KINGDOM of MOROCCO
Location: North Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Capital: Rabat
Area: 710,850 sq km
Coastline: 1,835km
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jebal Toubkal 4,165 m
Official language: Arabic
Population: 29,891,708
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6%
15-64 years: 62.5%
65 years and over: 4.9%
Currency: Dirham
Member: Arab League
Morocco is situated in the northwestern corner of Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, Algeria on the east and south and Mauritania on the south. It has an area of 710,850sq km and, based on the 2004 statistics, has a population of 29,891,708 . Its capital is Rabat. Other cities are Meknes, Fez, Tangier, Marrakech, and Casablanca.
Morocco is a mountainous country, divided into three natural regions: the fertile northern coastal plain where the Rif mountains lie; the rich plateau between the Atlas mountains which lie in three parallel ranges from the Atlantic in the southwest to the Mediterranean in the north. The highest peak is Jebal Toubkal at 3757m in the Atlas Mountains. The semiarid area in the south which merges into the Sahara desert is contested by Morocco and the Polisario of Western Sahara. Morocco has an extensive river system; the principal rivers that flow to the Atlantic are Oumerabi, Sebou, Tenseeft, Draa’. The Ziz and Gheris flow southwest to the Sahara.
The climate is hot and dry in the east and south, temperate and rainy along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. The sea and mountains maintain a pleasant climate with mild winters.
The Arab Muslims came to Morocco in 638AD led by Aqba bin Nafi’. The country was ruled by the Arab Idrissids under whom Morocco became a center of learning, then a series of Berber dynasties: Almoravids (al Murabitoun), Almohads (al Muwahhidoun), Marinids, Sa’dids, till the Alawis gained control in 1966. Occupied by France in 1901, Morocco gained independence in 1955, and took the Western Sahara from Spain in 1976.
Agriculture is aided by the abundant rainfall. There are small, traditional, farms specialized in growing barley and wheat; and large scale agriculture for export: citrus and winter vegetables. The main crops are: wheat, grains, corn, rice, sugarcane, beets, grapes, dates, citrus, cotton and olives, livestock (goats and sheep). The fishing industry is an important contributor to the economy.
Morocco is the world’s largest exporter of phosphates; other natural resources are coal, lead, iron ore, silver, and copper.
Leading exports are phosphates, citrus; fish (sardines) edible oils and dates.
Morocco’s main industries are: phosphate mining, fertilizers, textiles, woven carpets, petroleum refining, cement, sugar and fruit juice.
Cities: Marrakesh, Meknes, Fez, Rabat, Casablanca, Seuta, Agadir, Tangier
Nature reserves: Argan Biosphere Reserve
Morocco’s Constitution, Universities, Tourism
