former designation for the coastal region of North Africa bounded by Egypt (east), by the Atlantic (west), by the Sahara (south), and by the Mediterranean Sea (north), and now comprising Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The name originates from that of the Berbers, the oldest known inhabitants of the region, and was for centuries associated with the coastal pirates who preyed upon Mediterranean shipping. The term was in use until occupation of the region by European powers in the 19th century (see Maghreb (Maghrib)).