Chaouia (region)

Chaouia (Arabic: الشاوية‎‎) is a historical and ethno-geographical region of Morocco. It is bounded by the Oum Er-Rbia River to its southwest, the river Charrate to its northeast, the plain of Tadla to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest. The enclave covers a land area of nearly 14 000 km².

Nowadays, the Chaouia is part of the Casablanca-Settat administrative region.

"Chaouia" means "Land of Chaouis" a Berber word meaning "sheep herders".

The Chaouia was part of the Barghawata territory until being unified to Morocco by Almoravids.

Following the defeat of the Barghawata in the 12th century, Arab tribes of Hilal and Sulaym descent were settled in the region, mixing with and Arabicizing the local Berbers. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Marinids moved some Zenata Berbers from Eastern Morocco to the Chaouia.

In the early 20th century, the Chaouia experienced a strong rebellion. In 1907, the French entered the region before extending their control over all Morocco.

During the French protectorate, the Chaouia was part of the "Autonomous subdivision of Casablanca". It was then divided into three civilians controls : Chaouia-North (Casablanca) Chaouia-Center (Berrechid) and Chaouia-South (Settat).

The Chaouia tribal confederacy is traditionally consisting of 14 Arabic-speaking tribes:

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