Chefchaouen Province
Introduction The town of Chefchaouen'''Chefchaouen''' is a province in the Moroccan economic region of Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.
Demographics According to the 2014 national census in Morocco, the province has more than 457,432 inhabitants. The population is 87.45% rural.
Geography The province of Chefchaouen is bordered by five provinces – Tétouan Province to the northwest, Larache Province to the west, Al Hoceïma Province to the east, Taounate Province to the south, Ouezzane Province to the southwest – and the Mediterranean Sea to the northeast. The Province of Chefchaouen belongs to the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region and consists of one urban commune (the municipality of Chefchaouen) and 27 rural communes, giving the province a rural character.The city of Chefchaouen is the only official municipality in the province, created in 1975.The other major towns are:* Bab Berred* Bab Taza* Brikcha* Jebha* Moqrisset* Zoumi=== Subdivisions ===The province is divided administratively into the following: Name  Geographic code  Type  Households  Population (2004)  Foreign population  Moroccan population  Notes Chefchaouen  151.01.01.Municipality  7739  35709  58  35651   Amtar  151.03.01.Rural commune  1459  10038  0  10038   Bab Berred  151.03.03.Rural commune  3879  23239  0  23239  5043 residents live in the center, called Bab Berred; 18196 residents live in rural areas. Bni Ahmed Cherqia  151.03.05.Rural commune  2021  10365  1  10364   Bni Ahmed Gharbia  151.03.07.Rural commune  2286  12923  1  12922   Bni Rzine  151.03.09.Rural commune  2630  19585  0  19585   Bni Smih  151.03.11.Rural commune  2109  15577  0  15577   Iounane  151.03.13.Rural commune  3085  23132  0  23132   Mansoura  151.03.15.Rural commune  2664  16559  0  16559   M'Tioua  151.03.17.Rural commune  1867  12076  0  12076  2984 residents live in the center, called Jebha; 9092 residents live in rural areas. Ouaouzgane  151.03.19.Rural commune  2279  16075  0  16075   Oued Malha  151.03.21.Rural commune  1974  12088  0  12088   Tamorot  151.03.23.Rural commune  3581  24541  0  24541   Bab Taza  151.05.01.Rural commune  4544  28549  0  28549  4006 residents live in the center, called Bab Taza; 24543 residents live in rural areas. Bni Darkoul  151.05.03.Rural commune  1888  11706  0  11706   Bni Faghloum  151.05.05.Rural commune  1603  9951  0  9951   Bni Salah  151.05.07.Rural commune  1384  9662  0  9662   Derdara  151.05.09.Rural commune  1644  10762  0  10762   Fifi  151.05.11.Rural commune  1312  7720  0  7720   Laghdir  151.05.13.Rural commune  1278  7077  0  7077   Tanaqoub  151.05.15.Rural commune  1157  7219  0  7219   Bni Bouzra  151.07.01.Rural commune  2245  15254  0  15254   Bni Mansour  151.07.03.Rural commune  2468  18542  0  18542   Bni Selmane  151.07.05.Rural commune  3090  23396  0  23396   Steha  151.07.07.Rural commune  1695  10637  0  10637   Talambote  151.07.09.Rural commune  1465  10659  0  10659   Tassift  151.07.11.Rural commune  1193  8139  0  8139   Tizgane  151.07.13.Rural commune  1883  11711  1  11710  === Environment ======= Mountains ====A panoramic view of Chefchaouen situated within a mountainous area.The Chefchaouen Mountains are composed of very rugged siliceous and limestone layers, with some peaks exceeding  above sea level, such as Jbel Lakraa and Jbel Tissouka in the rural commune of Bab Taza, as well as Jbel Tizirane in the rural commune of Bab Berred.Chefchaouen and its surroundings were historically and geographically known as the Jbala region or country (i.e. mountain inhabitants) where many Jbala tribes once lived. The Jbala region was officially described at the beginning of the 20th century as a geographical territory corresponding to the foothills of the southwestern Rif, between the massifs of the central Rif and the pre-Rif domain.==== Forests ====Natural forests cover around  and are dominated by broad-leaved trees. Forest formations are distributed according to local variations of climate and soil due to altitude, lithology, and human activity. There are sclerophyllous oaks such as cork oak (''Quercus suber''), holm oak (''Quercus rotundifolia''), and kermes oak (''Quercus coccifera''), deciduous oaks such as Tauzin oak (''Quercus pyrenaica'') and zeen oak (''Quercus canariensis'' and ''Quercus faginea''), and natural coniferous forests such as Maghreb maritime pine (''Pinus pinaster'' var. ''maghrebiana''), Moroccan fir (''Abies maroccana'') and Atlas cedar (''Cedrus atlantica'').The province of Chefchaouen is considered one of the richest regions in terms of biological diversity. It is designated as a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot (i.e. a zone with an exceptional concentration of endemic and threatened species) and suffers from accelerated forest degradation due to anthropogenic pressures exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Two protected areas have been created in the province:Moroccan fir forest in the Talassemtane National Park. * Talassemtane National Park, created in 2004, covers an area of about , 80% of which is in the province of Chefchaouen. The park extends over the eastern part of the limestone ridge of the central-western Rif, with cliffs and gorges making accessibility very limited. The park aims to protect the endemic Moroccan fir forest, and species such as Atlas cedar, black pine (''Pinus nigra'' subsp. ''mauretanica''), and Maghreb maritime pine. In terms of fauna, there are 37 mammal species including the threatened Barbary macaque (''Macaca sylvanus''), the otter (''Lutra lutra''), more than 117 birds including some rare or very rare raptors, and around thirty species of reptiles and amphibians.A panoramic view from the future Natural Regional Park of Bouhachem. * Bouhachem Regional Park, created in 2006 over an area of around , overlapping the provinces of Chefchaouen, Tetouan, and Larache. It was created to preserve natural forests and restore related natural resources and services.In 2006, these two parks were included in the Mediterranean Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of Spain and Morocco, established in the context of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAN) program. Reforestation programs have been carried out since 1966, and by 2016 had generated .==== Water resources ====Illustrations of water resources emerging from “Ras El Maa”.High rainfall at altitude provides a potential for hydrological development. Several seasonal rivers flow into the Mediterranean or feed the Loukos or Ouargha rivers.
Economy === Agriculture and sea fishing ===Illustrations of fruit plantations in the environs of Chefchaouen.Despite the significant rainfall, agricultural activity is limited due to the rugged and steep topography, the scarcity of arable land, the low mechanization level, and the lack of irrigation infrastructure. These factors have contributed to the emergence of traditional agriculture largely dependent on climatic hazards. Forests have been harvested for wood and pulp products and to clear land for agriculture. Villagers from rural areas form an important workforce in the agricultural field.The province is dominated by cereal agriculture, goat herding in the mountains, and arboriculture of fig and almond trees. The countryside has a reputation as a prolific source of kief. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco. * Cereal cultivation: Occupying an area around , cereals are the most prevalent crops in the province;* Legumes: Legumes are cultivated over an area of around . Beans and broad beans are the most widely cultivated and occupy more than three-quarters of the area devoted to this type of crop;* Vegetable and forage crops: are cultivated over an area of about ;* Fruit arboriculture: fruit tree plantations cover approximately , producing 654,930 quintals (65,493 tonnes) of fruit. The olive tree is the most widespread with 83% of the area, representing 66% of the total production. * Animal husbandry: Production of red meat is estimated at about 1,037.4 tons in 2016, of which 70% is beef, the rest mutton, and goat. * Maritime fishing: The province's  of the Mediterranean coast recorded landings of 2,166 tons of fish in 2016, valued at 14.3 million Moroccan dirhams. 94.4% of landings were bluefish.This traditional agro-pastoral system – of olive and fig plantations, cereal fields, and limited grazing pastures – has been carried out for centuries. Local products are also diversified, such as fresh goat cheese and other animal products, medicinal and aromatic plants, and products based on wild olives, figs, wool, etc. These various agricultural models have contributed to a richness of food diversity and, in 2010, UNESCO recognized Chefchaouen for its Mediterranean diet.=== Industry and commerce ===The industrial sector remains very weak despite the province's potential with its availability of human and natural resources. The commercial sector is one of the main economic supports of Chefchaouen, bolstered by tourism activity and remittances from workers abroad. It is mainly focused on urban centers and the main rural communes and is based on the sale of traditional food products, construction materials, clothing, and household items. Commercial transactions become dynamic during summer, with the influx of tourists and the return of foreign workers to the province.
References