The Draa-Tafilalet Region, whose capital is Errachidia, was established, along with the other 11 regions of the Kingdom, under the decree n° 2.15.10 of February 20, 2015, which defined the number of regions, their names, capitals, and the prefectures and provinces that form them.
The Region has a total area of 88,975km2. It is bounded to the north by the regions of Fes-Meknes and Beni Mellal-Khenifra, to the east by the Oriental Region, to the west by the regions of Marrakech-Safi, and Souss-Massa, and to the east and south by the Moroccan-Algerian border. As a result, it is Morocco’s largest border territory.
Administratively, the Draa-Tafilalet Region has five provinces: Errachidia, Midelt, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, and Zagora, which are divided into 125 communes, 16 of which are urban and 109 of which are rural.
Demography
According to the 2014 general people census, the Draa-Tafilalet region has 1,635,008 inhabitants or around 4.8 percent of the Kingdom’s total population. The Province of Errachidia contains 25% of the region’s population, while the remaining provinces have percentages ranging from 18% to 20%. Urban areas are home to more than one-third of the region’s inhabitants.
Languages
The official languages and mostly spoken languages in Draa-Tafilalet are Arabic and Amazigh. The Amazigh of the region is related to Tachelhite and Tamazight of the High Atlas. We also come across Hassani Arabic speakers, particularly among nomadic tribes in the southern region. French is the administrative language and is widely spoken there as well. English, Spanish, German, and even Russian are spoken among tourism experts!
Religion
Islam is the predominant religion in Draa-Tafilalet, as it is across the Kingdom of Morocco. The region has always been a land of coexistence and religious tolerance, and Judaism has a long history and is part of the local tribes’ heritage. The historic synagogues of Ouarzazate and Tinghir (Ighil n’Ogho) testify to this coexistence. Other active sites of worship include the Saint John Baptist Church in Errachidia, the Sainte-Thérèse Church in Ouarzazate, and the majestic Notre Dame de l’Atlas Priory in Midelt.
Currency
The Moroccan Dirham is, of course, the regional currency, but the major foreign currencies can be converted into bank branches located across the provinces, as well as exchange companies and licensed hotels.
Copyright 2024 This site is managed by the regional tourism council of Draa Tafilalet
