Morocco is located at the northwest of Africa. It is bordered in the north by the strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean sea; to the south by Mauritania; to the east by Algeria and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Moroccan coast extends over 3,500 km.

Arab migration into the region started in the 7^th century A.D and the flow continued between the 1^st and 10^th century A.H (corresponding to the 7^th and 17^th century A.D), in addition to the Arabs of Andalusia who continued to arrive to the country until the end of the 10^th century A.H (17^th century A.D). Throughout the years, Arab and Amazigh groups have been extensively miscegenating through marriage to the extent that only a small minority of Moroccans is not racially mixed.

The kingdom is composed of sixteen regions, the most important of which is the region of Casablanca. With a population of more than 3.6 millions inhabitants of whom only less than 150.000 are rurals, the region of Great Casablanca gathers 8 prefectures (Casablanca-Anfa, Aïn Sebaa-Hay Mohammadi, Aïn Chok-Hay Hassani, Ben Msik-Sidi Othmane, Al Fida-Derb Soltane-Al Mechouar of Casablanca, Sidi Bernoussi-Zenata and Mohammedia).

Man was already roaming along the Atlantic shoreline, as far back as 800,000 BC, as is evidenced by artefacts unearthed in Casablanca – the most ancient finds ever discovered in North Africa. Towards 5000 BC, settlers from the Near East co-existed and intermixed with the indigenous inhabitants of Morocco. These newcomers were the ancestors of the Berbers, their numbers further increased through Mediterranean relations.

In the 1^st quarter of 2005, the primary economy would suffer a 4,2 % loss due to rain shortage and anticipations of a decline in the next cereal harvest. A decrease of the annual GDP growth rate, estimated at 2,6 %, is also expected. On the other hand, non-agricultural sectors would progress by 3 %, resulting in a 1,9 % raise of  the GDP global growth.