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    Oriental (Morocco)

    From Wikipedia - Reading time: 9 min
    For other uses, see Orient (disambiguation).
    For other places also called Ash-Sharqiyah, see Ash Sharqiyah.
    Oriental
    • الشرق (Arabic)
    • ⴰⵙⵏⵇⵔ or ⵓⵏⵇⵇⴰⵔ (Tamazight)
    Region
    Jebel Tamejout - Grotte du Chameau (Zegzel)
    Jebel Tamejout - Grotte du Chameau (Zegzel)
    Location in Morocco
    Location in Morocco
    Coordinates: 34°41′N 1°54′W / 34.683°N 1.900°W / 34.683; -1.900
    Country Morocco
    CapitalOujda
    Government
     • Wali (Governor)Mohamed Mhidia
     • PresidentAbdenbi Bioui
    Area
     • Total
    		90,127 km2 (34,798 sq mi)
    Population
     (2024)
     • Total
    		2,269,378
     • Density25/km2 (65/sq mi)
    Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
    Websiteconseilregionoriental.ma

    Oriental region or Oujda region (Arabic: الشرق, romanized: aš-šarq; Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⵙⵏⵇⵔ[1][2][3] or ⵓⵏⵇⵇⴰⵔ[4]) is one of the twelve regions of Morocco, located in the north-eastern part of the country. With an area of 90,127 km2 and a population of 2,269,378 (2024 census),[5] it is the easternmost region of Morocco.

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

    The majority of the population of the Oriental Region speaks Moroccan Arabic (86.2%) as a first or second language. According to the 2024 census, 31.1% of the inhabitants of the Oriental Region speak Tarifit.[6] Small numbers speak Eastern Middle Atlas Tamazight and Figuig Tamazight, principally in the south of Oriental.[7]

    Etymology

    [edit]

    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.[8] The Arabic name Ash-Sharq also means "the east".

    Geography

    [edit]

    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, Taza-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:[9]

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

    Municipalities by population (2014)

    [edit]
    Main square of Oujda, the regional capital and largest city.
    Name Province/Prefecture Population (2014)
    Oujda Oujda-Angad Prefecture 494,252
    Nador Nador Province 161,726
    Berkane Berkane Province 109,237
    Taourirt Taourirt Province 103,398
    Beni Ensar / Aït Nsar Nador Province 56,582
    Al Aaroui Nador Province 47,599
    Jerada Jerada Province 43,506
    El Aioun Sidi Mellouk Taourirt Province 41,832
    Bouarg Nador Province 37,737
    Zaio Nador Province 35,806
    Zeghanghane Nador Province 34,025
    Sidi Slimane Echcharraa Berkane Province 30,202
    Bouarfa Figuig Province 28,846
    Bni Chiker Nador Province 26,884
    Oulad Settout Nador Province 23,218
    Selouane Nador Province 21,570
    Boughriba Berkane Province 20,513
    Ahfir Berkane Province 19,630
    Arekmane Nador Province 18,490
    Mtalssa Driouch Province 16,787
    Talsint Figuig Province 16,166
    Bni Tadjite Figuig Province 16,149
    Zegzel Berkane Province 16,137
    Tendrara Figuig Province 15,390
    Midar Driouch Province 17,042
    Driouch Driouch Province 14,741
    Ben Taieb Driouch Province 14,257
    Temsamane Driouch Province 13,920
    Ain Bni Mathar Jerada Province 13,526
    Figuig Figuig Province 12,516

    [10]

    Notable people

    [edit]

    Arts & Cinema

    [edit]
    • 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
    • Mohamed Choukri - Writer

    Sports

    [edit]
    • 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 – Football midfielder
    • Khalid Lebji – Football 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

    [edit]
    • 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

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

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ "Ministère de la Jeunesse, de la Culture et de la Communication". Retrieved 11 May 2025.
    2. ^ "Chef du Gouvernement". Retrieved 11 May 2025.
    3. ^ "Maghreb Arabe Presse". Retrieved 11 May 2025.
    4. ^ "Maroc". Retrieved 11 May 2025.
    5. ^ Gauthier, Christophe. "كلمة افتتاحية للسيد المندوب السامي للتخطيط بمناسبة الندوة الصحفية الخاصة بتقديم معطيات الإحصاء العام للسكان والسكنى 2024". Site institutionnel du Haut-Commissariat au Plan du Royaume du Maroc (in French). Retrieved 2024-12-23.
    6. ^ Gauthier, Christophe. "كلمة افتتاحية للسيد المندوب السامي للتخطيط بمناسبة الندوة الصحفية الخاصة بتقديم معطيات الإحصاء العام للسكان والسكنى 2024". Site institutionnel du Haut-Commissariat au Plan du Royaume du Maroc (in French). Retrieved 2024-12-23.
    7. ^ "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.
    8. ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Douglas Harper. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
    9. ^ "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.
    10. ^ "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2014". Hcp.ma. Archived from the original on 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
    [edit]
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    Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental (Morocco)
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