Souss-Massa
Souss Massa is one of the twelve regions of Morocco. It covers an area of 51,642 km² and had a population of 2,676,847 as of the 2014 Moroccan census. The capital of the region is Agadir.
Geography
Souss Massa is bordered by Marrakesh-Safi to the north, Drâa-Tafilalet to the northeast, and Guelmim-Oued Noun to the southwest. Algeria's Tindouf Province borders Souss-Massa to the east. The region's western border is the Atlantic Ocean. Souss-Massa National Park protects much of the coastline. A sizeable portion of the Anti-Atlas Mountains dominates the interior. At the same time, the Sous River runs through the northern part of the region, bordered by the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Agadir is located at the mouth of the Sous River. Toubkal National Park is situated inside the region's northeastern border.
History
In September 2015, Tata Province, previously part of the Guelmim-Es Semara province, merged with five Souss-Massa-Drâa provinces to create Souss-Massa-Drâa-Massa-Drâa.
Government
On September 14, 2015, Brahim Hafidi of the RNI was elected the regional council's first president. Zineb El Adaoui was appointed governor (wali) of the region on October 13, 2015. Ahmed Hajji took over in 2017, following his tenure.
Economy
Agriculture is a critical economic sector in the Sous and Massa River basins, which lie in the northern portion of the region. The industry is also concentrated in this area, processing agricultural and seafood items. Agadir is an important fishing and tourist center, and Tiznit is renowned for its traditional silverwork.
Subdivisions
Souss-Massa comprises two prefectures and four provinces:
- Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane Prefecture
- Chtouka-Aït Baha Province
- Inezgane-Aït Melloul Prefecture
- Taroudannt Province
- Tata Province
- Tiznit Province