View source for Kenitra

{{Short description|City in Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco}}
{{About|the city in Morocco|the city in Syria|Quneitra}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| name               = Kenitra
| native_name        = {{lang|ar|القنيطرة}}
| other_name         =
| settlement_type    =
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Kenitra main pic.jpg
| photo2a = Kenitra Avenue Mohamed V.JPG
| photo2b = Kenitra-Centre.JPG
| photo3a = Kénitra 2014032.jpg
| photo3b = Kenitra American Base.jpg
| photo4a = Sbou River - Corniche Kenitra.jpg
| size = 275
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
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| image_caption      = Avenue Mohamed Diouri, Avenue Mohamed V, Kenitra
| image_flag         = Flag of Kenitra province.svg
| flag_size          =
| image_seal         = Blason de la ville de Kénitra.svg
| seal_size          = 120px
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| motto              = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
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| pushpin_map        = Morocco#Africa
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize    = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Morocco
<!-- Location ------------------>| coordinates        = {{coord|34|15|N|6|35|W|region:MA|display=inline}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Morocco}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Morocco|Region]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Provinces of Morocco|Province]]
| subdivision_type3  =
| subdivision_name1  = [[Rabat-Salé-Kénitra]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Kenitra Province|Kenitra]]
| subdivision_name3  =
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1681
<!-- Area    --------------------->| government_footnotes =
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| unit_pref          = metric <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes     =
| area_magnitude     =
| area_total_km2     = 112
| area_land_km2      = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
<!-- Population   ----------------------->| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 26
| elevation_ft       = <!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| population_total   = 431282
| population_as_of   = 2014
| population_footnotes = <ref name=census2014>{{cite web |url=http://rgph2014.hcp.ma/file/166326/ |title=POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014 |language=ar, fr |publisher=High Commission for Planning, Morocco |date=8 April 2015 |access-date=29 September 2017}}</ref>
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| population_rank    = [[List of cities in Morocco|9th in Morocco]]
| population_density_blank1_km2 =
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- General information  --------------->
| population_note    =
| postal_code_type   = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code        = 2900
| area_code          =
| website            = http://www.kenitra.ma/ar/
| footnotes          = |<!-- Politics ----------------->
| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset         = +1
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}}
'''Kenitra''' ({{langx|ar|القُنَيْطَرَة}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|al-qunayṭara}}, {{IPA|ar|alqunajtˤira|}}, {{literally|the little bridge}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=Almaany|title=ترجمة و معنى قنيطرة بالإنجليزي في قاموس المعاني. قاموس عربي انجليزي مصطلحات صفحة 1|url=https://www.almaany.com/ar/dict/ar-en/%D9%82%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A9/|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.almaany.com|language=en}}</ref>) is a [[List of cities in Morocco|city]] in northwestern [[Morocco]]. It is a [[port]] on the [[Sebou River]] with a population of 431,282 as of 2014.<ref name=popu>{{cite web |url=http://www.hcp.ma/file/167575/ |title=Population légale d'après les résultats du RGPH 2014 sur le Bulletin officiel N° 6354 |access-date=2015-07-11 |work=hcp.ma |language=ar |archive-date=2018-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226055518/https://www.hcp.ma/404.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is one of the three main cities of the [[Rabat-Salé-Kénitra]] region and the capital of the similarly named [[Kénitra Province]]. During the [[Cold War]], the [[Naval Air Station Port Lyautey|US Naval Air Station Port Lyautey]] served as a stopping point in [[North Africa]].
==History==
===Ancient history===
{{further|Thamusida}}
The history of the city begins with the foundation of a trading post by [[Ancient Carthage|Carthaginian]] explorer [[Hanno the Navigator|Hanno]]. It was known back then as [[Thamusida]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hanno {{!}} Phoenician, Mediterranean, Navigator {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hanno-Carthaginian-explorer |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Colonial and recent history===
In March 1912 the French government and the Sultan of Morocco, [[Abd al-Hafid of Morocco|Abd al-Hafid]], signed the [[Treaty of Fez]]. Because of his growing unpopularity, the Sultan asked the French government for protection against the Berber rebel tribes surrounding Fez. France appointed [[Hubert Lyautey]] resident-general in Morocco.
General Lyautey restored peace and order to the country after crushing the tribal uprising. After safely moving the Sultan from Fez to the current capital city, Rabat, Lyautey began his task of civilian administration.
[[File:Sbou River - Corniche Kenitra.jpg|thumb|left|Sebou River - Corniche]]
One of the first preoccupations of General Lyautey was to build ports along the inhabitable Atlantic coast where there were no natural harbors. He established Port Lyautey in 1912 as a [[French Third Republic|French]] military [[fort]] and town. Its port, at the mouth of the Sebou river, was opened in 1913.<ref>[http://www.carphaz.com/Kenitra_Historique.htm ''Kénitra depuis 1912''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003143109/http://www.carphaz.com/Kenitra_Historique.htm |date=2003-10-03 }} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> It soon became the best river port in Morocco.<ref>''In Morocco'' by Edith Wharton, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1920</ref> Kenitra draws its name from a [[culvert]] built at Fouarat lake upstream of the kasbah. This culvert was destroyed in 1928. In 1933, the French officially named the locale "Port Lyautey".
It was renamed "Quneitra" in 1956 as Morocco gained its independence. The city has grown rapidly to be a shipping centre for agricultural produce (mainly fruit), fish, timber, and lead and zinc ores. The city's industrial area lies upstream of the port.
===U.S. Naval Base===
[[File:Kenitra American Base.jpg|thumb|Air base of Kenitra: Public works and maintenance department]]
In November 1942, after [[Operation Torch]], the Americans captured the Port Lyautey [[Vichy France|French]] fighter base as a military base, named [[Kenitra Airport|Craw Field]].  For three months the 21st Engineer Aviation Regiment worked on the airfield.  In February 1943 the [[Seabees]] of the 120th Naval Construction Battalion took over all construction activities.<ref>Port Lyautey, Chapter XX, The Mediterranean Area, Building the Navy's Bases in World War II, History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corp, 1940-1946, Volume II, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, p. 80[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Building_Bases/bases-20.html]</ref> The Navy ran the base until 1947, when the State Department negotiated reversion of control to France. In 1950, a $23,000,000 expansion was authorized, but then the [[Korean War]] diverted resources. In the 1950s, nearly 10,000 people were on the base making it the largest aggregation of Americans in any one overseas base outside Japan. Later, the base in Kenitra was expanded to become a [[List of United States Navy installations|U.S. Naval Air Station]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portlyautey.com/Port%20Lyautey%20History.htm|title=''History of Port Lyautey''|access-date=2006-12-31|archive-date=2011-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715112450/http://www.portlyautey.com/Port%20Lyautey%20History.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The base was shared by both the US and Morocco through the [[Cold War]]. A small Navy communications out-station in Sidi Yahia closed in the late 1970s. The Air Station was closed in 1991.
==Climate==
Kenitra has a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Csa''). In summer, there are 27.4 days on average in which the maximum daily temperature is at {{Convert|30.0|C|F|abbr=on}} or higher, and 1.6 days with max temperature above {{Convert|40.0|C|F|abbr=on}}. Winters are mild and rainy, with sub-freezing temperatures occurring only 0.3 days per year on average.<ref name=NCEI9120/> The highest recorded temperature was {{Convert|47.7|C|F|abbr=on}} on 1 August 2003, and the coldest was {{Convert|-3.0|C|F|abbr=on}} on 13 February 2012.<ref name=NCEI9120/>
{{Weather box
|location = Kenitra (normals and extremes 1991–2020, sun 1981-2010, rainy days 1961-1990)
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
| Jan record high C =24.8
| Feb record high C =32.2
| Mar record high C =35.1
| Apr record high C =36.5
| May record high C =43.7
| Jun record high C =46.3
| Jul record high C =46.1
| Aug record high C =47.7
| Sep record high C =44.6
| Oct record high C =39.9
| Nov record high C =33.5
| Dec record high C =26.0
| year record high C =
|Jan high C = 17.9
|Feb high C = 18.8
|Mar high C = 20.8
|Apr high C = 22.1
|May high C = 24.8
|Jun high C = 26.6
|Jul high C = 28.2
|Aug high C = 28.7
|Sep high C = 27.6
|Oct high C = 25.5
|Nov high C = 21.6
|Dec high C = 19.0
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = 12.5
|Feb mean C = 13.5
|Mar mean C = 15.5
|Apr mean C = 17.0
|May mean C = 19.6
|Jun mean C = 22.0
|Jul mean C = 23.7
|Aug mean C = 24.2
|Sep mean C = 22.7
|Oct mean C = 20.4
|Nov mean C = 16.3
|Dec mean C = 13.8
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = 7.0
|Feb low C = 8.1
|Mar low C = 10.1
|Apr low C = 11.8
|May low C = 14.5
|Jun low C = 17.4
|Jul low C = 19.2
|Aug low C = 19.6
|Sep low C = 17.8
|Oct low C = 15.2
|Nov low C = 11.0
|Dec low C = 8.6
|year low C =
| Jan record low C  =-1.0
| Feb record low C  =-3.0
| Mar record low C  =1.0
| Apr record low C  =1.7
| May record low C  =6.6
| Jun record low C  =10.5
| Jul record low C  =12.8
| Aug record low C  =2.2
| Sep record low C  =1.7
| Oct record low C  =2.1
| Nov record low C  =1.7
| Dec record low C  =-0.5
| year record low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|unit precipitation days = 1 mm
|Jan precipitation mm = 87.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 59.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 52.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 41.4
|May precipitation mm = 17.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 3.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 21.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 57.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 104.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 93.0
|year precipitation mm =
|Jan precipitation days = 7.8
|Feb precipitation days = 6.5
|Mar precipitation days = 6.7
|Apr precipitation days = 5.2
|May precipitation days = 2.8
|Jun precipitation days = 0.9
|Jul precipitation days = 0.1
|Aug precipitation days = 0.2
|Sep precipitation days = 1.9
|Oct precipitation days = 5.4
|Nov precipitation days = 7.2
|Dec precipitation days = 7.9
|year precipitation days =
|Jan rain days = 12.3
|Feb rain days = 12.7
|Mar rain days = 12.2
|Apr rain days = 11
|May rain days = 7.6
|Jun rain days = 2.9
|Jul rain days = 0.3
|Aug rain days = 0.7
|Sep rain days = 2.8
|Oct rain days = 8.6
|Nov rain days = 13.3
|Dec rain days = 14
|year rain  days =
|Jan sun = 182.4
|Feb sun = 184.4
|Mar sun = 235.6
|Apr sun = 268.2
|May sun = 313.7
|Jun sun = 316.6
|Jul sun = 333.2
|Aug sun = 315.6
|Sep sun = 264.6
|Oct sun = 230.4
|Nov sun = 190.3
|Dec sun = 170.7
|year sun = 3005.7
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name=NCEI9120>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Morocco/CSV/KENITRA_60120.csv |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Kenitra-60120 |access-date= 22 April 2024 |website=ncei.noaa.gov |publisher=[[NCEI|National Centers for Environmental Information]] |type=Excel |format=CSV}}</ref> (sun 1981-2010)<ref>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211111000623/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-I/Morocco/WMO_Normals_ASCII_60120.csv
| archive-date = 11 November 2021
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-I/Morocco/WMO_Normals_ASCII_60120.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010
| publisher = [[NCEI|National Centers for Environmental Information]]
| access-date = 10 November 2021}}</ref>
|source 2 = NOAA (days with rain 1961–1990)<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG__I/FM/60120.TXT
| title = Kenitra Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = March 16, 2015}}</ref>
|date=March 2015
}}
{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
!Colspan=14|Climate data for Kenitra (1991-2020)<ref name=NCEI9120/>
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Mean number of days with [[thunder]]
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.9
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.4
|style="background:#E0FFE0;color:#000000;"|2.0
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.6
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.3
|style="background:#F5FFFA;color:#000000;"|0.5
|style="background:#F5FFFA;color:#000000;"|0.7
|style="background:#F5FFFA;color:#000000;"|0.4
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.1
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.4
|style="background:#E0FFE0;color:#000000;"|2.2
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;"|1.9
|style="background:#E5FFE5;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|16.4
|-
!Number of days with wind speed > {{Convert|10|m/s|kph|abbr=on}}
|style="background:#B2B2B2;color:#000000;"|9.6
|style="background:#A0A0A0;color:#FFFFFF;"|10.5
|style="background:#666666;color:#FFFFFF;"|16.7
|style="background:#606060;color:#FFFFFF;"|20.7
|style="background:#404040;color:#FFFFFF;"|24.4
|style="background:#404040;color:#FFFFFF;"|24.1
|style="background:#4C4C4C;color:#FFFFFF;"|22.5
|style="background:#4C4C4C;color:#FFFFFF;"|21.8
|style="background:#606060;color:#FFFFFF;"|20.3
|style="background:#808080;color:#FFFFFF;"|14.2
|style="background:#A0A0A0;color:#FFFFFF;"|10.3
|style="background:#B2B2B2;color:#000000;"|9.7
|style="background:#666666;color:#FFFFFF;border-left-width:medium"|204.8
|}
==Population==
{| align="center" rules="all" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" style="border: 1px solid #999; border-right: 2px solid #999; border-bottom:2px solid #999"
|+ style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em"| Estimated population of Kenitra city from 1982 to 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/21894/kenitra/population|title=Kenitra, Morocco Metro Area Population 1950-2020 – macrotrends.com|website=macrotrends.com}}</ref>
|-bgcolor="#ddffdd"
!1982 !! 1994 !! 2004 !! 2010 !! 2014
|-
| align=center| {{formatnum:187000}} || align=center| {{formatnum:291000}} || align=center| {{formatnum:358000}} || align=center| {{formatnum:400000}} || align=center| {{formatnum:430000}}
|}
==Areas and neighbourhoods==
*Mdina
** ''Khabazate''
** ''The Cigogne''
** La cite
*Modern city
** ''Mimosa''
** ''La Ville Haute''
*Popular districts
** ''Saknia''
** ''Ouled Oujih''
**''Maghrib al Arabi''
*Residential districts
**''Bir Rami''
**''Ismailia''
**''Val fleuri''
==Education==
===Colleges and universities===
*{{ill|Université Ibn-Tofail|ar|جامعة ابن طفيل}} (UIT)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uit.ac.ma//|date=6 February 2006|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206180040/http://www.uit.ac.ma//|archive-date=6 February 2006 |title=Univesité Ibn Tofail – Univesité Ibn Tofail }}</ref>
*ENCG Kénitra ({{ill|École nationale de commerce et de gestion de Kénitra|fr}})
*HECI Kénitra (Hautes Etudes Commerciales et Informatiques)
*ENSA Kénitra ([[École nationale des sciences appliquées de Kénitra]])
*ENSC Kénitra ([École nationale supérieure de chimie de Kénitra]
==Transportation==
*The [[National Route 1 (Morocco)|National Route 1]] and the [[Rabat–Tangier expressway|A1 motorway]] pass through Kenitra and connect it to [[Rabat]]-[[Salé]] in the south-west and to [[Larache]] in the north-east.
*The city is served by one [[railway station]]: ''Kenitra-Ville''. A shuttle [[train]], TNR, connects the city, every 30 minutes, to [[Rabat]] and [[Casablanca]].
*A [[high-speed rail]] line to [[Tangier]] was completed in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/africa-fastest-train-steams-morocco-181115165325722.html|title = 'Africa's fastest train' steams ahead in Morocco}}</ref> (''See [[Kenitra–Tangier high-speed rail line]]''.)
==Sports==
===Kenitra Athletic Club, KAC===
{{Main|KAC Kenitra}}
In 1938, a group of Kenitra natives created KAC.
This group of soccer lovers wanted to resist French domination in sports in Morocco.
The team, made entirely of Kenitra natives, succeeded in reaching the premier Moroccan soccer league in 1956. In 1960, KAC won its first championship league of Morocco. KAC embarked in a journey of glories by winning the 1973-81-82 championship leagues and the 1961 throne cup.
[[Ahmed Souiri]] was a long-time manager and coach. KAC has produced many international players.
[[Noureddine Bouyahyaoui]] and [[Labid Khalifa]] were among the players who helped the Moroccan national soccer team qualify for the second round of the World Cup finals in Mexico in 1986. Mohammed Boussati still holds a national record of goals by scoring 25 goals in one soccer championship season in 1981–82.<br/>
Its home is the [[Stade Municipal (Kenitra)|Kenitra Municipal Stadium]] which has a capacity of 15,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/mar/stade_municipal_de_kenitra|title=Stade Municipal de Kénitra – StadiumDB.com|website=stadiumdb.com}}</ref>
=== Basketball ===
The KAC Kénitra was a very successful basketball team during the 70s and 80s.
==Natives from Kenitra==
Kenitra was the birthplace of:
*[[Amina Aït Hammou]], Olympic athlete
*[[David Bitan]], Israeli politician
*[[Ismaël Ferroukhi]] - Director and scriptwriter
*[http://www.karlstephanstudio.com Karl Stephan] - American artist and educator
*[[Margie Cox]], American R&B Singer
*[[Mohamed Sijelmassi]], writer and physician
*[[Nayef Aguerd]] – Moroccan footballer
*[[Saïd Aouita]], Olympic athlete
*[[Sofian Chakla]] – Moroccan footballer
*[[Tariq Chihab]] - Former international footballer
*[[Youssef Chippo]], International football player
*[[Zouhair Laaroubi]] - Moroccan footballer
==See also==
* [[Bouknadel]]
* [[Battle for Port Lyautey]]
* [[Al-Maamora Forest]]
==Notes and references==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://lexicorient.com/morocco/kenitra.htm Entry in Lexicorient] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207123431/http://lexicorient.com/morocco/kenitra.htm |date=2005-02-07 }}
* [http://www.carphaz.com/Album_Port_Lyautey/pages/port_lyautey3.htm Pictures of U.S. Naval base facilities in Kenitra]
* [http://kantrat3liou3adi.webobo.com Histoire de Kenitra / Port-Lyautey en images de 1911 au 1956]
{{coord|34|15|N|6|35|W|display=title}}
{{Kénitra Province}}
{{Rabat-Salé-Kénitra}}{{Phoenician cities and colonies|state=collapsed}}{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Kenitra| ]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast]]
[[Category:Populated places in Kénitra Province]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Morocco]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Morocco]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in Morocco|Kenitra]]