الرئيسية
WELCOME TO
Morocco
Morocco,
officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in North Africa with a
population of 33,241,259. It has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past
the Strait of Gibraltar into the
Mediterranean Sea. Morocco has international borders with Algeria to the east,
Spain to the north (a water border through the Strait and land borders with two
small Spanish autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla), and Mauritania to the
south.
Morocco is the only
African country that is not currently a member of the African Union. However, it
is a member of the Arab League, Arab Maghreb Union, the Francophonie,
Organization of the Islamic Conference, Mediterranean Dialogue group, and Group
of 77, and is a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
The full Arabic
name of Morocco is Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiya translates to The
Western Kingdom. Al Maghrib (meaning "The West") is commonly used. For
historical references, historians used to refer to Morocco as Al Maghrib
al Aqsá ("The Farthest West"), disambiguating it from the historical
region called the Maghreb. The name "Morocco" in many other languages originates
from the name of the former capital, Marrakech
History
Morocco's history
began with the Berbers, the aboriginal people who have inhabited the country
since the end of the 2nd millennium BC Rome extended its rule over the area
after defeating Carthage in 146 BC, and testimony to its presence still exists
in the fine Roman ruins at Volubilis. As Rome fell into decline Morocco was
invaded first by the Vandals and then, in the 7th century, by the Arabs.
Although external Arab rule lasted little more than a century, the arrival of
Islam proved to be a permanent addition to Moroccan culture. In the ensuing
centuries a series of ruling dynasties came to power, including the Idrissids,
the Almoravids, and the Almohads, but none seemed capable of long maintaining
the critical support of the Berber leaders.
By the 15th century
Spain and Portugal began to intrude into Morocco, after having expelled the
Moors from their own lands. Although Morocco successfully repulsed these
invasions, the tide of European
imperialism eventually proved too great. By the middle of the 19th century
Morocco's strategic importance had become evident to all of the European powers,
and they engaged in a protracted struggle for possession of the country.
Finally, in 1911, France was formally acknowledged as protector of the greater
part of the country, with Spain receiving a number of isolated locales. French
rule came to an end in 1953, although its cultural influence on Morocco remains
strongly in evidence. Today the country is ruled by King Mohammed VI. He appears
to be leading Morocco toward both long-term stability and a greater degree of
economic prosperity.
Language
Arabic is Morocco's
official language, spoken by about three-quarters of the population. The various
Berber dialects are still spoken in rural areas but with less frequency. French
is also a common second language among the urban educated classes. Spanish is
spoken as a second language by many residents in northern cities like Tangier,
Tetuan and Larache. The Berber languages, which was once dominant throughout
Morocco, have declined in importance, and in the early 1990's about 25 percent
of the people used Berber as their first language. Many of those people also
spoke Arabic- the country's official language- which is the primary language of
some 75 % of the population. Many Moroccans also use French and Spanish.
Local Time in Morocco
Greenwich Mean Time. Remains constant all year
Capital City of Morocco
Governmental capital is Rabat. Casablanca is the commercial &
industrial capital.
Population of Morocco
About 29,000,000 (+2% per annum).
Language in Morocco
Moroccans generally speak their own dialect of Arabic. French is
used mainly in the south of Morocco, whilst in the north Spanish
and French are commonly used. English is slowly being learnt by
most of the population but it is handy to know a few key phrases
in Arabic, French and Spanish.
Morocco Religion
For the most part, the population is Muslim. There is, however,
a considerable amount of Jewish people. In the north and south
of Morocco the French and Spanish speaking population is
generally Catholic.
Morocco Currency
The Dirham (DH) = 100 centimes. The importing of Dirhams is not
allowed; thus changing of monies needs to take place once you're
in Morocco. The following monies are currently in circulation:
Notes: DH 10, 20, 50, 100 & 200.
Coins: DH 1, 5 & 10/5, 10, 20 & 50 centimes
Weights & Measures System in Morocco
Metric
The climate of Morocco
Generally the climate in Morocco remains
quite dry for most of the year. You can expect a little bit of
rain between November and March.
The Moroccan climate also varies
greatly depending on where you are. The temperature is
incredibly high in the southern and south eastern desert areas.
On the other hand, the temperature drops considerably in the
higher lying mountainous areas, even getting to freezing point
at night.
If you're planning a visit to Morocco,
we suggest that you try and time your stay during the early
summer months. You'll be guaranteed warm days and cool nights
and will more than likely experience no rain.
Weather in Morocco
As far as the weather goes, it will be
better to visit the south and the desert routes outside
midsummer when, for the most of the day, it's far too hot for
casual exploration - especially if you're dependant on public
transport.
But July and August, the hottest months,
can be wonderful on the coast. The mountains have a higher
elevation and so there are no set rules regarding temperature. Spring, which comes late by European
standards (around April to May), is perhaps the best overall
time to visit. During this time Morocco experiences a warm
summer climate in the south and in the mountains as well as on
the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Winter can be perfect by
day in the south, though be warned that the nights are extremely
cold.
