Fez-Meknes 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 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 in the plains and a continental mountain climate in the highlands. It is home to the Ifrane National Park and Tazekka National Park.
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).
Following the 2021 regional elections, Abdelouahed El Ansari, a member of the Istiqlal Party, was elected president of the regional council.
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.
Government
Fez-Meknes is divided into 2 prefectures and 7 provinces:pncl.gov.ma Official Journal of the Kingdom of Morocco in March 2015 Administrative divisions Provinceor Prefecture Geographiccode ISO code HASC CodeHASC code for moroccan subdivisions Surfacewww.citypopulation.dekm2 Number of municipalitiesor arrondissement Number of rural communes Population 2024 Fez Prefecture MA-FES MA.FM.FS 311.5 6 3 1,256,172 Meknès Prefecture MA-MEK MA.FM.ME 1,787 6 15 942,945 Taounate Province MA-TAO MA.FM.TN 5,598 5 44 612,650 Taza Province MA-TAZ MA.FM.TZ 6,097 4 34 500,971 Sefrou Province MA-SEF MA.FM.SE 3,462 5 18 304,748 El Hajeb Province MA-HAJ MA.FM.EH 2,135 4 12 267,156 Moulay Yacoub Province MA-MOU MA.FM.ZM 1,480 1 10 216,954 Boulemane Province MA-BOM MA.FM.BO 14,234 4 17 205,411 Ifrane Province MA-IFR MA.FM.IF 3,777 2 8 160,904
Regional Leadership +Wali of Fez-Meknes since 2015NamePosition heldUnderSaid Zniber2015-2023King Mohammed VIMouadh El Jamai2023-2025Khalid Aït Taleb2025-present +Regional Council Presidents of Fez-Meknes since 2015NamePosition heldPartyUnderMohand Laenser2015-2021MPKing Mohammed VIAbdelouahed El Ansari2021-presentPI
Demographics The region's population is ethnically diverse, consisting of Arab and Berbers communities. Both Arabic and Berber languages are spoken. Approximately 62% of the population lives in urban areas. Climate and terrain The region's terrain is characterized by the diversity of its constituent natural features: the Saïss, the Pre-Rif hills to the north, the Middle Atlas ranges, and the high hills of the Missour area. This topographical variety results in contrasting climatic conditions across the different sectors.
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