The Berbers were originally known as the Amazigh, which means “valiant warrior.” In Morocco, a nation of over 30 million people, forty percent are Berbers. Most of the remaining population has a mixed Berber ethnicity. Their exotic country is a land of contrasts from the desert vistas to the soaring Atlas Mountains. In addition to inhabiting Morocco, they are also widespread in the other countries of Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt in northern Africa. The presence of the Berbers in Africa is believed to date back thousands of years to prehistoric times. They were an original pre-Arab tribe and among the earliest of the tribes who first settled in Africa. Their genetic profile differs radically from any other African tribe. They are a Caucasoid people with light skin, most closely traceable to the Celtic cultures who today inhabit Ireland and Scotland. Some still retain traits such as reddish or blonde hair. In the seventh century, the Moslems attempted to invade North Africa. At that time, the region around Morocco was primarily Christian, with a large Catholic population.