Midelt Province
The approximately 13,100 km ² and around 270,000 inhabitants Province Midelt (Arabic: إقليم ميدلت ) is part of the Moroccan region of Meknès- Tafilalet. The provincial capital is the city Midelt.
Geography
Location
The Midelt province is bordered on the south by the province of Errachidia, in the southwest of the province Tinghir, on the west by the provinces Azilal and Beni Mellal, in the northwest of the province Khénifra, on the north by the province of Ifrane, in the north- east by the province Boulemane and east by the province Figuig.
Landscape
Large parts of the province Midelt lie in the eastern foothills of the mountain ranges of the High Atlas and the Middle Atlas, still reach the heights here average between 1500 and 2000 m. Some peaks ( especially the 3750 m high Jbel Ayachi ) overtop with heights of over 3000 m region. Many mountain slopes are forested; the most important and most imposing tree is the Atlas cedar.
Climate
Due to the altitude the province Midelt is one of the cooler regions of Morocco, although here in the summer daytime temperatures of 35 ° C and more can be achieved; night fall the values - depending on the cloud - from 5 to 15 °. In winter it is to be expected snowfalls and frosts; daytime temperatures, however, normally rising again to about 15 ° C so that the snow usually melts quickly again and are still only in the mountains up to the May / June into it.
Population
About 80 % of the population of about 270,000 inhabitants are Berber Province of various tribes. The only two major towns are about 1500 m above sea Midelt (approx. 45,000 inhabitants) and the much smaller He - rich (about 21,000 inhabitants). While the two cities mostly Moroccan Arabic is spoken predominate in rural municipalities ( communes rurales ) traditional Berber languages. The most well-known rural community of the province is Imilchil with about 10 surrounding villages and a total of about 8,500 inhabitants.
Economy
As in other regions of Morocco, dominated for centuries agriculture and especially livestock (sheep, goats) and ensured the self-sufficiency of the population. After reduced or entirely lack of rainfall since the 1970s and / or socio-cultural reasons, many families have since migrated in the hope of finding work and a better life in the cities, which has led there to a huge building boom. In the surroundings of the town Midelt for a long time lead ores and other minerals were mined; two major mines still exist. Tourism plays a minor role, although many tourist buses load on their way from Fez and Meknes to Errachidia and Erfoud or vice versa in Midelt a stopover.
History
The region was probably already in Roman times passageway for caravans from sub-Saharan Africa; this brought gold and slaves in the North African provinces of the Roman Empire and transported in exchange for luxury goods such as fabrics, etc. in the south. In the Islamic Middle Ages this way was even more significant after the founding of the city Sijilmassa, but remained the region as a whole only one - also from predatory gangs descended on - passageway. During the colonial period was Midelt seat of a French governor. The Midelt province was created only in 2009 by separating regions of the provinces of Errachidia and Khénifra.
Attractions
The impressive mountain landscapes of the province Midelt so far with tourists as good as unknown. Cultural attractions the province has not to offer, apart from a series of yearly in late August / early September in over 2100 m high Berberort Imilichil held market events ( moussem ).