Mzab

The M'zab or Mzab, is a region of the northern Sahara, in the Ghardaia wilaya, an administrative division similar to a province, of Algeria.

It is located 500 km (310 mi) south of Algiers and there are approximately 360,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate). The Mzab is a limestone plateau, centred around the Wad Mzab (Oued Mzab) valley. The Mozabites ("At Mzab") are a branch of a large Berber tribe, the Iznaten, which lived in large areas of middle southern Algeria. Many Tifinagh letters and symbols are engraved around the Mzab Valley.