Ras el Ma
| Ras el Ma | |||||
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| Basic data | |||||
| State : |
 Morocco
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| Region : | Oriental | ||||
| Province : | Nador | ||||
| Coordinates | 35 ° 9 ′ N , 2 ° 25 ′ W | ||||
| Residents : | 7,580 (2014) | ||||
| Height : | 10 m | ||||
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Ras el Ma ( Arabic رأس الماء, DMG Raʾs al-Māʾ , also Ras Kebdana ) is a small town and a rural community ( commune rurale ) with a total of about 7,500 inhabitants in the province of Nador in the Oriental region of north-east Morocco .
location
Ras el Ma is located on the cape of the same name (French: Cap de l'Eau ), a coastal promontory of the eastern Rif Mountains , about 65 km (driving distance) east of the provincial capital Nador and about 15 km west of the border town Saidia at an altitude of about 10 and 20 m above sea level d. M. The regional capital Oujda is about 76 km southeast. The climate is rather dry compared to the western part of the Rif Mountains.
population
| year | 1994 | 2004 | 2014 |
| Residents | 10,678 | 9,888 | 7,580 |
The inhabitants of Ras el Ma are mostly immigrants of Berber descent; however, mostly Moroccan Arabic is spoken . The population has been falling slightly for years, because many residents are drawn to Nador or Oujda or Europe to look for work.
economy
For centuries, people lived on agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing , which is the most important source of income today. Tourism also plays a certain role, as there is an approx. 6 km long sandy beach to the east, which is visited on the weekends by day holidaymakers from Nador and Oujda.
history
From the 8th to the early 11th century, the area around the Cap de l'Eau belonged to the emirate of Noukour , which had to endure some raids by the Vikings . In the period that followed, it remained quiet, as the heavily rugged Mediterranean coast was outside the strategic and military interests of the respective rulers. Even during the Rif War , the area remained largely undisturbed.
Attractions
Ras el Ma has no sights of historical or cultural interest.
Others
- A small nature reserve extends between Ras el Ma and Saidia in the mouth of the Moulouya .
- The Mediterranean islands of Islas Chafarinas , 4 km north of Cap de l'Eau , have belonged to Spain since 1848.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Population statistics Morocco ( Memento from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Ras el Ma climate diagrams