Beni Mellal
بني ملال (Arabic)
Beni Mellal is located in Morocco
Beni Mellal
Beni Mellal
Location in Morocco
Beni Mellal is located in Africa
Beni Mellal
Beni Mellal
Beni Mellal (Africa)
Coordinates: 32°20′22″N 6°21′39″W / 32.33944°N 6.36083°W / 32.33944; -6.36083
Country Morocco
RegionBéni Mellal-Khénifra
ProvinceBeni Mellal
Elevation
620 m (2,030 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • City209.676
 • Rank17th in Morocco
 • Metro
447,330
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
Postal code
23000

Beni Mellal (Arabic: بني ملال) is a city in north-central Morocco. It is the capital of the Béni Mellal-Khénifra Region and has a population of 192,676 (2014 census).[1] It sits at the foot of Jbel Tassemit (2247 m), next to the plains of Beni Amir. The modern town dates back to 1688, when Moulay Isma'il founded a kasbah (fort).[2]

History

Historical Arabic sources do not offer clear details about this site during the medieval period.[2] Hiṣn Daī (Arabic: حصن دائي), a town that was given to the Idrisid prince Yahya ibn Idris (son of Idris II) to rule during the 9th century, may correspond to the site of present Beni Mellal.[3][2][4] It was later captured by the Almohads in 1141.[3]

In 1688, the Alawi sultan Moulay Isma'il built a kasbah (fort) here and the current town developed around it. The kasbah was restored in the 19th century by Moulay Sliman and again in 1916 by the French Protectorate administration.[2] In 1918, the town had a recorded population of approximately 3000.[3] During the Protectorate, authorities invested in the area's agricultural infrastructure, which helped the city grow into a major urban centre.[2] Today it is also regional administrative center.[3]

Climate

Beni Mellal has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with very hot summers and cool winters. As the city lies quite far inland and is shielded by the Middle Atlas mountains, the climate is highly continental.[citation needed] Because of these factors the overall climate can be considered in a fluctuative state generally moderating between two larger extremes in temperature and climate. Rainfall can reach up to 500 mm (20 in) per year, snow can also fall in winter.[citation needed]

Climate data for Beni Mellal
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.8
(64.0) 		19.6
(67.3) 		23.3
(73.9) 		24.6
(76.3) 		28.8
(83.8) 		34.2
(93.6) 		39.5
(103.1) 		40.8
(105.4) 		32.2
(90.0) 		28.1
(82.6) 		22.0
(71.6) 		18.9
(66.0) 		27.5
(81.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3.3
(37.9) 		5.1
(41.2) 		7.8
(46.0) 		10.3
(50.5) 		13.5
(56.3) 		17.8
(64.0) 		24.2
(75.6) 		25.1
(77.2) 		18.0
(64.4) 		14.0
(57.2) 		8.6
(47.5) 		5.0
(41.0) 		12.7
(54.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 33.9
(1.33) 		34.2
(1.35) 		43.0
(1.69) 		36.7
(1.44) 		20.0
(0.79) 		3.5
(0.14) 		1.6
(0.06) 		1.2
(0.05) 		7.2
(0.28) 		35.6
(1.40) 		53.4
(2.10) 		40.0
(1.57) 		310.3
(12.2)
Source: BBC Weather (records)[5]

Transport

Beni Mellal is served by Beni Mellal Airport.

Education

In Beni Mellal is located Sultan Moulay Slimane University.

Notable people

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014" (in Arabic and French). High Commission for Planning, Morocco. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Boum, Aomar; Park, Thomas K. (2016). "Béni Mellal". Historical Dictionary of Morocco. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-4422-6297-3.
  3. ^ a b c d Deverdun, Gaston (2004). "Benī Mellāl". In Bearman, P. J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E. & Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume XII: Supplement. Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 132. ISBN 978-90-04-13974-9.
  4. ^ Garcia-Arenal, Mercedes; Moreno, Eduardo Manzano (1998). "Légitimité et villes idrissides". In Cressier, Patrice; Garcia-Arenal, Mercedes (eds.). Genèse de la ville islamique en al-Andalus et au Maghreb occidental (in French). Casa de Velázquez; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). p. 277. ISBN 978-84-00-07766-2.
  5. ^ "Average Conditions tetoaun, Morocco". BBC Weather. Retrieved August 17, 2009.

External links

Béni-Mellal Province
Authority control databases
Categories