The city of Meknes is a Moroccan city and one of the historical capitals of Morocco. It is located in the north of the Kingdom of Morocco on the Sais Plateau, 140 km east of the capital, Rabat, and it is one of the poles of the Fez-Meknes region. Its population reached 517 thousand people, according to the 2014 census. Meknes extends over an area of 1,786 square kilometers, and is located between two mountain ranges: the Rif mountain range in the north, and the Middle Atlas in the south. The governorate of Meknes is divided into two prefectures, El Menzah prefecture and Ismailia prefecture, and includes 21 communities, including 15 village communities. The city of Meknes is located at the intersection of road and railway axes, linking Rabat, Kenitra and Oujda on the one hand, and Tangier and Marrakesh on the other hand, which has historically made it a region of transit and stability since ancient times. Which gave it strategic importance.