Fez-Meknes
Region of Morocco
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fez-Meknes[a] is one of the twelve administrative regions of Morocco. Located in the north-central part of the country, it is known for its cultural and historical heritage, spiritual importance, and growing modern economy. The regional capital is Fez. Its current president is Abdelouhed El Ansari, and its current wali (governor) is Khalid Aït Taleb.
Fez-Meknes
| |
|---|---|
|
Seal | |
 Location in Morocco | |
| Coordinates: 34°02′N 5°0′W | |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Capital | Fez |
| Government | |
| • Wali | Khalid Aït Taleb |
| • President | Abdelouhed El Ansari (PI) |
| Area | |
• Total | 38,881.5 km2 (15,012.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2024 census)[1] | |
• Total | 4,467,911 |
| • Density | 114.911/km2 (297.618/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| ISO 3166 code | MA-03 |
Fez-Meknes lies between the Rif Mountains in the north and the Middle Atlas Mountains in the south. The landscape includes fertile plains, forests, and mountain ranges. Major rivers include the Sebou, Inaouen, and Ouergha.
The region experiences a Mediterranean climate [3] in the plains and a continental mountain climate in the highlands. It is home to the Ifrane National Park and Tazekka National Park.[4]
Demographics
The region's population is ethnically diverse, consisting of Arab and Berbers communities. Both Arabic and Berber languages are spoken.[5] Approximately 62% of the population lives in urban areas.
History
Fez-Meknes was formed in September 2015 by merging Fès-Boulemane with the prefecture of Meknès and the provinces of El Hajeb and Ifrane (in Meknès-Tafilalet region) and the provinces of Taounate and Taza (in Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate region).[6]
Following the 2021 regional elections, Abdelouahed El Ansari, a member of the Istiqlal Party, was elected president of the regional council.[7]
On 19 October 2025, Khalid Aït Taleb was appointed Wali of the Fès-Meknès region and Governor of the Fès prefecture by King Mohammed VI, during a Council of Ministers meeting in Rabat.[8][9]
Administrative divisions
Fez-Meknes is divided into 2 prefectures and 7 provinces:[6][10]
| Province or Prefecture | Administrative type | Geographical code | ISO code | HASC Code[11] | Surface[12]km2 | Number of municipalities or arrondissement | Number of rural communes | Population 2014 | Gov. party sept 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fez Prefecture | Prefecture | 03.231. | MA-FES | MA.FM.FS | 311.5 | 6 | 3 | 1.150.131 | PJD |
| Meknès Prefecture | Prefecture | 03.061. | MA-MEK | MA.FM.ME | 1,787 | 6 | 15 | 835.695 | PJD |
| El Hajeb Province | Province | 03.171. | MA-HAJ | MA.FM.EH | 2,135 | 4 | 12 | 247.016 | PI |
| Ifrane Province | Province | 03.271. | MA-IFR | MA.FM.IF | 3,777 | 2 | 8 | 155.221 | MP |
| Sefrou Province | Province | 03.451. | MA-SEF | MA.FM.SE | 3,462 | 5 | 18 | 286.489 | MP |
| Moulay Yacoub Province | Province | 03.591. | MA-MOU | MA.FM.ZM | 1,480 | 1 | 10 | 174.079 | PAM |
| Boulemane Province | Province | 03.131. | MA-BOM | MA.FM.BO | 14,234 | 4 | 17 | 197.596 | MP |
| Taza Province | Province | 03.561. | MA-TAZ | MA.FM.TZ | 6,097 | 4 | 34 | 528.419 | PAM Canceled[13] |
| Taounate Province | Province | 03.531. | MA-TAO | MA.FM.TN | 5,598 | 5 | 44 | 662.246 | RNI |