Khouribga خريبكة / ⵅⵯⵔⵉⴱⴳⴰ
City
Nickname(s):  Phosphate City
Khouribga Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 32°53′N 6°55′W / 32.883°N 6.917°W / 32.883; -6.917Coordinates: 32°53′N 6°55′W / 32.883°N 6.917°W / 32.883; -6.917
Country	Morocco
Region	Béni Mellal-Khénifra
Province	Khouribga
Government
• Mayor	Cherki Al Gholmi (Justice and Development Party) (2015)
• Governor	Abdellatif Chadali (2012)
Area
• Total	52 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation	786 m (2,579 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
• Total	196,196
• Density	4,083.46/km2 (10,576.1/sq mi)
• Rank	15th in Morocco
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
Postal Code	25000

Khouribga (Berber languages: ⵅⵯⵔⵉⴱⴳⴰ, Arabic: خريبكة‎) is the capital of Khouribga Province in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region of Morocco. With a population of 196,196 (2014 census),^[1] Khouribga owes its growth to the phosphate deposits nearby. Khouribga was also a large site of colonial French settlement, with many houses still standing today in the city.

Geography[edit]

Located at least 120 km from Casablanca, 154 km from the capital, Rabat, 200 km from the city of Marrakesh, 99 km from the city of Beni Mellal and 60 km from the city of Settat.

Khouribga is located 820 meters above sea level on the Ouardigha plateau. The city was founded in 1923 by the authorities of the French protectorate when they discovered phosphate in the region, for which Morocco is considered to be the biggest exporter in the world. There are several mines in the province, most notably the mine of Sidi Shennan near the town of Oued Zem, which lies 30 km from the village of Boulanouar (5 km) and the town of Boujniba (10 km) and the village of Hattane.

The Province of Khouribga is bordered by the Province of Beni Mellal in the east, Province of Ben Slimane in the west, the Province of Settat in the south, and Khémisset Province in the north.

Climate[edit]

Khouribga has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). In winter there is more rainfall than in summer. The average annual temperature in Khouribga is 17.2 °C (63.0 °F). About 432 mm (17.01 in) of precipitation falls annually.

Economy[edit]

Phosphate[edit]

Partial mosasaur jaw from a Khouribga mine

The Province of Khouribga has a large phosphate reserve estimated 35 to 40 billion cubic meters, which is ranked first at the national level. Also Khouribga is one of the cities that brings hard currency and that is due to its community residents from Italy.

The phosphate mines are notable source of fossils, especially Mosasaur jaws and teeth. The bones and teeth of fossil animals are the source of the mineable phosphate minerals, here and elsewhere.

Industrial activities[edit]

In addition to phosphate mining, the province knew the emergence of other industries in economic sectors such as:

• Electrical and electronics industry


• Chemical industry


• Food Industry


• Mechanical Industry


• Textiles

Industrial areas[edit]

The province has three Industrial zones:

• The industrial zone of Khouribga (industrial district): 20 hectares (234 partitions) and 13 operating industrial units plus the expansion of the zone.


• The industrial zone of Oued Zem.


• The industrial zone of Bejaad.

Services[edit]

The province has several services, among them:

• 25 bank agencies
  


• 6 insurance agencies
  


• 7 travel agencies
  


• 2 railways with daily trips with a project to build a modern station.

Agriculture[edit]

The agricultural lands is divided into 50% arable land, 20% forests, 30% unused land.
Livestock is the most important source of income for the rural population, the herd is estimated to be:

• 
  Goats: 30.000-60.000 heads


• 
  Equidae: 40.000-60.000 heads


• 
  Cows: 50.000-70.000 heads


• 
  Sheep: 500.000-600.000 heads

Handicrafts[edit]

The handicrafts sector represents a sizable part of the local economy with 9 cooperatives (260 members), and a handicrafts association.

Health[edit]

The facilities cover most of the province with:

• 6 rooms


• 3 provincial hospitals


• 20 health centers


• 7 urban health centers


• 9 rural clinics

Twin cities[edit]

• 
  Gafsa, Tunisia
  


• 
  Alcamo, Italy
  


• 
  Napoli, Italy
  


• 
  Jerusalem, State of Israel
  

Notable people[edit]

• Alfred Beaugé (1878-1935), founder of the city.


• Bouchaïb Laurens, former mayor of Khouribga (1975-2005), entrepreneur, deputy and chairman of the town planning committee in the parliament.


• M'Hammed ben Omar, General Anh Ma, communist soldier in the First Indochina War.


• Koudri "Dzairi" Elhaj Ben Azouz, resistance fighter, disappeared after the 1972 events.


• 
  Hindi Zahra, International singer.


• 
  Hind Dehiba, née Chahyd on March 17, 1979 in Khouribga, a Moroccan-French middle-distance runner.

References[edit]

See also[edit]

• Office Cherifien des Phosphates

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khouribga.