.Disclosed is a process for the production of highly aromatic reformates, having a minimum of nonaromatic material, in high yield from a naphtha feed fraction by high-severity catalytic reforming, using a halogen-promoted reforming catalyst. The process comprises reforming the naphtha feed under reforming conditions of high severity in a plurality of sequentially arranged reaction zones in which the concentration of the halogen component of the reforming catalyst is adjusted to provide a minimal hydrocracking activity relative to the other reforming reactions to the catalyst in the first reaction zones, and an enhanced hydrocracking activity to the catalyst in the last reaction zones. The reformates produced according to this process are particularly useful in the blending of high aromatic content gasolines and/or in the production of high purity aromatic hydrocarbons.