Name of municipality: Benslimane
Population: 57,101 inhabitants (2014)
Area: 7,086 ha
The Municipality of Benslimane is located halfway between Rabat (62 km) and Casablanca (55 km), in the extension of booming centers (Tit Mellil, Ain Harrouda, Mohammedia in the south; Skhirat, Temara and Bouznika in the west).
President: Mr. Mohammed Jdira
Contact: Mr. Ayoub Ziadi, Engineer: ayoubziadi@gmail.com
Main features:
The commune covers an area of 7,086 ha near a cork oak forest of nearly 62,000 ha, hence its nickname, “Green City.” The slow growth rate of its population is a favorable condition for controlled and environmentally friendly urban development. Benslimane is a medium-sized city on the scale of Morocco (a little over 57,000 inhabitants in 2014 according to the HCP), Benslimane has only recently experienced urbanization and maintains a low population density. It enjoys its proximity to Casablanca and Rabat, attracting urbanites in search of peace and quiet. The city also has important tourist attractions, due to the preserved natural setting that surrounds it and numerous leisure facilities (185-hectare El Manzeh Golf Course, rock-climbing sites, hiking trails, waterfalls, etc.). It enjoys a continental climate, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 °C.
Main economic activities:
The economy is mainly oriented towards agriculture (cereal growing, livestock breeding), exploitation of forest resources and the tertiary sector, which has developed considerably since the 2000s.
Conditions and environmental challenges:
Despite these multiple assets, the city suffers from its heavy dependence on the agricultural and administrative sectors, the lack of robustness of local public finances and the poor quality of certain public services (education, health, culture). While efforts have been made in recent years, the Benslimane region is struggling to attract more remunerative economic activities. As a result, the unemployment rate remains higher than the national average, as does the illiteracy rate. Lastly, the city has been exposed to a degradation of its natural environment, due in particular to the over-exploitation of its ecological and forest heritage.
The challenge for Benslimane is to articulate the upgrading of urban services and infrastructures, the development of the area’s tourist attractiveness by preserving and enhancing its natural heritage, and the consolidation of the public authorities’ action in favor of sustainable development.