Why is it difficult to estimate the number of Berbers in North Africa?

Estimating the number of Berbers in North Africa is difficult primarily due to a lack of thorough, comprehensive surveys.1

Furthermore, while large portions of the population in countries like Algeria and Morocco are descended from Berber ancestors, many individuals do not identify as Amazigh. The historical process of Arabization—driven by the spread of the Arabic language and the influence of Islamic culture—has led to a significant shift where many people who have Berber roots are now Arabic speakers, resulting in a loss of original identities. Consequently, while approximately one-sixth of the population in the Maghreb still speaks one of the Amazigh languages, determining an exact count remains complex due to these evolving cultural and linguistic self-identifications.12