Souss plain
The Souss plain through which the Oued Souss flows ( Central Atlas Tamazight ⵙⵓⵙ Sus , Arabic بلاد السوس, DMG Bilād as-Sūs ) extends to the west of the Souss-Massa-Draâ region in south-west Morocco ; the main cities are Agadir , Inezgane , Aït Melloul , Oulad Teima and Taroudannt .
geography
location
A precise geographical delimitation of the funnel-shaped Souss plain is difficult - in general, the valleys between Taroudannt and Agadir are regarded as the core zone. The western foothills of the High Atlas and the Anti- Atlas border to the north and south, and the area becomes increasingly hilly and mountainous to the east.
climate
In summer, daytime temperatures are often around 40 ° C, sometimes even higher; At night, temperatures can drop to below 10 ° C, depending on the cloudiness. In the winter months (November to February) there is some rain, but the area gets its water mainly from the Oued Souss ( Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⵙⵉⴼ ⵏ ⵙⵓⵙ Asif n Sus ) and its tributaries, which are dry for most of the year.
population
The population of the Souss plain consists mainly of Berbers of various tribes, most of whom have immigrated from the surrounding mountain regions since the 1970s. In addition to the various Berber dialects , however, more and more Moroccan Arabic is spoken. In 2015, about 1.8 to 2 million people lived in the Souss plain.
economy
As a result of their relative abundance of water, the valleys of the Souss plain are comparatively fertile by Moroccan standards: in earlier centuries mainly sugar cane was grown and exported to Europe; In the meantime, mainly bananas , tomatoes , pumpkins etc. are produced on the cultivated areas , most of which are marketed in the country itself. Argan trees grow naturally in the higher regions ; In addition, a small amount of grain (mostly barley ) is grown on the soil .
history
The Souss plain was the largest supplier of cane sugar to Europe in the late Middle Ages and in modern times; So it is not surprising that the Portuguese founded their first trading stations here on their sailing trips along the west coast of North Africa, including Agadir (founded in 1505). In the 16th century, the Souss under the religiously oriented Sheikh Sidi Ahmed Ou Moussa Semlali broke away more and more from the Moroccan central authority; an independent kingdom called Tazerwalt was formed under his grandson or great-grandson Sidi Ali Bou Dmia in the 17th century. The first sultan of the Alawid dynasty , Mulai ar-Raschid , recaptured the area in the early 1670s. In the following years, however, it strengthened again and was only finally incorporated into the Moroccan state in the 1880s. During the protectorate period , many French settlers (colons) settled in the Souss plain; however, their descendants had to leave the country again after the independence of Morocco (1956).
Attractions
Outside the cities of Agadir and Taroudannt, the Souss plain is of little tourist importance. The coastal region south of Agadir was designated as the Souss Massa National Park in 1991 . The villages in the neighboring mountain regions of the High Atlas (e.g. Imouzzer des Ida-Outanane ) and the Anti-Atlas (e.g. Imchiguegueln and Tafraoute ) are also interesting .
See also
- Doukkala plane
- Gharb plain
- Tadla plain