Biougra

Biougra ; بيوڭرى ; ⴱⵉⵢⴳⵯⵔⴰ
	Biougra
	Biougra
Basic data
State :	Morocco
Region :	Souss-Massa
Province :	Chtouka-Aït Baha
Coordinates	30 ° 13 ′ N , 9 ° 22 ′ W Coordinates: 30 ° 13 ′ N , 9 ° 22 ′ W
Residents :	37,933 (2014)
Height :	133 m
	Place al-Massira al-Khadra

Biougra ( Arabic بيوڭرى, DMG Biyūgrā , also incorrectبيوكرة, DMG Biyūkra ; taschelhit ⴱⵉⵢⴳⵯⵔⴰ Biygʷra , German 'the (place) with the frogs' ) is the capital of the province of Chtouka-Aït Baha in the Moroccan region of Souss-Massa . The place had the status of a Municipalité until around 2018 (بلدية, DMG baladiyya ), since 2019 it has been shown on town signs as Ville (مدينة, DMG madīna ).

Location and climate

Biougra is located at an altitude of about 135 m in southwest Morocco in the south of the Souss plain in front of the western foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains and about 25 km as the crow flies from the Atlantic . It is a traffic junction with roads going in several directions: Aït Melloul and Inezgane in the northwest can be reached after about 20 km via the R105 road, and from there it is a little more than 10 km to Agadir . The fast growing small town of Aït Baha is about 32 km southeast; from there it is another 90 km to Tafraoute . The Al Massira airport is km with direct road links about 13 north of Biougra. To the west there is a connection to the coastal expressway N1 to Tiznit .

The climate in Biougra is mostly warm and dry, with the east facing position occasionally in summer it can get very hot for a few days; Rain (approx. 215 mm / year) usually only falls on a few days in the winter half-year.

Population development

Official population statistics have only been kept and published since 1994.

year	1994	2004	2014
Residents	13,885	25,928	37,933

The majority of the inhabitants of Biougra are Berbers of the Ashtukn tribe (tifinagh: ⴰⵛⵜⵓⴽⵏ), and Taschelhit is also spoken by the majority in public life . The increase in population is essentially due to the immigration of Berber families from the surrounding mountain regions.

economy & Administration and Management

As the administrative center of the Chtouka-Aït Baha province, the city is not only the seat of the provincial governor with a representative official seat, but also of many authorities (e.g. tax office, land registry office (ANCFCC), national office for electricity and drinking water (ONEE), royal gendarmerie ) and a hospital; there are also branches of all important Moroccan banks. A new combined building for a court of first instance and a family court has been under construction since the beginning of 2018. There are several public and private schools and a professional fire department. The most important role in the economic life of the city, however, is played by small trades and crafts, as well as the weekly market on Mondays, which is also of great importance for the surrounding villages.

Around the city there are many agricultural domains that produce fruit and vegetables in greenhouses - also for export to Europe. A newly built cement plant has been located 21 km east of Biougra since 2012 . Many men live and work in the cities of the north or in France , so the place benefits greatly from money transfer services.

Attractions

The city has - except the Monday market held with its traditional trade of cattle, grain, fruit and vegetables, and a little crafts - no tourist attractions, but offers a provincial capital a relatively neat impression and is well suited for trips to the Igudar the various Berber tribes in the eastern hinterland ( Ighil , Inoumar , Imi Mqourn , Imchiguegueln etc.).