Oriental (Morocco)

Oriental région or Oujda region (Arabic: الشرق, romanized: aš-šarq) is one of the twelve regions of Morocco, located in the north-eastern part of the country. It covers an area of 90,127 km2 and has a population of 2,314,346 (2014 census) and is the easternmost region of Morocco.

Oriental
جهة الشرق (Arabic)
Region
Jebel Tamejout - Grotte du Chameau (Zegzel)
Jebel Tamejout - Grotte du Chameau (Zegzel)
Official seal of Oriental
Seal
Location in Morocco
Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 34°41′N 1°54′W
Country Morocco
CapitalOujda
Government
 • Wali (Governor)Mohamed Mhidia
 • PresidentAbdenbi Bioui
Area
 • Total90,127 km2 (34,798 sq mi)
Population
 (2014)
 • Total2,314,346
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
Websiteconseilregionoriental.ma

The capital and the largest city is Oujda, and the second largest city is Nador. The region includes 7 provinces and one prefecture.

A majority of the population of Oriental speak Moroccan Arabic (86.2%) as a first or second language. A large minority speak the Rif-Berber language (38.4%) as a first language. Small numbers speak Eastern Middle Atlas Tamazight and Figuig Tamazight, principally in the south of Oriental.[1]

Etymology

The English name Oriental is derived from the French term L'Oriental (for "the east") and comes directly from the Latin orientalis, "of the east", being that the region is located in the east of Morocco.[2] The Arabic name Ash-Sharq also means "the east".

Geography

Oriental is situated in the northeastern part of the country, with a northern coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. The region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, lie to its northwest, Fès-Meknès to its west, Drâa-Tafilalet to the southwest, with the Algerian provinces of Tlemcen and Naâma to its east and Béchar to the south. Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city, also borders the region. In 2015, Oriental was expanded to include Guercif Province.

The region is made up into the following prefectures and provinces:[3]

Provinces of Oriental
  • Berkane Province
  • Driouch Province
  • Figuig Province
  • Guercif Province
  • Jerada Province
  • Nador Province
  • Oujda-Angad Prefecture
  • Taourirt Province

Municipalities by population (2014)
Main square of Oujda, the regional capital and largest city.
NameProvince/PrefecturePopulation (2014)
OujdaOujda-Angad494,252
NadorNador Province161,726
BerkaneBerkane Province109,237
TaourirtTaourirt Province103,398
Beni Ensar / Aït NsarNador Province56,582
Al AarouiNador Province47,599
JeradaJerada Province43,506
El Aioun Sidi MelloukTaourirt Province41,832
BouargNador Province37,737
ZaioNador Province35,806
ZeghanghaneNador Province34,025
Sidi Slimane EchcharraaBerkane Province30,202
BouarfaFiguig Province28,846
Bni ChikerNador Province26,884
Oulad SettoutNador Province23,218
SelouaneNador Province21,570
BoughribaBerkane Province20,513
AhfirBerkane Province19,630
ArekmaneNador Province18,490
MtalssaDriouch Province16,787
TalsintFiguig Province16,166
Bni TadjiteFiguig Province16,149
ZegzelBerkane Province16,137
TendraraFiguig Province15,390
MidarDriouch Province17,042
DriouchDriouch Province14,741
Ben TaiebDriouch Province14,257
TemsamaneDriouch Province13,920
Ain Bni MatharJerada Province13,526
FiguigFiguig Province12,516

[4]

Notable Personalities from the Oriental Region

Arts & Cinema

  • Hafid Bouazza – Writer
  • Hamid Bouchnak – Moroccan raï singer and songwriter
  • Nathalie Delon – Actress and director
  • Douzi – Singer and songwriter
  • Les Freres Megri – Rock band very popular in the Arab world, composers and producers.
  • Philippe Faucon – Filmmaker
  • Fouad Laroui – Writer and economist
  • Michel Qissi – Actor
  • Mimoun El Oujdi – Raï singer
  • Younes Megri – Actor, singer author of 'Leli Touil' sung by Maria de Rossi & Boney M.
  • Abdelkrim Derkaoui – Cinematographer, film director and screenwriter
  • Bassouar Al Maghnaoui – Singer
  • Cheikh Mohamed Salah Chaabane – Musician Gharnati Music
  • Simon Basinger – Musicologist, essayist, producer and author
  • Charlotte Slovack – Filmmaker
  • Douzi – Pop singer
  • Serge Guirao – Singer
  • Bayane Belayachi – Singer
  • Elwalid Mimoun – Artist
  • Khalid izri – Artist
  • Namika – Musician

Sports

  • Hakim Ziyech – International Footballer, Semi Final World Cup 2022
  • Adil Belgaid – Olympic judo fighter (3 times World Champion, 6 times African Champion, 3 times Arab Champion, 3 times Olympian)
  • Achraf Ouchen – professional karateka
  • Abdelatif Benazzi – Rugby player
  • Philippe Casado – Cyclist
  • Selim Amallah – Football player
  • Abdelkarim Kissi – Footballer
  • Soufiane Kourdou – Professional basketball player
  • Moha Rharsalla – Footballer
  • Mohammed Qissi – Actor (Kickboxer, Bloodsport with Jean Claude Vandamme)
  • Mohcin Cheaouri – Track and Field Athlete, 2 times African champion
  • Yahya Berrabah – Olympic Athlete, African champion in Long Jump
  • Daniel Sanchez – Footballer
  • Gilles Simon – Formula 1
  • Ahmed Belkedroussi – Football manager
  • Khadfi Rharsallah – Footballer
  • Marianne Agulhon – Slalom Canoeist
  • Mohammed Berrabeh – International footballer
  • Hassan Alla – Footballer
  • Mohammed Ben Brahim – Footballer
  • Khalid Chalqi – Footballer
  • Gerard Soler – Footballer midfielder
  • Khalid Lebji – Footballer midfielder
  • Abou El Kacem Hadji – Footballer
  • Ryad El Alami – Footballer
  • Abdelah Kafifi – Footballer
  • Mohamed Atmani – Boxer (Summer Olympics)
  • Soufiane Kourdou – Basketball player
  • Houssam Amaanan – Footballer
  • Habib Allah Dahmani – Footballer
  • Abdelkader El Brazi – Former international goalkeeper
  • Aziz Bouhaddouz – International footballer
  • Fouzi Lekjaa – Football administrator and businessman
  • Hicham El Guerrouj – Former Olympic athlete, world record holder for the fastest mile also the current world record holder in the 1500m and 2000m
  • Mohammed Hendouf – Moroccan-Belgian kickboxer

Politics & Diplomats

  • Ahmed Osman – Former Prime Minister, married King Hassan II's sister, Lalla Nuzha of Morocco
  • Zoulikha Nasri – Advisor to King Mohammed IV, MD of foundation 'Mohammed V for Solidarity'
  • Muhammad Ben Abdessalam Al Muqri – Late 19th senior official, advisor and grand vizier to several sultans
  • Abdelkader Lecheheb – Football player and Ambassador to Russia
  • Mohamed Allal Sinaceur – Former Minister of Cultural Affairs
  • Jamal Benomar – Politician
  • Ahmed Aboutaleb – Politician
  • Mohamed Habib Sinaceur – Politician
  • Ahmed Toufiq Hejira – Former Minister of Housing and Urbanism
  • Kaddour El Ouartassi – Historian
  • Najima Rhozali – Politician, professor
  • Yvette Katan Bensamoun – Historian
  • Omar Benjelloun – Journalist
  • Abdelaziz Bouteflika – (1937–2021), 5th President of Algeria
  • Abdelnour Abbrous – Politician
  • Chakib Khelil – Politician
  • Hassnae Bouazza – Journalist, writer, columnist
  • Louisette Ighilariz – Politician
  • Najat Vallaud-Belkacem – Politician
  • Germain Ayache – Historian

Other

  • Abdelrazzak Hifti – 2022 World Cup team doctor
  • Maurice Levy – French businessman, Chairman of Publicis Group


References
  1. "Population selon les langues nationales par régions en 2014 (%)". 13 Oct 2015. p. 30. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 23 Dec 2016.
  2. "Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Douglas Harper. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. "Décret fixant le nom des régions" (PDF). Portail National des Collectivités Territoriales (in French). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
  4. "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2014". Hcp.ma. Archived from the original on 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
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