View source for Tan-Tan

{{For|the drum|Tan-tan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| name = Tan-Tan
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| native_name = {{lang|shi|ⵜⴰⵏ-ⵜⴰⵏ}}<!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
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| image_skyline = Tan tan.jpg
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| image_caption = Two [[camel]] statues mark the entrance to Tan-Tan, 2009
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| pushpin_map           = Morocco#Africa
| pushpin_relief        = 1
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| pushpin_map_caption =Location in Morocco
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Morocco}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Morocco|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Guelmim-Oued Noun]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Provinces of Morocco|Province]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Tan-Tan Province|Tan-Tan]]
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| population_as_of = 2014
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| population_total = 73,209
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| timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| coordinates = {{coord|28|26|N|11|06|W|region:MA|display=inline}}
| elevation_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> </ref> tags -->
| elevation_m = 51
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'''Tan-Tan''' ({{langx|ar|طانطان|Ṭānṭān}}) is a city in [[Tan-Tan Province]] in the region of [[Guelmim-Oued Noun]] in southwestern [[Morocco]]. It is a [[desert]] town with a population (2014 census) of 73,209.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rgph2014.hcp.ma/downloads/Publications-RGPH-2014_t18649.html|title=Publications RGPH 2014 {{!}} Téléchargements {{!}} rgph2014|website=www.rgph2014.hcp.ma|access-date=1 April 2016}}</ref> It is the largest city in the province and second largest city in the region after the capital [[Guelmim]].<ref name="Hcp.ma">{{cite web|url=http://www.hcp.ma/Recensement-general-de-la-population-et-de-l-habitat-2004_a633.html |title=Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2004 |publisher=Hcp.ma |access-date=15 October 2013}}</ref> It is located on the banks of the [[wadi]] Oued Ben Khelil, which flows into the [[Draa River]] {{convert|15|km}} north of the town. The Draa River at {{convert|1,100|km|0}} is the longest in Morocco and flows into the [[Atlantic Ocean]] soon after the confluence with the wadi. The town also has an airport, [[Tan Tan Airport|Tan Tan Plage Blanche Airport]].

== Etymology ==
The popular origin of the name is an example of [[onomatopoeia]]. The name comes from the well called ''Ḥāṣī Ṭānṭān'' literally "well of Tan-Tan", which representatives of most [[Sahrawis|Sahrawi]] tribes like the [[Reguibat]], [[Laaroussien]] and the Ait Lahcin of the [[Tekna]] would camp around. The well is called this because when buckets were lowered into the water into it would make the sound ''ṭān-ṬĀN'' when they hit it.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hart |first=David M. |author-link=David Montgomery Hart |date=1962 |title=The Social Structure of the Rgībāt Bedouins of the Western Sahara |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4323527 |journal=Middle East Journal |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=515 |issn=0026-3141}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Муссем (фольклорный фестиваль) в Тан-Тане (Марокко).jpg|thumb|left|240px|Sahrawi tribal men performing fantasia at the Tan-Tan (Moussem) Festival in Tan-Tan, Morocco]]
The [[quartz]] figurine [[Venus of Tan-Tan]] was found in a river terrace deposit on the north bank of the [[Draa River]]. Dated between 200,000 and 500,000 BCE, it is considered one of the oldest human-form sculptures in the world, although its formation may actually be natural.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.donsmaps.com/tantanvenus.html |title=The Tan-Tan Venus |publisher=Donsmaps.com |access-date=15 October 2013}}</ref>

==Port==
The nearby port, known as Tan-Tan Plage in [[French language|French]]; Port of Tan-Tan in [[English language|English]]; and El Ouatia, al-Watiyah or الوطية in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] is about {{convert|25|km}} west of Tan-Tan on the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. With a population in 2004 of 6,294<ref name="Hcp.ma"/> it is the second-largest settlement in the province and ninth-largest in the region. Both Tan-Tan and Tan-Tan Plage are on Morocco's main highway, the N1.

==Climate==
Tan-Tan has a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh''). While usually strongly moderated by the cold offshore [[Canary Current]], occasional easterly winds from the [[Sahara Desert]] interior bring exceptionally hot temperatures to the maritime areas of southern Morocco. These winds being frequent in autumn and [[seasonal lag]] from warming sea temperatures cause October afternoons to average warmer than the July counterparts. The varying timing of the hot inland winds causes a vast difference between the individual monthly mean maxima and the many months in which brief temperatures above {{convert|40|C|F}} may occur. Even the coldest winter nights remain well above freezing due to the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] influence.

{{Weather box
|location = Tan-Tan (1991–2020)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 30.4
|Feb record high C = 36.6
|Mar record high C = 38.5
|Apr record high C = 40.7
|May record high C = 44.0
|Jun record high C = 45.0
|Jul record high C = 47.6
|Aug record high C = 48.2
|Sep record high C = 42.8
|Oct record high C = 40.6
|Nov record high C = 36.1
|Dec record high C = 30.4
|year record high C = 48.2
|Jan high C = 20.7
|Feb high C = 21.4
|Mar high C = 23.1
|Apr high C = 22.5
|May high C = 23.3
|Jun high C = 24.2
|Jul high C = 25.6
|Aug high C = 26.9
|Sep high C = 26.6
|Oct high C = 26.5
|Nov high C = 24.1
|Dec high C = 21.7
|year high C = 23.9
|Jan mean C = 16.2
|Feb mean C = 17.0
|Mar mean C = 18.4
|Apr mean C = 18.5
|May mean C = 19.5
|Jun mean C = 20.8
|Jul mean C = 22.1
|Aug mean C = 23.1
|Sep mean C = 22.6
|Oct mean C = 22.0
|Nov mean C = 19.5
|Dec mean C = 17.4
|year mean C = 19.8
|Jan low C = 11.7
|Feb low C = 12.5
|Mar low C = 13.7
|Apr low C = 14.5
|May low C = 15.6
|Jun low C = 17.3
|Jul low C = 18.5
|Aug low C = 19.2
|Sep low C = 18.5
|Oct low C = 17.5
|Nov low C = 15.0
|Dec low C = 12.9
|year low C = 15.6
|Jan record low C = 4.9
|Feb record low C = 6.0
|Mar record low C = 7.7
|Apr record low C = 8.7
|May record low C = 11.4
|Jun record low C = 12.5
|Jul record low C = 15.5
|Aug record low C = 15.8
|Sep record low C = 14.5
|Oct record low C = 10.6
|Nov record low C = 7.7
|Dec record low C = 7.5
|year record low C = 4.9
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 14.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 17.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 13.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 3.8
|May precipitation mm = 3.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 1.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 5.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 2.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 11.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 13.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 14.1
|year precipitation mm = 100.6
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 2.9
|Feb precipitation days = 2.5
|Mar precipitation days = 2.4
|Apr precipitation days = 1.0
|May precipitation days = 0.6
|Jun precipitation days = 0.4
|Jul precipitation days = 0.1
|Aug precipitation days = 0.5
|Sep precipitation days = 0.4
|Oct precipitation days = 1.7
|Nov precipitation days = 2.4
|Dec precipitation days = 2.9
|year precipitation days = 17.8
|source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]],<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910044137/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Morocco/CSV/TANTAN_60285.csv
| archive-date = 10 September 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Morocco/CSV/TANTAN_60285.csv
| title = Tan-Tan Climate Normals 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 10 September 2023}}</ref> (February record high)<ref name="wmo">{{cite web |url= https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1757832752391729260?t=ORjl4wG7QWMvdq1jNNSa1A&s=19 |title= Asia: Highest Temperature |publisher= [[Ogimet]] |access-date=19 June 2010 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100616051245/https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1757832752391729260?t=ORjl4wG7QWMvdq1jNNSa1A&s=19 |archive-date=16 June 2010 |df= mdy-all }}</ref>
}}

== See also ==
* [[Tan-Tan Moussem]]
* {{annotated link|Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://lexicorient.com/morocco/tan_tan.htm Entry in Lexicorient]

{{Guelmim-Oued Noun}}
{{Tan-Tan Province}}

{{Coord|28|26|N|11|06|W|region:MA_type:city|display=title}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Tan-Tan Province]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Morocco]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in Morocco]]