Foum-Zguid

Foum - Zguid (Arabic: فم زكيد ) is an oasis city with approximately 9,000 inhabitants in the province of Tata in the region Guelmim-Es Semara in southern Morocco.

Location

The approximately 650 m above sea town of Foum - Zguid is on the edge of about 1500 m high mountain peaks of the southern foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, about 137 km ( driving distance ) east of Tata on the N12. Until after Tazenakht or Ouarzazate there are about 85 km and 175 km to the north. From Foum - Zguid lead two stone or sand roads to Zagora or Mhamid who spend long hours were passable only for vehicles with all-wheel drive and in a small convoy, however, but one is going to apply an asphalt surface (as of August 2013).

Population

The population Foum - Zguids consists almost exclusively of members of different Berber tribes of the area. Most are - due to lack of rains in their home villages, but also socio-cultural reasons ( hope of finding work, improvement of material living conditions and health care, better opportunities for school education of children etc.) - migrated to the cities since the 1970s.

Economy

In earlier centuries, the self-sufficiency was at the center of economic activity. Only after completion of a runway of Guelmim over to Tata and Akka on to Ouarzazate during the French colonial period, the food produced in the Dattelpalmenoase could also be placed on regional or national markets. Same time, new vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, etc.) came to the area, enriching the diet. Even today, the oases dominated the lives of most residents; are produced primarily dates, olives, pomegranates and figs, as well grain (barley, wheat, corn ) and vegetables ( broad beans, carrots, tomatoes, etc. ) is possible. About the Department of Agriculture addition, a number of small enterprises in the craft, business and service sectors have developed.

History

Lacking any written records on the history of Foum - Zguid As with all Berber villages. However, one can assume that the palm oasis already discovered by early hunters and gatherers and was permanently settled some centuries later by nomads. However, the livestock (sheep, goats, chickens ) could no longer roam free, but had to be kept in pens or stalls, causing the stock significantly reduced. In the phase of settlement support recurrent and often fatal conflicts between the oasis inhabitants and nomadic cattle nomads were not rare.

Attractions

In Foum - Zguid there are no sites of historical or cultural significance. Some of the new, painted in ocher tones houses in the town center have protective against the sun Arkadenvorbauten the ground floor.