Chefchaouen Province () is a province in the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region of Morocco. Its capital is Chefchaouen.
According to the 2014 national census, the province had a population of 457,432 inhabitants, of which approximately 87.45% lived in rural areas.
Chefchaouen Province is located in northern Morocco and is bordered by Tétouan Province to the northwest, Larache Province to the west, Al Hoceïma Province to the east, Taounate Province to the south, and Ouezzane Province to the southwest. It also has a coastline along the Mediterranean Sea to the northeast.
The province lies within the Rif mountain range and is characterized by rugged terrain and a predominantly rural landscape. It consists of one urban commune (the municipality of Chefchaouen) and 27 rural communes.
The city of Chefchaouen is the only official municipality in the province, established in 1975.
Other towns in the province include:
The province is divided administratively into the following:
The Chefchaouen Mountains are composed of very rugged siliceous and limestone layers, with some peaks exceeding above sea level, such as Jbel Lakraa and Jbel Tissouka in the rural commune of Bab Taza, as well as Jbel Tizirane in the rural commune of Bab Berred.
Chefchaouen and its surroundings were historically and geographically known as the Jbala region or country (i.e. mountain inhabitants) where many Jbala tribes once lived. The Jbala region was officially described at the beginning of the 20th century as a geographical territory corresponding to the foothills of the southwestern Rif, between the massifs of the central Rif and the pre-Rif domain.
Natural forests cover around and are dominated by broad-leaved trees. Forest formations are distributed according to local variations of climate and soil due to altitude, lithology, and human activity. There are sclerophyllous oaks such as cork oak (Quercus suber), holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), and kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), deciduous oaks such as Tauzin oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and zeen oak (Quercus canariensis and Quercus faginea), and natural coniferous forests such as Maghreb maritime pine (Pinus pinaster var. maghrebiana), Moroccan fir (Abies maroccana) and Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica).
The province of Chefchaouen is considered one of the richest regions in terms of biological diversity. It is designated as a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot (i.e. a zone with an exceptional concentration of endemic and threatened species) and suffers from accelerated forest degradation due to anthropogenic pressures exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Two protected areas have been created in the province:
In 2006, these two parks were included in the Mediterranean Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of Spain and Morocco, established in the context of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAN) program. Reforestation programs have been carried out since 1966, and by 2016 had generated .
High rainfall at altitude provides a potential for hydrological development. Several seasonal rivers flow into the Mediterranean or feed the Loukos or Ouargha rivers.
Despite the significant rainfall, agricultural activity is limited due to the rugged and steep topography, the scarcity of arable land, the low mechanization level, and the lack of irrigation infrastructure. These factors have contributed to the emergence of traditional agriculture largely dependent on climatic hazards. Forests have been harvested for wood and pulp products and to clear land for agriculture. Villagers from rural areas form an important workforce in the agricultural field.
The province is dominated by cereal agriculture, goat herding in the mountains, and arboriculture of fig and almond trees. The countryside has a reputation as a prolific source of kief. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco.
This traditional agro-pastoral system â of olive and fig plantations, cereal fields, and limited grazing pastures â has been carried out for centuries. Local products are also diversified, such as fresh goat cheese and other animal products, medicinal and aromatic plants, and products based on wild olives, figs, wool, etc. These various agricultural models have contributed to a richness of food diversity and, in 2010, UNESCO recognized Chefchaouen for its Mediterranean diet.
The industrial sector remains very weak despite the province's potential with its availability of human and natural resources. The commercial sector is one of the main economic supports of Chefchaouen, bolstered by tourism activity and remittances from workers abroad. It is mainly focused on urban centers and the main rural communes and is based on the sale of traditional food products, construction materials, clothing, and household items. Commercial transactions become dynamic during summer, with the influx of tourists and the return of foreign workers to the province.