El Jadida (Province)

El Jadida province in the former Doukkala-Abda region

El Jadida ( Arabic إقليم الجديدة, Tamazight : ⵜⴰⵙⴳⴰ ⵏ ⵊⴷⵉⴷⴰ) is an approximately 3870 square kilometers extensive province in the historical region Doukkala in today's Region Casablanca-Settat in Morocco on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean . It was reduced in size when the province of Sidi Bennour was split off in 2009. Since 2015 it has belonged to the Casablanca-Settat region (previously to Doukala-Abda ) and is located southwest of Casablanca . The province has almost 800,000 inhabitants.

geography

location

The province extends in an approx. 170 km long coastal strip from Casablanca to Oualidia on the Atlantic. The highest elevation of almost 200 m above sea level. d. M. is located in the hinterland near Boulaouane . The largest and most important river is the Oum er-Rbia , which flows into the sea at Azemmour .

climate

The province's climate is influenced to a large extent by the Atlantic Ocean and by Moroccan standards it is more moderate.

Places (selection)

Only the cities of El Jadida , Azemmour and Lbir Jdid are classified as urban settlement areas ( municipalités ); the other places are considered rural communities ( cummunes rurales ).

Cité Portugaise of El Jadida (16th-18th centuries)

local community	1994 residents	2004 residents	Residents 2014
El Jadida (M)	119.083	144,440	194.934
Azemmour (M)	32,739	36,722	40,920
Lbir Jdid (M)	10,540	15,267	24,136
Chtouka	26,160	28,939	33,170
Moulay Abdallah	30,926	45,780	74,671
Boulaouane	14,154	14,404	14,485
Oulad Frej	14,518	17,047	19,752
Sidi Smail	22,713	24,569	28,733

economy

The inhabitants of the province make a living to a large extent from agriculture, which also includes livestock. Even the fishing plays a certain role. Larger companies are only found in the El Jadida area; the city also attracts local and international tourists and offers a corresponding infrastructure.

history

Kasbah of Boulaouane (around 1710)

Little information is available on the medieval history of the Doukkala region. It is likely that it must have been a nomadic or semi-nomadic area, which was conquered by the Almohad Sultan Abd al-Mu'min in 1160 . Larger settlements or even cities have basically only existed since the colonial era. The province of Sidi Bennour was created in 2009 when it was separated from the province of El Jadida.

Attractions

In the province of El Jadida there are long beaches and the two former Portuguese cities of El Jadida and Azemmour ; The hilly and thinly forested area around Boulaouane is also quite scenic.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ El Jadida Province - Maps and Statistics
2. ↑ El Jadida - climate tables
3. ↑ Boulaouane - Climate tables
4. ↑ Population statistics Morocco ( Memento from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive )