Fes-Meknes region is one of twelve new regions of Morocco instituted by the territorial division of 2015. It includes two prefectures (Fes and Meknes) and seven provinces (Sefrou, Boulemane Moulay Yacoub, Ifrane, El hajeb, Taza and Taounate ).

A. KEY INDICATORS

• Capital city of the region : Fes
• Total Area : 40.075 km²
• Number of prefectures : 02
• Number of provinces : 07
• Number of urban municipalities : 34
• Number of districts : 6
• Number of rural municipalities : 161
• Population :  4.236.892 inhabitants
• Urbanization rate : 60.52 %
• Density : 105.7 inhabitants / km²
• Regional GDP : 9,1 % 
• Sectoral GDP ranking of the region :
  • Primary Sector : 2nd nationally
  • Secondary Sector : 6th nationally
  • Tertiary Sector : 4th nationally

B. Climate :

• Fes-Meknes region is subjected to three types of climates:

• A continental climate in the north, very hot and dry in summer and cold and wet in winter. Winds are cold and dry or cold and wet in winter and hot in summer (Chergui).

• A cold and wet climate in mountainous areas, very cold and snowy in winter and temperate in summer.
• A semi-arid climate in the high hills of Boulemane. Winters are very cold and snowy.

• The table below shows the rainfall average recorded during the last two years.

Source : Regional Direction of Agriculture, 2016

A.    Distribution of population by prefecture and province :

      According to the General Census of Population and Housing of 2014, the population of Fes-Meknes counts 4,236,892 inhabitants. The distribution of population by prefecture and province shows the dominance of Fes-Meknes bi-pole which houses 47% of the population of the region :

B.     Population density and urbanization :

      Fes-Meknes region, which covers only 5.6% of the area of the Kingdom, houses 13% of the national population Which results in high regional density of 105.7 inhabitants per km2 against 47.6 nationally.

      The urban population has experienced an increase of 1.52% against a decrease in the rural population of -0.56%. The urbanization rate in the region reached 60.52% in 2014. More than two thirds of the urban population of the region is concentrated in two prefectures of Fes and Meknes. In addition, different provinces have divergent urbanization rates ranging from 0.14% in the province of Moulay Yacoub to 0.4% in the province of Taza. The urbanization of the area is thus characterized by a high concentration of economic activities of two imperial cities Fes and Meknes constituting an urban bi-pole in a network of small and medium towns.

C.    Distribution of population of the region by place of residence

A.    Higher education and professional training :

1. Higher education :

      Public higher education in the region consists of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University and the Quaraouiyine University in Fes, Moulay Ismail University and the National School of Agriculture in Meknes, covering nearly 143,945 students .

Number of students in public universities in the region:(2015)

Source : USMBA, UMI, ENA- 2016

Regarding permanent teaching staff at public universities in the region, it consists of 2,356 teachers researchers allocated as follows:

Number of teachers in public universities in the region: (2013)

Source : Ministry of higher Education, Scientific Research and Training, 2013

      The region has two private universities: Al Akhwayne university in Ifrane, the Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez and the Private University of Fez, and other specialized private institutions (see Annex 1)

2. Vocational training :

      Aware of the dual mission of Vocational training, consisting in one hand of the satisfaction of the companies needs to improve their performances and competitiveness, and in the other hand, the qualification and social promotion of the population, public authorities worked to develop Vocational training in Fez Meknes region , Following the example of other regions of the Kingdom.

      Ongoing efforts have allowed the establishment of a network of 262 public and private Vocational training institutions with a total capacity of 33,739 training places. 236 Specialties are offered, in which 176 through residential training, 60 through apprenticeship". and 64 through skills training, affect levels of training Certificate of Apprenticeship (Cap), Specialization (S) Qualification ( Q), Technician (T) and Specialized Technician (TS) and cover the needs of the economic fabric in terms of skilled workforce and middle managers.

      Administratively, the Department of Vocational Training has two Regional Delegation based in Fez and Meknes with jurisdiction for the following prefectures and provinces (Fes, Sefrou, Boulemane, Taza, Taounate, Meknes, El Hajeb, Ifrane) . The number of trainees in the institutions in Fez Meknes region in 2015-2016 is 47798. With 39527 beneficiaries, residential training is first, followed by skills training that benefits to 4872 person and to 3399 person in apprenticeship training. The sector of private vocational training had registered participants that reached 7652.

Health sector :

      The hospital network in the region consists of 21 hospitals, including 7 specialty hospitals offering a bed capacity of 4,241 beds. The distribution by prefecture and province is the following:

Source : Ministry of Health, Health card 2014

      Public and private medical supervision is ensured by 1.888 doctors 68.6% of them work in two prefectures of Fez and Meknes region as shown in the table below:

         Source : Ministry of Health, Health card 2014

      The road network of Fez-Meknes region has a total length of 7625 km whish is 18.5% of the national road network. National roads in the region extend over a length of 918 Km. Regional ones extends over 1695 km and the provincial network has a total length of 5012 km.
      The highway that crosses the region has improved in a considerable way the quality of road services in the region, ensuring in 2013 an average daily traffic of 12100 vehicles between Fez and Meknes.

      The rail network: the region is accessed by a railway with a length of 200 km allowing to reach the following destinations : Marrakech, Tanger and Oujda

      The region has an international airport "Fez Saiss" with an annual capacity of nearly 3 million passengers after the opening of Terminal 2 and it is directly connected to major international cities: Paris, Barcelona, ​​Düsseldorf, Eindhoven, Brussels , Amsterdam, Rome ...).
      Concerning industrial work spaces , the region has several industrial areas whith many installation options such as the Industrial area of  Miftah Alkheir in Ras Elma (province of Moulay Yacoub), the Agropolis in Meknes, the Industrial area of Aknoul road in the province of Taza,, Fez Shore platform, the future Industrial area of Ain Cheggag in the province of Sefrou, (see detail of each area on  prefectures and provinces report cards).
      The supply drinking water is provided primarily by a series of dams such as Bab Louta, Sahla and a set of water treatment plants, such as Oued Sebou Oued Innaouen and Oued Ouargha plants. The total production of drinking water in the region is estimated to 99.5 million m3 mainly produced by ONEP.(National office for drinking water). 
      As for the Electricity generation in the region, it reaches 2.5 billion kWh, mainly from the thermal station of Jerada and Elfouarat transformer station through Toulal located in Meknes. Hydraulic stations of Bab Jdid and Jenifour in fez to reinforce electricity production when the demand is high.