Tangier-Assilah Prefecture | |
|---|---|
 Cape Spartel near Tangier | |
 Interactive map of Tangier-Assilah Prefecture | |
| Country | Morocco |
| Region | Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima |
| Seat | Tangier |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,055[1] km2 (407 sq mi) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 1,494,413 |
| • Density | 1,417/km2 (3,669/sq mi) |
Tangier-Assilah Prefecture is an urban administrative subdivision of Morocco. Formerly part of the Tanger-Tetouan region, it has belonged since the 2015 territorial reform to the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. Its capital is Tangier.
Located in the northern part of the country along the Atlantic coast, it had a population of 1,494,413 in 2024.[2]
Geography
Located in the extreme northwestern part of Morocco, Tangier-Assilah Prefecture is bordered to the north by the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded to the south by Larache Province and to the east by Fahs-Anjra Province.
The territory is highly urbanized around the city of Tangier, a major economic and port hub, while the surrounding areas retain a more rural character.
History
The territory of present-day Tangier-Assilah Prefecture has a long history linked to its strategic position at the junction of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
The region has been inhabited since antiquity by various civilizations, including Phoenician, Carthaginian, and Roman, as evidenced by nearby archaeological sites. It later formed part of successive political entities that ruled Morocco during the medieval and modern periods.
The cities of Tangier and Assilah have historically played an important role in trade and cultural exchanges due to their maritime position and their location on routes linking Europe and Africa.
Administrative divisions
According to the administrative division established in 2008[3] and amended in 2009[4], the prefecture is composed of twelve communes.
It includes three urban municipalities: Tangier, Assilah, and Gueznaia, as well as nine rural communes grouped within the circle of Assilah:
- caïdat of Boukhalef: Hjar Ennhal;
- caïdat of Dar Chaoui: Dar Chaoui and Al Manzla;
- caïdat of Laaouama: Laaouama and Sebt Azzinate;
- caïdat of Gharbia: Aquouass Briech and Had Al Gharbia;
- caïdat of Sidi Lyamani: Sahel Chamali and Sidi Lyamani.
Four localities are considered cities: the municipalities of Tangier and Assilah, as well as the urban centers of the rural communes of Dar Chaoui and Sidi Lyamani.
The municipality of Tangier is subdivided into four arrondissements: Bni Makada, Charf-Mghogha, Charf-Souani, and Tangier-Medina.
Demography
| Municipality | Population in 1994 |
Population in 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| Tangier | 494,234 | 669,685 |
| Asilah | 24,496 | 28,217 |
| Boukhalef | 18,735 | 18,699 |
| Zirara | 13,361 | 15,033 |
| Chbanate | 11,522 | 10,618 |
| Bir Taleb | 11,047 | 11,252 |
References
- "Monographie préfectorale de Tanger 2022" (in French). Retrieved 2026-05-07.
- "Population légale du Royaume du Maroc répartie par régions, provinces et préfectures et communes selon les résultats du Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2024". Haut-Commissariat au Plan (in French).
- "Decree No. 2-08-520 of 28 Chaoual 1429 (28 October 2008) establishing the list of circles, caïdats, and urban and rural communes of the Kingdom and the number of councillors to be elected in each commune" (PDF). Official Bulletin of the Kingdom of Morocco (in French) (5684): 1597. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
- "Decree No. 2-09-320 of 17 Joumada II 1430 (11 June 2009) amending and supplementing Decree No. 2-08-520" (PDF). Official Bulletin of the Kingdom of Morocco (in French) (5744): 1031. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
35°46′00″N 5°48′00″W / 35.7667°N 5.8000°W / 35.7667; -5.8000