There are Bedouin communities in many countries including Egypt, Syria,Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq in the Middle East and Morocco, Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in North Africa. Altogether the Bedouin population numbers about 4 million. Bedouins spread out over the pastures of the Arabian Peninsula in the first centuries and are descendants from the first settlers of the Southwestern Arabia now Yemen, and the second settlers of North-Central Arabia, claimed descendants of Ismahel, who are called the Qayis.