Chaouia (Morocco)

Soils vary in fertility: The dark tirs[check spelling] is prized for its high yields and is found among the Mdhakra, Ouled Hriz and Oulad said.

Throughout Morocco's history, the Chaouia was famous for farming wheat and barley, which were exported in years of abundance from Casablanca, Fédala or Azemmour.

Chaouia sheep was also prized for its wool, which was also exported to Marseille where it was known as wardigha in reference to one of the tribes in the interior.

[6] After the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'min captured the town of Marrakesh in 1147, he encouraged the settlement of Bedouin Arab tribes in the area and the rest of the Moroccan coastal plains[6] which were largely depopulated after the Almoravid conquest,[6] including Banu Hilal, Banu Sulaym, and Banu Ma'qil,[7] which led to a further extension of Arabic and an increased importance of Arab elements in the power equation of Morocco,[6] to the point where no one could have ruled there without their co-operation.

[13] In 1907, the French bombarded Casablanca and entered the Chaouia region before extending their control over all of Morocco.