The Tuareg people inhabit the Sahara across Algeria, Libya, Niger, Mauritania, and Mali. Their communities transcend national borders and often operate beyond modern political frameworks. Perhaps due to their historical disconnection from centralized governments-and outright disdain for them-there is no significant movement to establish a Tuareg state.
Traditionally a nomadic people, the Tuareg have seen their pastoralist way of life decline, driven by climate change and political pressures. As a result, many have transitioned to tourism and other modern professions.
Historically, Tuareg society was feudal, comprising a hierarchy of nobles, vassals and laborers, all integrated into a clan-based system. While some of these social structures persist today, they have mostly evolved to accommodate modern laws. In Algeria, most Tuaregs speak the Tamasheq language, which is written in an ancient script known as Tifinagh (ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ). This script is also used to write Tamazight, one of Algeria's official languages.
Tassili n'Ajjer, Algeria, 2024