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This article is about a region in Morocco. For the eleventh century Talmudist known as The Rif, see Isaac Alfasi. For other uses, see RIF (disambiguation).
Rif / Arif / ⴰⵔⵉⴼ
A view of the Rif mountains around Chefchaouen.
Highest point
Peak Tidighin
Elevation 2,455 m (8,054 ft)
Localisation du rif.png
Localisation of the Rif within Morocco
Country Morocco
Range coordinates 35°N 4°W﻿ / ﻿35°N 4°W﻿ / 35; -4Coordinates: 35°N 4°W﻿ / ﻿35°N 4°W﻿ / 35; -4


The region's name comes from the Berber word Arif.

Physical anthropology[edit]

Light hair in Morocco[edit]

Riffians show a high percentage of blondism, higher than the other Berber groups. However, they are of mixed ancestral origin.

About two thirds of Riffians are pinkish-white skinned with mixed or light eyes (reaching 80% in central Rif). The rest are of Mediterranean (mainly of classic Mediterranean or Iberid subtype) and Alpine races.

Blondism is strong in the Rif. Over half of the adult men show some trace of it, and almost one tenth features red hair.

Light eyes in Morocco[edit]

Moroccan Berbers of the Rif Mountains and Middle Atlas may have the highest percentages of Light Eyes in Continental Africa

In the Rif, dark eyes are found among 30% of the men, mixed eyes 45%, and light eyes in 25%; and the mixed eyes have green or blue elements rather than gray.


Geologically the Rif mountains belong to the Gibraltar Arc or Alborán Sea geological region. They are an extension of the Baetic System that includes the mountains of the southern Iberian Peninsula across the strait.[1] Thus the Rif mountains are not part of the Atlas Mountain System.

Major cities in the greater Rif region include Nador, Tangier, Al Hoceima (also called Biya), Azghenghan, Selwan, Aâarwi, Imzouren, Ajdir, Targuist (Targist), Tittawin, Berkan, Midar.


The Rif has been inhabited by Berbers since prehistoric times. As early as the 11th century BC, the Phoenicians began to establish trading posts, with approval of or partnership with the local Berbers and started interbreeding thus starting a punic language, on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, and founded cities such as Tetouan, Melilla (Rusadir) and, in the 5th century BC, Tangier (called Tingi, back then). Later the Phoenician power gave way to an independent Carthage city-state, as the major power in the region. After the Third Punic War, Carthage was supplanted by Rome, and the Rif became part of the province of Mauretania. When the latter was divided during the rule of Emperor Claudius, Tangier became the capital of Mauretania Tingitana. In the 5th century AD, the region was raided by the Vandals, and Roman rule came to an end. The region remained under Vandal control until the 6th century AD when the Byzantines reconquered parts of it.

Flag of the Rif Republic (1921–1926)

In 710, Salih I ibn Mansur founded the kingdom of Nekor in the Rif and Berbers started converting to Islam. Berber Muslim kingdoms started establishing more cities. By the 15th century, many Spanish Moors were exiled from Spain and most of them settled in the Rif, bringing their culture, Andalusian music, and even establishing the city of Ashawen (Accawen meaning "horns" in Berber). Since then, the Rif has suffered numerous battles between Berber kingdoms, Spain and Portugal. In 1415, Portugal invaded Ceuta (Sebta), and in 1490 Spain invaded Melilla (Mlilt). There was a period of peace afterwards, but war between Spain and Morocco broke out again in 1859 in Tetouan, where Morocco was defeated. The Spanish-Moroccan conflicts continued in the 20th century, under the leadership of Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi, the Berber guerrilla leader. The Riffian Berbers struggled against Spanish rule and aimed to free the Rif from Spanish occupation. Abd el-Krim later established the Republic of the Rif in 1921. The region was returned to Morocco before the latter gained its independence in 1926.


Rif mountains in the province of Ashawen

According to C. Michael Hogan, there are between five and eight separate subpopulations of the endangered primate Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus.[2] The Rif mountains are also home to the honey bee Apis mellifera major.

The Rif region receives more rainfall than any other region in Morocco, with some portions receiving upwards of 2000mm of precipitation a year.[citation needed] The western and central portions are more rainy and are covered in forests of Atlas Cedar, Cork Oak and Holm Oak, as well as the only remaining forests of Moroccan Fir, a subspecies of the Spanish Fir.[citation needed] The eastern slopes receive less rainfall, and there forests consist mainly of pines, particularly the Aleppo Pine and the Maritime Pine, as well as Tetraclinis.[citation needed]

Massive deforestation due to overgrazing, forest fires, and forest clearing for agriculture, particularly for the creation of cannabis plantations, has taken place over the last century. This deforestation has led to soil degradation due to the washing away of topsoil, which has aggravated the process.

See also[edit]


Line notes[edit]

External links[edit]