusa mountains
  • Zuwara / Zwara — coastal
  • Ghadames — oasis town
  • Awjila, Sokna — eastern oases

🇪🇬 Egypt

Siwi is spoken around the Siwa Oasis in western Egypt — the only living Amazigh variety in the country.

🇲🇷 Mauritania

Zenaga is the only Amazigh variety in Mauritania. It is now spoken by a small number of people.

The Sahara and the Sahel

Across the Sahara and the Sahel, the Tuareg form an important Amazigh branch. Tuareg communities live across:

  • 🇲🇱 Mali — Tamasheq / Tamacheq
  • 🇳🇪 Niger — Tamajaq / Tamazheq
  • 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso — Tamasheq

Tuareg languages share ancient cultural traditions, including Tifinagh writing, which has been preserved continuously among them.

A note on terminology

Different communities, countries and academic sources use different names for the same variety. Where possible, this site lists both the common name and the native name — for example Kabyle / Taqbaylit or Mozabite / Tumzabt.