Africa

Morocco

Marocco is a colorful mix of African, Islamic, Arab, Berber and European influences. Fes, Marrakesh and Meknes are famous imperial cities. Also famous are the walled Medinas with good carpet shops. Marocco has a very young population (50% under 20 years). The smoking of Kif (cannabis) is an ancient tradition in northern Morocco.

Morocco is a country with a very glorious past. It was conquered by the Arabs in 683 only after long, fierce resistence from the local Berber tribes. It became the heart of the immense Almoravid and Almohad empires, and the beauty of the great cities of Morocco are a witness to this....More Information on Morocco.

Full country name: ingdom of Morocco
National name: al-Mamlaka al-Maghrebia
Area: 172,413 sq mi (446,550 sq km)
Population: 31,167,783 (July 2002 est.)
Capital City:Rabat
Language: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
Religion: Muslim 99%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Government: constitutional monarchy
Head of State: Driss Jettou (2002)
Head of Government: King Mohammed VI

History of Morocco

Morocco’s strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area. Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, and Byzantine Greeks successively ruled the area. Arab forces began occupying Morocco in the seventh century A.D., bringing their civilization and Islam. The Alaouite dynasty, which has ruled Morocco since 1649, claims descent from the Prophet Muhammad.

Morocco’s location and resources led to early competition among European powers in Africa, beginning with successful Portuguese efforts to control the Atlantic coast in the 15th century. France showed a strong interest in Morocco as early as 1830...More on Morocco's History.

Overview of Morocco's Economy

GDP: $134.6 billion
GDP per capita: $4,200
Annual Growth: 4.4%
Inflation:2.1%.
Agriculture: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock.
Major Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism.
Major Trading Partners: France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia (2003)
Ports and harbors: Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla.
Member of EU: No

Also Read: A short note on Economy of Morocco

Political System of Morocco

- Government of Morocco
- Foreign relations of Morocco

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

The rugged mountain ranges and the Atlantic Ocean moderate the tropical heat of Morocco; the mean temperature is 16.4° to 23°C (62°F - 73°F) on the west coast and 10° to 27°C (50° - 81°F) in the interior., Temperature variations are small along the Atlantic coast, while the interior is characterised by extreme variations. The eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains, which divert the moisture-laden Atlantic winds, have a rigorous pre-Saharan climate, while the western slopes are relatively cool and well watered. The rainy seasons are from October to November and from April to May. Maximum annual rainfall (30 to 40 inches) occurs in the northwest.


Envoirnment: Spectacularly diverse, Morocco combines sand, sea and snow...more.

Culture: From the ’standard’ Arabic culture, Morocco has developed...more.

People of Morocco: Most Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed...more.


Facts for the Traveler

Visas: All visitors require a passport. Citizens of the UK, EU, US, Australia and New Zealand do not need visas. Three-month visitor’s stamps can be extended by Immigration or Bureau des Etrangers in most large towns.
Health risks: Malaria lurks in the northern coastal reaches of Morocco, but generally the country is one of Africa’s least daunting healthwise. Medical treatment, however, can be very expensive.
Time: GMT/UTC
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz (110V in some older places)
Weights & measures: Metric

Also Read: Money & Costs | Transport And Getting Around | Public holidays in Morocco | Events Of Morocco

When to Go

On the coast the weather is tourist-friendly pretty much all year round, although winter can bring cool and wet conditions in the north. In the lowlands, the cooler months from October to April are popular among visitors. This time of year is pleasantly warm to hot (around 30°C) during the day and cool to cold (around 15°C) at night. Winter in the higher regions demands some serious insulation. If you’re heading into the hills, the ski season usually lasts from December to March. For most trekking trips you should book in the high season (June 15 to September 15) or you may find areas full.

Also Read: Getting Around in Morocco | Getting There & Away

What to See in Morocco

Other Tourist Attractions in Morocco

more...

Morocco Sports

What to do in Morocco

There are loads of trekking possibilities in Morocco, one of the most popular being the two-day hike up Jebel Toubkal in the High Atlas mountains. Longer treks include the beautiful trail between Tacheddirt and Imlil, which takes you above the High Atlas snow line. While you’re up there, you could consider a spot of skiing. Oukaimeden, about 70km from Marrakesh, is a favourite ski station. Lower altitude outdoor fun includes white-water rafting around the High Atlas, and surf fishing in the south. The winds off the coast of Essaouira are good for surfing, and fantastic for windsurfing. In fact, this spot is often singled out as the place to windsurf.

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
Countries in Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
Religion in Africa Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations. It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa Colonial Africa Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands. Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia. The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]

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Africa Travel Guide