Oriental (Morocco)
Oriental région or Oujda region (Arabic: الشرق, romanized: aš-šarq) is one of the twelve regions of Morocco, located in the north-eastern part of the country. It covers an area of 90,127 km2 and has a population of 2,314,346 (2014 census) and 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. A majority of the population of Oriental speak Moroccan Arabic (86.2%) as a first or second language. A large minority speak the Rif-Berber language (38.4%) as a first language. Small numbers speak Eastern Middle Atlas Tamazight and Figuig Tamazight, principally in the south of Oriental.[1] EtymologyThe 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.[2] The Arabic name Ash-Sharq also means "the east". GeographyOriental 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:[3]
Municipalities by population (2014)
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