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Oriental | |
|---|---|
 Jebel Tamejout - Grotte du Chameau (Zegzel) | |
 Location in Morocco | |
| Coordinates:34°41′N1°54′W / 34.683°N 1.900°W /34.683; -1.900 | |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Capital | Oujda |
| Government | |
| • Wali (Governor) | Mohamed Mhidia |
| • President | Abdenbi Bioui |
| Area | |
• Total | 90,127 km2 (34,798 sq mi) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 2,269,378 |
| • Density | 25.180/km2 (65.215/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Website | conseilregionoriental.ma |
Oriental region orOujda region (Arabic:الشرق,romanized: aš-šarq;Standard Moroccan Tamazight:ⴰⵙⵏⵇⵔ[1][2][3] orⵓⵏⵇⵇⴰⵔ[4]) is one of the twelveregions 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 isOujda, and the second largest city isNador. The region includes 7 provinces and one prefecture.
The majority of the population of the Oriental Region speaksMoroccan Arabic (86.2%) as a first or second language. According to the 2024 census, 31.1% of the inhabitants of the Oriental Region speakTarifit.[6] Small numbers speakEastern Middle Atlas Tamazight andFiguig Tamazight, principally in the south of Oriental.[7]
The English nameOriental is derived from theFrench termL'Oriental (for "the east") and comes directly from theLatinorientalis, "of the east", being that the region is located in the east of Morocco.[8] The Arabic nameAsh-Sharq also means "the east".
Oriental is situated in the northeastern part of the country, with a northern coastline on theMediterranean Sea. The region ofTangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, lie to its northwest,Taza-Fès-Meknès to its west,Drâa-Tafilalet to the southwest, with theAlgerian provinces ofTlemcen andNaâma to its east andBéchar to the south.Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city, also borders the region. In 2015, Oriental was expanded to includeGuercif Province.
The region is made up into the following prefectures and provinces:[9]
| Name | Province/Prefecture | Population (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Oujda | Oujda-Angad Prefecture | 494,252 |
| Nador | Nador Province | 161,726 |
| Berkane | Berkane Province | 109,237 |
| Taourirt | Taourirt Province | 103,398 |
| Beni Ensar / Aït Nsar | Nador Province | 56,582 |
| Al Aaroui | Nador Province | 47,599 |
| Jerada | Jerada Province | 43,506 |
| El Aioun Sidi Mellouk | Taourirt Province | 41,832 |
| Bouarg | Nador Province | 37,737 |
| Zaio | Nador Province | 35,806 |
| Zeghanghane | Nador Province | 34,025 |
| Sidi Slimane Echcharraa | Berkane Province | 30,202 |
| Bouarfa | Figuig Province | 28,846 |
| Bni Chiker | Nador Province | 26,884 |
| Oulad Settout | Nador Province | 23,218 |
| Selouane | Nador Province | 21,570 |
| Boughriba | Berkane Province | 20,513 |
| Ahfir | Berkane Province | 19,630 |
| Arekmane | Nador Province | 18,490 |
| Mtalssa | Driouch Province | 16,787 |
| Talsint | Figuig Province | 16,166 |
| Bni Tadjite | Figuig Province | 16,149 |
| Zegzel | Berkane Province | 16,137 |
| Tendrara | Figuig Province | 15,390 |
| Midar | Driouch Province | 17,042 |
| Driouch | Driouch Province | 14,741 |
| Ben Taieb | Driouch Province | 14,257 |
| Temsamane | Driouch Province | 13,920 |
| Ain Bni Mathar | Jerada Province | 13,526 |
| Figuig | Figuig Province | 12,516 |
| from 2015 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–2015 |
| |
| 1971–1997 | ||
Regions falling partly (*) or entirely (**) within thedisputed territory ofWestern Sahara underMoroccan occupation | ||
| Geographic | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
