After the 19th century, areas of the Maghreb were colonized by France, Spain and later Italy.

Today, more than two and a half million Maghrebi immigrants live in France, many from Algeria and
Morocco. In addition, as of 1999 there were 3 million French of Maghrebi origin (defined as having at
least one grandparent from Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia).[23] A 2003 estimate suggests six million
French residents were ethnic Maghrebi.[24]

Population
Main article: Maghrebis

Algiers, Algeria

Casablanca, Morocco

People of Maghreb
The Maghreb is primarily inhabited by peoples of Berber ancestral origin. Berbers are autochthonous to
Algeria (80%), Libya (>60%), Morocco (80%), and Tunisia (>88%).[25] Ethnic French, Arab, West
African, and Sephardic Jewish populations also inhabit the region.

Various other influences are also prominent throughout the Maghreb. In northern coastal towns in
particular, several waves of European immigrants influenced the population in the Medieval era. Most
notable were the moriscos and muladies, that is, the indigenous Spaniards (Moors) who were forcibly
converted to Catholicism and later expelled, together with ethnic Arab and Berber Muslims, during the
Spanish Catholic Reconquista. Other European contributions included French, Italian, and English crews
and passengers taken captive by corsairs. In some cases, they were returned to families after being
ransomed; in others, they were used as slaves or assimilated and adopted into tribes.[26]