Chaouia-Ouardigha, Former administrative region in north-central Morocco.
Chaouia-Ouardigha was an administrative region in central Morocco that lay between the Oum er-Rbi River and the Atlantic Ocean. The area contained farmland in the Tadla plain and featured varying landscapes between river valleys and coastal zones.
During the French protectorate period, the area was divided into three administrative zones: Chaouia-North, Chaouia-Center, and Chaouia-South. In 2015, the region was dissolved and split between Casablanca-Settat and Béni Mellal-Khénifra.
The name Chaouia comes from 'Chaoui', meaning shepherds, which reflects how the local people traditionally lived from raising livestock. This connection to herding shaped the identity and daily practices of communities in the region for many centuries.
The former region no longer exists as an administrative unit today and does not appear as a separate area on modern maps. For visitors interested in exploring the historical area, cities like Casablanca and towns in the Tadla plain are useful reference points.
Certain soils in the region, especially around Mdhakra, were exceptionally fertile and locally known as tirs. This soil quality allowed farmers to achieve good harvests year after year.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
