Location
& area
:
Morocco
is located at the northwest of Africa. It is bordered in the
north by the strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean sea;
to the south by Mauritania; to the east by Algeria and to
the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Morocco has a total surface
of 710, 850 square kilometers and a 3500 km coast.
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Main
rivers :
Draa
1200 km, Oum Rbia 600 km, Sebou 500 km, Moulouya 450 km, Tensift 270
km, Ziz 270 km, Bouregreg 250 km.
Main
chains :
High
Atlas with the Toubkal summit 4165m, Middle Atlas with 3326m Jbel
Bounaceur, Anti-Atlas with 2531m Jbel Aklim, and the Rif in the north
with its highest point 2465m Jbel Tidghine.
Le
Maroc offre une telle diversité géographique que l’on
peut quitter un matin les belles plages d’Agadir, se retrouver
l’après midi au pied des pistes de ski de l’Oukmaiden,
avant de redescendre savourer une douce soirée dans la palmeraie
de Marrakech. Vu
du ciel, le Maroc enchâssé entre la Méditerranée
et l’océan Atlantique déroule d’Est en Ouest
une longue bande montagneuse puis s’enfonce au Sud dans le sable
de Mauritanie. Les
paysages sont multiples et époustouflants : vertigineux sommets
enneigés du Haut Atlas, massifs escarpés et ravinés
du Rif, forêts touffues de chênes et thuya du Plateau
Central, plaines fertiles de la Meseta, terres arides des Hauts Plateaux,
steppes semi-désertiques et oasis luxuriantes de la cuvette
du Sous, dunes de sable du Sahara. C’est magique !
History
:
Different
civilizations have been in Morocco and have rendered of the Moroccan
population open and tolerant with a rich culture. The original people
of Morocco were Berbers. The country of Morocco was constantly invaded
during the early stages of the country's development. First it was
the Phoenicians in the twelfth century BC. The Phoenicians were then
taken over by the Carthaginians. Then in the 2nd century BC, the Romans
replaced the Carthaginians. Since 647, the Arab conquest started.
in 788, Idriss 1st founded the Idrisside Kingdom in Volubilis. Then
the Almoravides ruled the south. Almohades reached Spain and the Merinides
stayed in the high plateaux.
The
cultural rise, the religious tolerance, the Andalusian heritage, and
the prosperity of these dynasties generate the treasures, which make
the cultural, artistic and architectural richness of the country today.
From
the 16th century, the Arab empires, Saadiens then Alaouites, ensure
the unit and independence, except French protectorate (1912-1956)
His
Majesty King Mohammed VI rules Morocco.
It
is easy to communicate with people in Moroco
The
official language is Arabic. The Berber languages also cover parts
of the country but French is the dominant business language in central
and southern Morocco. Spanish is often spoken in the north. English
is fairly widely spoken.
Morocco
has distinct climate area
The
dominating weather in Morocco is Mediterranean, temperated in the
west and the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Inside the country, the
weather is more continental with significant differences of temperature.
The Atlas area is very humid, it snows frequently. The south has a
desert weather.
For
the weather forcast, visit this site : http://www.marocmeteo.ma/
Currency
:
The
Moroccan Dirham is a floting currency, subdivided into 100 centimes.
In various parts of Morocco you may hear prices quoted in francs,
pesetas, or rials, units of currency used during colonial periods.
Source
: onmt
