The Haratin, also spelled Haratine or Harratin, are an ethnic group found in western Sahel and southwestern Maghreb. The Haratin are mostly found in modern Mauritania, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Algeria. In Tunisia and Libya, they are referred to as Shwashin.
Haratin girl from Morocco
In Mauritania, the use of Haratin girls as servants has attracted activists.
The Maghreb, also known as the Arab Maghreb and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb also includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara. As of 2018, the region had a population of over 100 million people.
Maghreb head ornament (Morocco)
Roman trireme on a mosaic in the Bardo Museum, Tunisia
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, founded by the Arab general Uqba Ibn Nafi (in 670), is the oldest mosque in the Maghreb city of Kairouan, Tunisia.
Algiers, Algeria