Al Hoceïma (Province)

Al Hoceïma province in the former Taza-Al Hoceïma-Taounate region

Al Hoceïma - townscape with port and beach

Al Hoceïma ( Arabic إقليم الحسيمة, Central Atlas Tamazight ⵜⴰⵙⴳⴰ ⵏ ⵍⵃⵓⵙⵉⵎⴰ Tasga n Lḥusima ) is a province in Morocco . It has belonged to the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma region since the administrative reform of 2015 and is located in the north of the country, on the Mediterranean coast . The province, which covers around 3540 km², has around 400,000 inhabitants (2014) in 5 cities and 31 rural communities ( communes rurales ). The provincial capital is the city of the same name, Al Hoceïma .

geography

The province has numerous bathing bays on the Mediterranean coast, which, however, are difficult to reach because of the impassable terrain. The hinterland belonging to the Rif Mountains culminates in the approximately 2450 m high Jbel Tidirhine . While the coastal strip has little rain, there is significantly more rainfall in the hinterland.

economy

For centuries there were only small fishing villages on the coast; the city of Al Hoceïma was not established until the 20th century. Since around 1980 there have been regular ferry connections to Almería and Motril in Andalusia . Because of Morocco's comparatively rainy climate, the hinterland is quite fertile, but the mountainous and rugged landscape is an obstacle to economic development. In the vicinity of Issaguen and Ketama, cannabis is grown on a large scale, but on small areas .

Biggest places

Five places marked with (M) are classified as towns ( municipalités ); the rest are considered rural communities ( communes rurales ) and each consist of several villages.

local community	Residents
	1994	2004	2014
Al Hoceïma (M)	55.216	55,357	56,716
Bni Bouayach (M)	13,127	15,497	18,271
Imzouren (M)	25,547	26,575	33,852
Targuist (M)	9,593	11,560	13,390
Ajdir (M)	-	3,987	5,314
Abdelghaya Souahel	19,494	24,013	25,817
Issues	12,799	15,924	17,095
Ketama	13,444	15,924	17,351
Tamsaout	10,208	12,610	13,711
Aït Youssef Ou Ali	15,592	12,474	12,673
Nekkour	11,857	11,524	8,963
Sidi Boutmim	10,592	10,242	9,988
Bni Boufrah	10,280	10,298	9,653
Bni Gmil Maksouline	8,487	9,915	9,593
Senada	10,066	9,870	9,176

Web links

Commons : Al Hoceima Province  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Al Hoceima Province - Maps and information (French)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Al Hoceïma climate diagrams
2. ↑ Climate diagrams Issaguen
3. ↑ Targuist climate diagrams
4. ↑ Population statistics Morocco ( Memento from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
5. ↑ Statistics Province of Al Hoceïma