Chefchaouen Province
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chefchaouen (Arabic: شفشاون) is a province in the Moroccan economic region of Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.
According to the 2014 national census in Morocco, the province has more than 457,432 inhabitants. The population is 87.45% rural.[1]
The province of Chefchaouen is bordered by five provinces – Tétouan Province to the northwest, Larache Province to the west, Al Hoceïma Province to the east, Taounate Province to the south, Ouezzane Province to the southwest – and the Mediterranean Sea to the northeast. The Province of Chefchaouen belongs to the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region and consists of one urban commune (the municipality of Chefchaouen) and 27 rural communes, giving the province a rural character.[2]
The city of Chefchaouen is the only official municipality in the province, created in 1975.[2] The other major towns are:[3]
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: These are figures from the 2004 census, please update with figures from the 2014 census. See "Recensement Général de la Population et de l'Habitat de 2014 : Population Légale du Maroc" at this link. (February 2022) |
The province is divided administratively into the following:[4]
Name | Geographic code | Type | Households | Population (2004) | Foreign population | Moroccan population | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chefchaouen | 151.01.01. | Municipality | 7739 | 35709 | 58 | 35651 | |
Amtar | 151.03.01. | Rural commune | 1459 | 10038 | 0 | 10038 | |
Bab Berred | 151.03.03. | Rural commune | 3879 | 23239 | 0 | 23239 | 5043 residents live in the center, called Bab Berred; 18196 residents live in rural areas. |
Bni Ahmed Cherqia | 151.03.05. | Rural commune | 2021 | 10365 | 1 | 10364 | |
Bni Ahmed Gharbia | 151.03.07. | Rural commune | 2286 | 12923 | 1 | 12922 | |
Bni Rzine | 151.03.09. | Rural commune | 2630 | 19585 | 0 | 19585 | |
Bni Smih | 151.03.11. | Rural commune | 2109 | 15577 | 0 | 15577 | |
Iounane | 151.03.13. | Rural commune | 3085 | 23132 | 0 | 23132 | |
Mansoura | 151.03.15. | Rural commune | 2664 | 16559 | 0 | 16559 | |
M'Tioua | 151.03.17. | Rural commune | 1867 | 12076 | 0 | 12076 | 2984 residents live in the center, called Jebha; 9092 residents live in rural areas. |
Ouaouzgane | 151.03.19. | Rural commune | 2279 | 16075 | 0 | 16075 | |
Oued Malha | 151.03.21. | Rural commune | 1974 | 12088 | 0 | 12088 | |
Tamorot | 151.03.23. | Rural commune | 3581 | 24541 | 0 | 24541 | |
Bab Taza | 151.05.01. | Rural commune | 4544 | 28549 | 0 | 28549 | 4006 residents live in the center, called Bab Taza; 24543 residents live in rural areas. |
Bni Darkoul | 151.05.03. | Rural commune | 1888 | 11706 | 0 | 11706 | |
Bni Faghloum | 151.05.05. | Rural commune | 1603 | 9951 | 0 | 9951 | |
Bni Salah | 151.05.07. | Rural commune | 1384 | 9662 | 0 | 9662 | |
Derdara | 151.05.09. | Rural commune | 1644 | 10762 | 0 | 10762 | |
Fifi | 151.05.11. | Rural commune | 1312 | 7720 | 0 | 7720 | |
Laghdir | 151.05.13. | Rural commune | 1278 | 7077 | 0 | 7077 | |
Tanaqoub | 151.05.15. | Rural commune | 1157 | 7219 | 0 | 7219 | |
Bni Bouzra | 151.07.01. | Rural commune | 2245 | 15254 | 0 | 15254 | |
Bni Mansour | 151.07.03. | Rural commune | 2468 | 18542 | 0 | 18542 | |
Bni Selmane | 151.07.05. | Rural commune | 3090 | 23396 | 0 | 23396 | |
Steha | 151.07.07. | Rural commune | 1695 | 10637 | 0 | 10637 | |
Talambote | 151.07.09. | Rural commune | 1465 | 10659 | 0 | 10659 | |
Tassift | 151.07.11. | Rural commune | 1193 | 8139 | 0 | 8139 | |
Tizgane | 151.07.13. | Rural commune | 1883 | 11711 | 1 | 11710 | |
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2023) |
The Chefchaouen Mountains are composed of very rugged siliceous and limestone layers, with some peaks exceeding 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level, such as Jbel Lakraa and Jbel Tissouka in the rural commune of Bab Taza, as well as Jbel Tizirane in the rural commune of Bab Berred.[citation needed]
Chefchaouen and its surroundings were historically and geographically known as the Jbala region or country (i.e. mountain inhabitants) where many Jbala tribes once lived. The Jbala region was officially described at the beginning of the 20th century as a geographical territory corresponding to the foothills of the southwestern Rif, between the massifs of the central Rif and the pre-Rif domain.[5][6]
Natural forests cover around 118,957 hectares (293,950 acres) and are dominated by broad-leaved trees. Forest formations are distributed according to local variations of climate and soil due to altitude, lithology, and human activity. There are sclerophyllous oaks such as cork oak (Quercus suber), holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), and kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), deciduous oaks such as Tauzin oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and zeen oak (Quercus canariensis and Quercus faginea), and natural coniferous forests such as Maghreb maritime pine (Pinus pinaster var. maghrebiana), Moroccan fir (Abies maroccana) and Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica).[7]
The province of Chefchaouen is considered one of the richest regions in terms of biological diversity.[clarification needed] It is designated as a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot (i.e. a zone with an exceptional concentration of endemic and threatened species) and suffers from accelerated forest degradation due to anthropogenic pressures exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Two protected areas have been created in the province:[8][9]
In 2006, these two parks were included in the Mediterranean Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of Spain and Morocco, established in the context of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAN) program. Reforestation programs have been carried out since 1966, and by 2016 had generated 16,119 ha (39,830 acres).[10]
High rainfall at altitude provides a potential for hydrological development. Several seasonal rivers flow into the Mediterranean or feed the Loukos or Ouargha rivers.[11]
Despite the significant rainfall, agricultural activity is limited due to the rugged and steep topography, the scarcity of arable land, the low mechanization level, and the lack of irrigation infrastructure. These factors have contributed to the emergence of traditional agriculture largely dependent on climatic hazards. Forests have been harvested for wood and pulp products and to clear land for agriculture. Villagers from rural areas form an important workforce in the agricultural field.[12]
The province is dominated by cereal agriculture, goat herding in the mountains, and arboriculture of fig and almond trees.[12] The countryside has a reputation as a prolific source of kief. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco.[citation needed]
This traditional agro-pastoral system – of olive and fig plantations, cereal fields, and limited grazing pastures – has been carried out for centuries. Local products are also diversified, such as fresh goat cheese and other animal products, medicinal and aromatic plants, and products based on wild olives, figs, wool, etc. These various agricultural models have contributed to a richness of food diversity and, in 2010, UNESCO recognized Chefchaouen for its Mediterranean diet.[14]
The industrial sector remains very weak despite the province's potential with its availability of human and natural resources. The commercial sector is one of the main economic supports of Chefchaouen, bolstered by tourism activity and remittances from workers abroad. It is mainly focused on urban centers and the main rural communes and is based on the sale of traditional food products, construction materials, clothing, and household items. Commercial transactions become dynamic during summer, with the influx of tourists and the return of foreign workers to the province.[12]
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