Khénifra Province

The 4,000 km ² and around 400,000 inhabitants Moroccan province Khénifra belongs to the region Meknès- Tafilalet.

Geography

Location

The Khénifra province is located in the transition zone of the mountains of the Middle Atlas Moroccan Meseta and to the southeast of the province Midelt, on the southwest by the province of Beni Mellal, on the west by the province of Khouribga, in the northwest of the province Khémisset, in north of the province of El Hajeb and on the east by the province of Ifrane.

Landscape

In the average, about 750 to 850 m high hills of the province are smaller ridges, whose summits reach heights of around 1000 to a maximum of 1600 m; it is crossed by several smaller rivers ( wadis ), all of which originate in the Middle Atlas, but sometimes seep into the plateau, after they have been used for drinking water and for agricultural irrigation purposes. The Oum er - Rbia is the longest of them; it rises about 40 km northeast of Khénifra, then flows towards the southwest, the water takes on other rivers and flows Azemmour into the Atlantic.

Climate

The summer climate of the province is hot and dry: Daytime temperatures can reach 40 ° C; at night the thermometer falls depending on the sky to about 15 to 25 ° C. The coldest are the early morning hours. The winter temperatures hover around 20 ° C and fall at night from 5 to 10 ° C; Night frosts are rare, but come every year to about 10 to 20 days. In the up to 2000 m rising mountain regions of the Middle Atlas, it is considerably cooler.

Population

In the highly agrarian province Khénifra live to about 80 % Berber various tribal groups, as well as a smaller percentage of Arab -born persons; the colloquial language is Moroccan - Arabic. While the Berbers are predominantly engaged in agriculture, the leading positions in the civil service and administration as well as in business and in the professions of Arabs are exercised. In the province, there are officially only two cities Khénifra (approx. 80,000 inhabitants) and Mrirt (approx. 40,000 inhabitants); the others are considered rural municipalities ( communes rurales ), even if, for example, the villages of the rural community Aguelmous also have together about 40,000 inhabitants.

Economy

With the ability to irrigate agricultural yields are comparatively high. The cities provide the residents of the surrounding area with the necessary technical, educational and medical services.

History

Historical records from the region around Khénifra are not known. In 1914 the residents in the area Berber tribes contributed much resistance against the French, who allegedly lost in a battle near the town of 600 men. Even in the period of the Moroccan independence movement, that is, in the early 1950s, the city played an important role. The Khénifra province was created in 1973; however, it was reduced several times - most recently in 2009 in connection with the creation of the province Midelt.

Attractions

Cultural attractions has not the Province; unusual historical interest and for Morocco is the - probably built by European prisoners in the 17th and 18th centuries - stone bridge ( Pont portugais ) over the Oum er - Rbia in the city Khénifra. In terms of landscape the east of the city Khénifra lying foothills of the Middle Atlas with its small lakes and cedar forests are quite attractive.