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Khouribga

Coordinates: 32°53′N 6°55′W / 32.883°N 6.917°W / 32.883; -6.917
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Khouribga
خريبڭة
Flag of Khouribga
Nickname: 
Phosphate City
Khouribga is located in Morocco
Khouribga
Khouribga
Location in Morocco
Khouribga is located in Africa
Khouribga
Khouribga
Khouribga (Africa)
Coordinates: 32°53′N 6°55′W / 32.883°N 6.917°W / 32.883; -6.917
Country Morocco
RegionBéni Mellal-Khénifra
ProvinceKhouribga
Government
 • MayorM’hamed Zakrani (Istiqlal Party) (2021)
 • GovernorHamid Chnouri (2018)
Area
 • Total52 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation
786 m (2,579 ft)
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total196,196
 • Density4,083.46/km2 (10,576.1/sq mi)
 • Rank
15th in Morocco
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
Postal Code
25000

Khouribga (Moroccan Arabic: خريبڭة, romanizedkhurībga, [xuriːbɡa]) is the capital of Khouribga Province in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region, Morocco. With a population of 196,196 (2014 census),[1] Khouribga owes its growth to the phosphate deposits nearby.

Geography

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Located at 107 km from Casablanca, 154 km from the capital, Rabat, more than 200 km from the city of Marrakesh, and about 99 km from the city of Beni Mellal and 60 km from the city of Settat and 34 km from the city of Oued Zem.

Khouribga is located 820 meters above sea level on the Ouardigha plateau. The city was founded in 1923 by the authorities of the French protectorate when they discovered phosphate in the region,[2] for which Morocco is considered to be the biggest exporter in the world.[3] There are several mines in the province, most notably the mine of Sidi Shennan near the town of Oued Zem, which lies 30 km from the village of Boulanouare (5 km) and the town of Boujniba (10 km) and the village of Hattane.

The Province of Khouribga is bordered by the Province of Beni Mellal in the east, Province of Ben Slimane in the west, the Province of Settat in the south, and Khémisset Province in the north.

Climate

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Khouribga has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). In winter there is more rainfall than in summer. The average annual temperature in Khouribga is 17.2 °C (63.0 °F). About 432 mm (17.01 in) of precipitation falls annually.

Climate data for Khouribga
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.7
(62.1)
17.6
(63.7)
19.8
(67.6)
22.6
(72.7)
26.1
(79.0)
30.6
(87.1)
36.0
(96.8)
36.2
(97.2)
32.5
(90.5)
27.0
(80.6)
19.3
(66.7)
17.1
(62.8)
25.1
(77.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.9
(49.8)
10.4
(50.7)
12.4
(54.3)
14.6
(58.3)
17.8
(64.0)
21.9
(71.4)
26.1
(79.0)
26.7
(80.1)
23.8
(74.8)
19.2
(66.6)
12.7
(54.9)
10.6
(51.1)
17.2
(62.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3.2
(37.8)
3.3
(37.9)
5.0
(41.0)
6.6
(43.9)
9.5
(49.1)
13.2
(55.8)
16.3
(61.3)
17.2
(63.0)
15.1
(59.2)
11.4
(52.5)
6.1
(43.0)
4.1
(39.4)
9.2
(48.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 60
(2.4)
58
(2.3)
57
(2.2)
52
(2.0)
22
(0.9)
7
(0.3)
2
(0.1)
3
(0.1)
12
(0.5)
36
(1.4)
52
(2.0)
71
(2.8)
432
(17)
Source: https://en.climate-data.org/location/715066/

Economy

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Phosphate

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Partial mosasaur jaw from a Khouribga mine, cf. Mosasaurus beaugei

The Province of Khouribga has a large phosphate reserve estimated 35 to 40 billion cubic meters, which has been mined since 1920s and is ranked first at the international level. Also Khouribga is one of the cities that brings hard currency and that is due to its community residents from Italy.

The phosphate mines in the Ouled Abdoun Basin are notable source of fossils, especially Mosasaur and Sharks jaws and teeth.

Industrial activities

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In addition to phosphate mining, the province knew the emergence of other industries in economic sectors such as:

Industrial areas

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The province has three Industrial zones:

  • The industrial zone of Khouribga (industrial district): 20 hectares (234 partitions) and 13 operating industrial units plus the expansion of the zone.
  • The industrial zone of Oued Zem.
  • The industrial zone of Bejaad.

Services

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The province has several services, among them:

Agriculture

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The agricultural lands is divided into 50% arable land, 20% forests, 30% unused land. Livestock is the most important source of income for the rural population, the herd is estimated to be:

  • Goats: 30.000-60.000 heads
  • Equidae: 40.000-60.000 heads
  • Cows: 50.000-70.000 heads
  • Sheep: 500.000-600.000 heads

Handicrafts

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The handicrafts sector represents a sizable part of the local economy with 9 cooperatives (260 members), and a handicrafts association.

Health

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The facilities cover most of the province with:

  • 6 rooms
  • 3 provincial hospitals
  • 20 health centers
  • 7 urban health centers
  • 9 rural clinics

Twin towns – sister cities

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Khouribga is twinned with:

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "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, Morocco. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ Shafto, Sally. "It All began in Khouribga: the 15th Festival du Cinéma Africain de Khouribga". Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  3. ^ "Morocco Remains World's Largest Exporter of Phosphate, Phosphoric Acid". Morocco World News.