Oriental (Morocco)

Oriental Region
جهة الشرق (Arabic)
ⵜⴰⵎⵏⴰⴹⵜ ⵏ ⴰⵙⵏⵇⵔ / ⵓⵏⵇⵇⴰⵔ (Standard Moroccan Tamazight)
Region
Official seal of Oriental Region
Seal
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
 • WaliMhamed Atfaoui
 • PresidentAbdenbi Baiyoui (PAM)
Area
 • Total
90,127 km2 (34,798 sq mi)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
2,269,378
 • Density25.180/km2 (65.215/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
ISO 3166 codeMA-02
Websiteconseilregionoriental.ma

The Oriental region[a] 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

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".[9]

History

On 19 October 2025, Mhamed Atfaoui was appointed Wali of the Oriental region and Governor of the Oujda Angad prefecture by King Mohammed VI, during a Council of Ministers meeting in Rabat.[10]

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, 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:[11]

Provinces of Oriental

Municipalities by population

Main square of Oujda, the regional capital and largest city.
NameProvince/PrefecturePopulation (2014)[12]
OujdaOujda-Angad Prefecture494,252
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

Notable people

Arts & Cinema

Sports

Politics & Diplomats

Other

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

References

  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. ↑ "EAST - translate English to Arabic - Cambridge Dictionary". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  10. ↑ MASAITI, Amira EL (2025-10-20). "Who are the 15 new Walis and Governors appointed by the King?". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2014". Hcp.ma. Archived from the original on 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  1. ↑ Arabic: الشرق, romanized: aš-šarq
    Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⵙⵏⵇⵔ[1][2][3] or ⵓⵏⵇⵇⴰⵔ[4]
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