Al Haouz

Al Haouz province in the former Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region

Amizmiz mountain village

Ourika valley

Stone and adobe houses of the Berbers in the Ourika Valley

Tinmal Mosque

Mountain village Imlil near Asni

Mountain lake near Oukaïmeden

Al Haouz ( Arabic إقليم الحوز, DMG Iqlīm al-Ḥauz , Taschelhit ⵜⴰⵙⴳⴰ ⵏ ⵍⵃⴰⵡⵣ ) is a province in the center of the High Atlas in Morocco . Since the administrative reform of 2015, it has belonged to the Marrakech-Safi region (previously Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz ) and is located in the south of the country, not far from Marrakech . The province has approx. 575,000 inhabitants (2014) with an area of ​​approx. 5,100 km².

geography

location

The province of Al-Haouz borders the province of Chichaoua in the west, the prefecture of Marrakech in the north-west, the provinces Rehamna and El Kelaâ des Sraghna in the north, the province Azilal in the east, the province Ouarzazate in the south-east and the Taroudant Province .

landscape

The province of Al Haouz includes the highest mountain regions of Morocco, ie the area of ​​the 4167 m high Jbel Toubkal and the 4089 m high Jbel Ouanoukrim . The inhabited places are mostly at altitudes between 1000 and 2000  m .

Rivers

Several rivers and streams are fed by the meltwater of the High Atlas - the most important are the Oued Tensift and its tributaries Oued Ourika and Oued Nfiss .

climate

The altitude results in comparatively low temperatures, which can drop well below freezing on winter nights, while during the day 10 ° to 20 ° are usually reached. In summer, the 30 ° limit is rarely exceeded. Precipitation actually only falls in the winter months from November to February; the snow line is around 3000 m.

Population, Economy and History

The area, which is mostly around 1000 to 2000 m high, served for thousands of years for hunting and later as a summer pasture for wandering Berber nomads . The gradual process of settling down probably only began around 500 to 1000 years ago - small houses were built from stone and earth with roofs made from wood, reeds and an earth cover, and plots in the valley and hillside areas were built as cultivation areas for barley and vegetables (onions, Carrots, beans). The people lived as self-sufficient ; It was not until the 20th century that the old paths were converted into slopes, most of which are now paved.

Population development

year	1994	2004	2014
Residents	435.090	484.312	573.128

Attractions

Apart from the impressive mountain landscape - especially in spring - which is particularly evident in the Ourika Valley and the Oued Nfiss Valley , the province is home to one of the country's oldest and most impressive mosques - the Tinmal Mosque . The prehistoric rock carvings in the Jbel Yagour and Oukaïmeden areas also deserve attention.

One of the most beautiful trekking tours in Morocco leads from Imlil to Setti Fatma . The Jbel Toubkal , the Jbel Ouanoukrim and other peaks in their vicinity can be climbed in mostly three-day mountain tours.

Biggest places

The places marked with (M) are classified as urban settlements (Municipalités) ; the rest are considered rural communities (communes rurales) and consist of several villages.

local community	Residents
	1994	2004	2014
Ait Ourir (M)	12,162	20.005	39,108
Ait Faska	16,210	19,239	26,210
Ait Sidi Daoud	17.307	19,286	18,976
Amizmiz	11,919	13,711	14,364
Asni	16,252	18,674	21,244
Ghmate	20,460	22.805	25,220
Ijoukak	6,305	6,641	6,700
Moulay Brahim	10,503	10,979	11,813
Oukaïmeden	3,798	4,440	4,861
Ourika	21,982	26,990	37,316
Setti Fatma	20,545	22,283	24,129
Sidi Abdallah Ghiat	16,298	20,649	29,498
Tahannaout	5,697	6,585	12,102
Tameslohte	17,138	21,408	28,978
Tidili Mesfioua	22,056	21,106	21,706
Tighedouine	20,939	22,353	22,971
Cringed	18,239	19,154	19,926

Web links

Commons : Al Haouz Province  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Population statistics Morocco ( Memento from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
2. ↑ Statistics Province of Al Haouz