Regions of Morocco

Regions of Morocco
  • Also known as:
  • جهات المغرب (Arabic)
CategoryUnitary state
LocationKingdom of Morocco
Number12
Populations142,955 (Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab) – 6,861,737 (Casablanca-Settat)
Government
  • Regional council
Subdivisions
  • Provinces and prefectures
The 12 regions of Morocco since 2015 (including Western Sahara)
Moroccan administrative division

Regions are the highest administrative divisions of Morocco. Since the territorial reform of 2015, the country has been divided into 12 regions, including one (Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab) located entirely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara, and two (Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Oued Noun) located partially within it. The regions are subdivided into 75 second-level administrative divisions, consisting of prefectures and provinces.[1]

Each region is governed by a directly elected regional council. The president of the council is responsible for implementing its decisions. Prior to the 2011 constitutional reforms, this role was held by the Wali, the representative of the central government appointed by the King. The wali now plays a coordinating and supervisory role in regional administration.[2]

Regions since 2015

On 3 January 2010, the Moroccan government established the Consultative Commission for Regionalization (CCR), with the aim of promoting decentralization and granting greater autonomy to the regions, particularly in relation to the issue of Western Sahara. The commission proposed provisional names and boundaries for the new regions.[3]

The names and number of the regions were officially established by decree in the Bulletin Officiel dated 5 March 2015.[4]

Following the reform, the newly created regional councils elected their presidents on 14 September 2015,[5] and the regional governors (walis) were appointed on 13 October 2015.[6]

Map
number 		Region Capital Population (2014)[7] Population (2024)
1 Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Tangier 3,556,729 4,030,222
2 Oriental Oujda 2,314,346 2,294,665
3 Fès-Meknès Fès 4,236,892 4,467,911
4 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Rabat 4,580,866 5,132,639
5 Béni Mellal-Khénifra Beni Mellal 2,520,776 2,525,801
6 Casablanca-Settat Casablanca 6,861,739 7,688,967
7 Marrakesh-Safi Marrakesh 4,520,569 4,892,393
8 Drâa-Tafilalet Errachidia 1,635,008 1,655,623
9 Souss-Massa Agadir 2,676,847 3,020,431
10 Guelmim-Oued Noun[A] Guelmim 433,757 448,685
11 Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra[A] Laayoune 367,758 451,028
12 Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab[A] Dakhla 142,955 219,965

A.^ Lies partially or completely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Main proposal
Main proposal
Alternative proposal with Midelt Province in Fès-Meknès (3) instead of Béni Mellal-Khénifra (5)
Alternative proposal with
Midelt Province in Fès-Meknès (3) instead of Béni Mellal-Khénifra (5)
Alternative proposal with Figuig Province in Oriental (2) instead of Drâa-Tafilalet (8)
Alternative proposal with
Figuig Province in Oriental (2) instead of Drâa-Tafilalet (8)
The different regional configurations proposed in 2010

1997 to 2015: Full unitary system

Between 1997 and 2015, Morocco had 16 regions.[8]

The old regions of Morocco (1997–2015)
Map
number 		Region Capital
1 Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira Dakhla
2 Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra Laâyoune
3 Guelmim-Es Semara Guelmim
4 Souss-Massa-Drâa Agadir
5 Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen Kénitra
6 Chaouia-Ouardigha Settat
7 Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz Marrakesh
8 Oriental Oujda
9 Grand Casablanca Casablanca
10 Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer Rabat
11 Doukkala-Abda Safi
12 Tadla-Azilal Béni Mellal
13 Meknès-Tafilalet Meknès
14 Fès-Boulemane Fès
15 Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Al Hoceima
16 Tangier-Tetouan Tangier

The entirety of Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira (1), the vast majority of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra (2), and part of Guelmim-Es Semara (3) were situated within the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The sovereignty of Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front which claims the territory as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Most of the region is administered by Morocco as its Southern Provinces. The Polisario Front, based in headquarters at Tindouf in south western Algeria, controls only those areas east of the Moroccan Wall.

Regions before 1997

Before 1997, Morocco was divided into seven regions: Central, Eastern, North-Central, Northwestern, South-Central, Southern, and Tansift.[9]

See also

  • ISO 3166-2:EH – Entry for Western Sahara in ISO 3166-2
  • ISO 3166-2:MA (2004)

References

  1. ^ "Morocco in Figures 2003: A document by the Moroccan Embassy in the USA" (PDF). themoroccanembassy.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Maroc: Fiche technique" (PDF) (in French). ARLEM. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Moroccan Government website concerning the regionalization". regionalisationavancee.ma. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Decree establishing the names of the regions" (PDF). National Portal of Territorial Collectivities (in French). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Ministry of the Interior: the election of the presidents of the regional councils took place under good conditions and in a climate of transparency" (Press release) (in French). Maghreb Arabe Press. 14 September 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. ^ "HM the King appointed the walis of the regions". La Vie Éco (in French). 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  7. ^ "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014" (in Arabic and French). High Commission for Planning. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Régions". Portail national du Maroc. Government of Morocco. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  9. ^ "Morocco Regions". www.statoids.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
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