Journey Beyond Travel

Morocco: Fast Facts

Name: Kingdom of Morocco

Capital: Rabat

Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Ruler: King Mohammed VI

Geographic Location: Northwest Africa; borders Algeria & Mauritania

Geography: Mountains, Desert, Beaches, Forests, Oases, Gorges, Plains, Valleys

Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar

Population: 32 million Moroccans Abroad: 1.7 million

Area: 172,000 sq miles (about the size of California)

Languages: Arabic, Berber, French, Spanish

Ethnicity: Arab, Berber, Andalusian, Sub-Saharan African

Religion: Sunni Muslim (99%); Christian (0.8%); Jewish (0.2%)

Literacy Rate: 52% Unemployment Rate: 11%

Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD) Annual Per Capita GNP: $1400

Arable Land: 20%

Agriculture: Wheat, barley, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, olives; livestock

Natural Resources: Phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Industries: Textiles, tourism, food processing, phosphate, construction

# of tourists in 2006: 6 million

Largest Cities: Casablanca (3.3 million); Rabat (1.6 million)

Time Difference: GMT/UTC Telephone Country Code: 212

Climate: Coast: mild & humid; South + Inland: hot & dry; Mountains: cold & snowy

Average Winter Temp: 18°C/64°F Average Summer Temp: 33°C/91°F

Hottest City: Marrakesh Coldest City: Ifrane

Best Times to Visit: September through November; March through June

Worst Times to Visit: July, August; January & February in mountains;
Ramadan can be a difficult time to visit but is not necessarily the worst time--interesting time to see the culture in a religious context.

Places to see: Marrakesh, Fez, Meknes, Volubilis, Ifrane, Sahara Desert, Ziz Valley Oasis, Dades & Todra Gorges, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, High Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Agadir, Taroudant, Tafraoute, Laayoune, Safi, El Jadida, Casablanca, Rabat, Sale, Asilah, Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Saiidia

Things to Do: Mountain trek; Camel trek; Visit Imperial cities & historical sites; Shop; Take Arabic classes or Cooking lessons; Surf; Ski; Fish; Bird-watch.

Things to Shop for: Berber jewelry, hand-woven carpets, metal and woodcrafts, leather goods, pottery, spices, embroidered tablecloths, paintings, traditional clothing and footwear

Moroccan People: Social, friendly, hospitable, generous, easy-going, genuine

Touts on the street: Argumentative, aggressive, disagreeable, persistent

Things to Expect:
- Diverse landscapes & weather
- Good food
- Bargaining
- Beggars & Poverty
- Liberal Islamic nation
- Mosques closed to non-Muslims
- Men sitting in cafés
- Being offered hashish
- Shepherds in countryside
- Crowded streets, cities & medinas
- Squat toilets & no toilet paper in bathrooms
- Confrontational-sounding conversations
- No public displays of affection between men and women
- Eating with your right hand out of a communal meal platter

Disadvantages of Travel:
- Being hustled, hassled and harassed
- Unsanitary conditions
- Traveler's sickness
- Faulty roads & breakdowns
- Delays & tardiness
- Pushing & shoving
- Petty theft

Essential when traveling in Morocco:
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- Sunscreen or wide-brim hat
- Anti-diarrhea & upset stomach medicine
- Avoid raw foods & tap water
- Tissues or toilet paper
- Having an open mind
- Respecting the culture & customs