Morocco – country information

Country name	Morocco
Official name	Kingdom of Morocco
Capital	Rebate
Continent	Africa
Area	446,550 km2
Population	33,202,300 (2014)
Foundation of a state	2/3/1956
The highest mountains	Jabal Tubkal 4165 m
Longest rivers	Mulúja 515 km
State system	pluralistic constitutional monarchy with a unicameral parliament
The biggest cities	Casablanca 3,200,000, Rabat-Salé (capital) 1,450,000, Fás (Fes) 1,100,000
Official language	Arabic
Ethnicity/National Composition	Arab-Berbers 99.5%, others 0.5%
Religious affiliation	Sunni Muslims 98.7%, Christians 1.1%, others 0.2%
Currency	1 Moroccan Dirham (MAD) = 100 Moroccan Francs
gross domestic product (GDP)	US$5,193 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population	70.94 years (2006)
Structure of GDP	agriculture and fishing 17.5%, mining 3%, industry 23.5%, construction 5.5%, services 50.5%

Morocco – neighboring countries

State	Capital	Area	Population
Algeria	Algiers	2,381,740 km2	38,700,000
Mauritania	Nouakchott	1,025,520 km2	3,461,041
Spain	Madrid	505,992 km2	46,609,700
Western Sahara	Laayoune	266,000 km2	567,000

Country overview

According to Abbreviationfinder, located in northwest Africa, Morocco is one of the last remaining kingdoms in the Arab world. Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) is now under Moroccan control, although its status remains disputed.

Country data

Location: North Africa

Time zone: CET -1

Total area: 446,550 km²

Land area: 446,300 km²

Water area: 250 km²

Length of the state border: 2,020 km

Bordering countries are accounted for:
Algeria: 1,559 km
Spain: 20 km
Western Sahara: 443 km

Coastline: 1,835 km

Capital: Rabat

Provinces: 15
Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Telephone code: 00 212 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Population

Population: approx. 33 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 1% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 74

Life expectancy: 73 (male), 80 (female)

Official language: Arabic, Tamazight

Religions:

• 99% Muslim
• 1% other

Climate

Near the coast there is a subtropical climate all year round. Temperatures are 24 ° C in summer and 15 ° C in winter (often rainy).

The climate in the interior and in the higher regions is drier and much warmer (summer: 35 ° C)

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Dirham (MAD)

Classification: 1 dirham = 100 centimes

ATMs: Available in the major cities.

International credit cards: These are accepted in many tourist areas.

Regulations: The import and export of the local currency is not permitted. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. However, a declaration is required from an equivalent value of 15,000 dirhams. Export is permitted up to the amount of the declared import.

For security reasons, money should only be exchanged in banks or official exchange offices!

The exchange of the local currency can often only be done with them.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 400 g tobacco
• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
• small amounts of perfume

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

If you have a large amount of camping equipment with you, you must keep a list (duplicate) with you listing all items. This will be noted on entry to ensure re-export.

Radios may only be imported with a Moroccan permit!

Travel advice

Although Morocco is considered a safe travel destination, we warn against visiting the regions on the border with Algeria, Mauritania and Western Sahara (risk zone). Often there are also unmarked minefields here.

Behavioral advice

Do not drink tap water as it often contains a lot of chlorine.

Economy

Most of the population works in agriculture. The main crops here are: dates, cereals, potatoes, melons, olives, grapes and sugar cane.

Many small farms are dedicated to cattle breeding.

In addition to the rich phosphate deposits, various other mineral resources are mined in the mining industry.

Since Morocco is one of the leading producers of phosphate rocks, this makes up a significant proportion of the export volume.

Industries: mining, food production, leather processing, phosphate mining, textiles, tourism

Natural resources: lead, iron ores, natural gas, petroleum, fish, gold, coal, copper, manganese, nickel, phosphates, salt, zinc

Land use:

• Usable land: 21%
• Grain cultivation: 1%
• Pasture area: 47%
• Forests: 20%
• other: 11%

Plants

While the lowlands consist mainly of bush and grasslands that become less and less towards the south, there are large areas of forest in the higher regions.

These often consist of pine, cork oak, fir and cedar.

Animals

Both African and European animal species are native to Morocco. These include foxes, gazelles, baboons, panthers, wild boars and a variety of different small animals.