Regions of Morocco


Regions are currently the highest administrative divisions in Morocco. Since 2015, Morocco officially administers 12 regions, including one that lies completely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara and two that lie partially within it. The regions are subdivided into a total of 75 second-order administrative divisions, which are prefectures and provinces.
A region is governed by a directly elected regional council. The president of the council is responsible for carrying out the council's decisions. Prior to the 2011 constitutional reforms, this was the responsibility of the Wali, the representative of the central government appointed by the King, who now plays a supporting role in the administration of the region.

Regions since 2015

On 3 January 2010, the Moroccan government established the Consultative Commission for the Regionalization, which aimed to decentralize power to the regions, and confer a greater autonomy to the regions coinciding with the Western Sahara. The commission published provisional names and numbers for the new regions, and their names were officially fixed in the Bulletin Officiel dated 5 March 2015. The new regional councils elected their presidents on 14 September 2015 and regional governors were appointed on 13 October 2015.
Map
number
RegionCapital
1 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Tangier--
2 Oriental Oujda--
3 Fès-Meknès Fès--
4 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Rabat--
5 Béni Mellal-Khénifra Béni Mellal--
6 Casablanca-Settat Casablanca--
7 Marrakesh-Safi Marrakesh--
8 Drâa-Tafilalet Errachidia--
9 Souss-Massa Agadir--
10 Guelmim-Oued Noun Guelmim--
11 Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra Laâyoune--
12 Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab Dakhla--

A.Lies partially or completely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

1997 to 2010: Full unitary system

Between 1997 and 2010, Morocco had 16 regions.

Map
number
RegionCapital
1 Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira Dakhla--
2 Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra Laâyoune--
3 Guelmim-Es Semara Guelmim--
4 Souss-Massa-Drâa Agadir--
5 Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen Kénitra--
6 Chaouia-Ouardigha Settat--
7 Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz Marrakesh--
8 Oriental Oujda--
9 Grand Casablanca Casablanca--
10 Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer Rabat--
11 Doukkala-Abda Safi--
12 Tadla-Azilal Béni Mellal--
13 Meknès-Tafilalet Meknès--
14 Fès-Boulemane Fès--
15 Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Al Hoceima--
16 Tangier-Tetouan Tangier--

The entirety of Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira, the vast majority of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, and part of Guelmim-Es Semara were situated within the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The sovereignty of Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front which claims the territory as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Most of the region is administered by Morocco as its Southern Provinces. The Polisario Front, based in headquarters at Tindouf in south western Algeria, controls only those areas east of the Moroccan Wall.

Regions before 1997

Before 1997, Morocco was divided into 7 regions: Central, Eastern, North-Central, Northwestern, South-Central, Southern, Tansift.