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People group profile · PG011677

The Riffi Imazighen of France

The Riffi Imazighen of France, numbering about 138,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a subgroup of the Indigenous Amazigh peoples of North Africa, united by a shared Amazigh heritage, related Tamazight languages, and a long history of adaptation across the mountains, coasts, and deserts of the Maghreb.

They are a diaspora people in the Amazigh-Riff people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Tarifit.

Pray for the Riffi ImazighenPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Riffi Imazighen people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Amazigh, Riffi

Fast facts

Country
France
Population
138,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Amazigh-Riff
Primary language
Tarifit (rif)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Western Europe, Europe

Where they live

Gospel status

The Riffi Imazighen are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Riffi Imazighen

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Sunni Islam · Islam

99% adherents

Primary language

Tarifit · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Tarifit

Gospel resources in Tarifit

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Riffi Imazighen

  1. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  2. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  3. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  4. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.

Download a prayer guide

Amazigh, Riffian in other countries

The same people (ROP3 101275) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Riffi ImazighenMorocco2,285,000Engaged yet Unreached
ImazighenNetherlands168,000Unengaged and Unreached

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