Overview of Morocco

Quick Overview of Morocco

Located in North Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean to the north, Morocco is separated from Spain and Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar. To the east, it shares borders with Algeria and Mauritania.

The country is divided into 16 administrative regions where mountains and plateaus coexist. These include the Rif range in the north (< 2,450 m), the Atlas Mountains (with Toubkal at 4,165 m) stretching from west to east, the Atlantic plains, and finally the desert valleys and plateaus of the south.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with Mohammed VI as the current sovereign. Nearly 99% of the population is Muslim, primarily Arab, with the remainder mostly Berber. Nearly half of Moroccans are under 25, and the vast majority live in the northern part of the country.

Morocco is traditionally an agricultural country, with about 45% of its workforce employed in this sector. However, the "ancestral" agriculture of the interior and mountains (cereals, livestock) contrasts with the more modern farming in the northern Atlantic plains (fruits, vegetables). Fishing and phosphates (in the south) are among the country’s other key resources, alongside tourism revenue and remittances from Moroccans abroad.

Western Sahara

In its southern region, Morocco borders Western Sahara. This vast desert area north of Mauritania was a Spanish colony until 1976. Since Spain’s departure, Western Sahara has been a recurring conflict zone between the Sahrawi independence movement, the Polisario Front (supported by Algeria), and the Moroccan government.

Currently, 80% of Western Sahara is controlled and administered by Morocco, while 20% is held by the Polisario Front. The two sides are separated by a fortified wall (the "Sand Wall") surrounded in places by minefields.

Key Facts

• Type of place: country.

• Location: Morocco (including Western Sahara) is located in the western Maghreb, on the Atlantic coast.

• Latitude/longitude: 32°00' N, 5°00' W.

• Local time: Heure : 66.

• Capital: Rabat.

• Nature of the state: constitutional monarchy.

• Official language: Arabic and Tamazight (Berber language).

• Currency: Dirham.

• Population: 34,314,130 inhabitants, with 555,000 in Western Sahara (2018).

• Area: 446,450 km², with 266,000 km² for Western Sahara.

• Density: 77 inhabitants/km² (Morocco) and 2 inhabitants/km² (Western Sahara).

• Highest point: Toubkal (4,165 m).

• Lowest point: Sebkha Tah (-55 m).

• Coastline: 1,835 km, with 1,100 km for Western Sahara.

• Driving: on the right.

Tourism

Morocco has long been a major tourist destination, offering great diversity and maintaining steady visitor numbers despite occasional regional or local disruptions. In 2018, the country welcomed 12.289 million visitors.

Most tourists come from France, Spain, England, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Their motivations range from cultural affinity to relaxation, nature exploration, or adventure in the Far South. While Marrakech remains the driving force behind Moroccan tourism, Fez, Agadir, Ouarzazate, and Casablanca are also highly visited cities, along with their surrounding areas.

July and August are peak tourist months along the coast (but not inland), as is the April–May period. Late spring and early autumn are the best times to visit, if only to avoid the summer heat inland.

Travel Essentials

• Destination: for beginner travellers.

• By air: France–Marrakech for 150/400 €.

• Entry requirements: Passport.

• Currency to bring: Euros.

• Exchange rate:

• Backpacker daily budget: 25 to 40 € per person.

• Accommodation: small hotels.

• Getting around: car, bus, and occasionally train.

• Risks: relatively low health risks and fairly low security risks.

• Best time for climate/crowds/prices: March to May and October–November for the interior; May–June and September–October for the coast.

• Interests (out of ★★★★): Nature ★★★★; Adventure ★★★; Culture ★★★; Relaxation ★★★

Addresses in France

• Tourist Office: 161 rue de St Honoré, 75001 Paris. Tel.: 01 42 60 47 24.

• Arab World Institute: 1 rue des Fossés St Bernard, 75005 Paris. Tel.: 01 40 51 38 38.

• Royal Air Maroc: 38 av. de l'Opéra, 75002 Paris. Tel.: 0 820 821 821.

Addresses in Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec

• Tourist Office: 402 av. Louise, 1050 Brussels. Tel.: 02 646 63 20.

• Tourist Office: 1800 av. Mc Gill College, Montreal. Tel.: 514 842 81 11.

• Tourist Office: Schifflande 5, 8001 Zurich. Tel.: 44 252 77 52.

Socio-Economic Statistics

• "Quality of life": 123/188 (2018 ranking)

• GDP per capita: $8,600 (and $3,000 in Western Sahara) (2017)

• Average monthly income: $250 (2012)

• Inflation: +0.8% (2017)

• "Official" unemployment: 10.2% of the population (2017)

• Population below the poverty line: 15% (2011)

• Life expectancy: 77.3 years (and 63 years in Western Sahara) (2018)

• Migration rate per 1,000 inhabitants: -3.2 (2017)

• Population growth: +0.95% (and +2.76% in Western Sahara) (2018)

• Literacy rate: 68.5% (2015)

• Urban population: 62.5% (2018)

• Press freedom: 135/180 (2018 ranking)

• Political regime: hybrid regime (100/167 in 2018)

Sources: World Bank, Human Development Indicators, RSF, The Economist, The World Factbook