Morocco, located in the northwest region of Africa, is considered the crossroad between Europe, the Arab world and Africa. Its population is 27 million, with 55% under the age of 25 years old. Morocco's industry is mainly in food (fresh fruits, dates, nuts, spices and canned fish), textile and leather.
Moroccan cooking is very popular in the Western world, especially Europe. It usually ranks in the top five of the most popular ethnic cuisines in countries such as France, Belgium, the U.K. and Germany. However, in the U.S., Moroccan cuisine is not yet familiar to many people. And, in large cities such as New York and Chicago, there are only a handful of Moroccan restaurants. A few prepared foods, such as sauces, condiments, herbs and spice mixes are sold in America, and they mostly are found in ethnic and specialty stores.