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Larache العرائش | |
|---|---|
City | |
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 Seal | |
| Nickname: The Pearl | |
  Larache Location in Morocco Show map of Morocco Larache Larache (Africa) Show map of Africa | |
| Coordinates:35°11′N6°9′W / 35.183°N 6.150°W /35.183; -6.150 | |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Region | Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima |
| Province | Larache |
| Founded by thePhoenicians | c. 12th century BC |
| Population (2014)[1] | |
• Total | 125,008 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (WEST) |
| Postal code | 92000 |
Larache (Arabic:العرائش,romanized: al-ʿArāʾish) is a city in northwesternMorocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where theLoukkos River meets theAtlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of theTanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region.
Many civilisations andcultures have influenced thehistory of Larache, starting in the ancient city ofLixus during the 12th century BCE. Between the period of being a strategicBerber town and then aPhoenician trading centre to Morocco's independence era around the 1950s, Larache was a nexus for many cultures.
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The city is not mentioned in Arabic historical sources until the 13th century. It was founded by theIdrisite Banu 'Arus.[2] Because of the abundantvines in the area, they named ital-'Ara'ish, meaning "trellis of grape vines", oral-'Arīsh mtā' Bnī 'Arūs ("grape vine trellis of the Banu 'Arus") in longer form. The Almohad caliphYa'qub al-Mansur (r. 1184–1199) built a fortress here in the late 12th century. In 1270, the Spanish led a successful raid on the city.[3]
In 1471, the Portuguese settlers fromAsilah andTangier drove the inhabitants out of Larache, and again it remained uninhabited until theSaadi SultanMohammed ash-Sheikh decided to repopulate it and build a stronghold on the plateau above river Loukos. He constructed a fortress at the entrance to the port as a means of controlling access to the river.
For a long time, attempts by the Portuguese, Spanish and French to take it met with no success. The Portuguese established the nearbyGraciosa fortress in 1489. The Kasbah, which was built in 1491 by Moulay en Nasser, later became a pirate stronghold.
In 1610,the town passed to the Spanish, who stayed there until 1689, but who mainly used the ports as trading stops and never really administered the town.Moulay Ismail finallyconquered Larache in 1689.
Attacks on Larache continued, but it still remained in Muslim hands. In 1765, a French fleet failed in theLarache expedition. In 1829, the Austrians punitively bombarded the city due to Moroccan piracy.[4] Due to thecolonisation era,Spain took Larache in 1911 and held it for 45 years until 1956.
On 7 March 2023, Moroccan archaeologists discovered an ancient tomb dating back over 2,000 years to theMauretanian period.[5]
The city is located on the northwestern coast of Morocco, on the south bank at the mouth of theLoukkos River.[3] It is roughly 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of Tangier.[6] The city consists of a compactmedina (historic old town), situated next to the river, and a larger "new town", established outside the old medina by the Spanish colonial administration after 1911 and stretching southwards over the coastal plateau.[3][7]
Larache has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classificationCsa) with heavy rainfall. The summers are moderately hot and sunny and the winters are wet and cool. The record high temperature of 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) was registered on July 10, 2021.[8]
| Climate data for Larache (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 25.2 (77.4) | 29.3 (84.7) | 33.8 (92.8) | 33.5 (92.3) | 42.8 (109.0) | 43.8 (110.8) | 46.4 (115.5) | 45.2 (113.4) | 43.0 (109.4) | 38.1 (100.6) | 34.0 (93.2) | 27.9 (82.2) | 46.4 (115.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) | 17.5 (63.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.7 (83.7) | 27.0 (80.6) | 24.4 (75.9) | 20.2 (68.4) | 17.8 (64.0) | 22.6 (72.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.4 (54.3) | 13.2 (55.8) | 15.2 (59.4) | 16.5 (61.7) | 19.4 (66.9) | 21.7 (71.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.2 (75.6) | 22.6 (72.7) | 20.1 (68.2) | 16.0 (60.8) | 13.7 (56.7) | 18.2 (64.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.2 (46.8) | 8.8 (47.8) | 10.6 (51.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 14.8 (58.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 19.2 (66.6) | 19.6 (67.3) | 18.2 (64.8) | 15.7 (60.3) | 11.8 (53.2) | 9.5 (49.1) | 13.8 (56.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | 0.9 (33.6) | 5.6 (42.1) | 7.0 (44.6) | 10.5 (50.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.9 (53.4) | 7.2 (45.0) | 2.8 (37.0) | 1.3 (34.3) | −3.0 (26.6) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 104.7 (4.12) | 69.6 (2.74) | 64.2 (2.53) | 68.3 (2.69) | 30.2 (1.19) | 5.1 (0.20) | 0.8 (0.03) | 2.0 (0.08) | 21.7 (0.85) | 83.5 (3.29) | 129.1 (5.08) | 121.3 (4.78) | 700.5 (27.58) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 8.9 | 60.6 |
| Source:NOAA[9] | |||||||||||||
In the 2024Moroccan census, the commune of Larache recorded a population of 133,731 inhabitants.[10]
The economy of Larache, Morocco, is influenced by its strategic location along the Atlantic coast. Key aspects include:
Larache's port on the Atlantic Ocean plays a crucial role in the fishing industry. The city supports both artisanal and commercial fishing, with a focus on seafood processing and trade.[11]
The surrounding fertile lands support agriculture, with crops such as citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables being prominent. This sector is vital for local food production and contributes to the economy.[12]
The port facilitates trade, acting as a key point for importing and exporting goods. The city’s commercial activities include retail and services, benefiting from its port-based trade.[13][14]
Although not as developed as in some other Moroccan cities, Larache’s historical sites and Atlantic beaches attract visitors, contributing to the local economy through hospitality and cultural activities.[15][16]
The city has light manufacturing industries, including food processing and textiles, which help diversify the economy and provide employment.[17]
Overall, Larache's economy is supported by its Atlantic port, agricultural resources, and growing sectors in trade, tourism, and manufacturing.[18]
Lixus is the site of an ancient city located in Morocco just north of the modern seaport of Larache on the bank of the Loukkos River. It was built by the Phoenicians in 1180 BC. Lixus was part of a chain of Phoenician/Carthaginian settlements; other major settlements further to the south are Chellah and Mogador. When Carthage fell to Ancient Rome, Lixus, Chellah and Mogador were annexed to theKingdom of Mauretania.
This ancient Mauritanian city gradually grew in importance, later coming under Carthaginian domination. After the destruction of Carthage, Lixus fell to Amazigh (Berber) control, reaching its zenith during the reign of the Mauritanian king Juba II.
Some ancient Greek writers located at Lixus the mythological garden of the Hesperides, the keepers of the golden apples. The name of the city which was often mentioned by writers from Hanno the Navigator to the Geographer of Ravenna and confirmed by the legend on its coins and by an inscription. The ancients believed this to be the site of the Garden of the Hesperides and of a sanctuary of Hercules, where Hercules gathered gold apples, more ancient than the one at Cadiz, Spain. However, there are no grounds for the claim that Lixus was founded at the end of the second millennium BC. Life was maintained there nevertheless until the Islamic conquest of North Africa by the presence of a mosque and a house with a patio with walls covered with painted stuccos.
Larache offers 3 types of education systems: Arabic, French and Spanish . Each offers classes starting from pre-Kindergarten up to the 12th grade, as for German in the three last years of high school. TheBaccalauréat, orhigh school diploma are the diplomas offered after clearing the 12 grades.
There are tens Moroccanprimary schools,[20] dispersed across the city. Private and public schools, they offer education in Arabic, French and some school English until the 5th grade. Mathematics, Arts, Science Activities and nonreligious modules are commonly taught in the primary school.
The Colegio Español Luis Vives[21] is a Spanish international school located in Larache, Morocco.
The Polydisciplinary Faculty of Larache is part ofAbdelmalek Essaâdi University[22] in Morocco. This institution offers a diverse range of programs across various fields of study, including sciences, humanities, and social sciences.[23]
The CFI Larache,[24] a Centre for Teacher Training is a higher education institution affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Professional Training. The CFI Larache accepts holders of DUT, BTS, DEUG, DEUST, or equivalent diplomas and prepares them with pedagogical and theoretical training for a career as teachers.
The Institut Spécialisé de Technologie Appliquée (ISTA[25]) Larache is a key vocational training institute in Larache, Morocco, affiliated with the Office de la Formation Professionnelle et de la Promotion du Travail (OFPPT). It offers a variety of programs in fields such as mechanics, electronics, computer science, and construction, designed to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
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