Content by: Lonely Planet
Morocco is the tantalising lower lip on the mouth of the
Mediterranean Sea, a Muslim land so rich in mystique it
seems to hover like a magic carpet somewhere between myth
and reality. Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh...just the
names of these cities and towns should stir a hint of
spice in the nostrils of the most geographically
challenged. Many Moroccan destinations have been
mythologised, and for good reason, but the more jaded
traveller may well moan about the extinction of the `real'
Morocco. Still others will extol the country's unique
living history, its shimmering light, its art. The truth
lies somewhere in between.
Morocco is the ideal starting point for the traveller
to Africa. An easy hop from Europe, it can be a friendly,
hectic and stimulating place to get around in. Open-air
markets throughout the country are piled high with rugs,
woodwork, and jewellery. The country's prime produce (if
you don't count the hashish) is leather - said to be the
softest in the world.
Spectacularly diverse, Morocco combines sand, sea and
snow in a way that Club Med developers could only dream
about. The southern coast stretches to the edge of the
Western Sahara while to the north the bulk of Morocco's
population fills the foothills of the often snow-capped
Atlas Mountains. The mountains provide a buffer against
the country's dangerously rowdy eastern neighbour,
Algeria.
Between the mountains and Morocco's Atlantic coast are
plateaus and plains which are fertile and well watered. In
the extreme south, at the edge of the Anti-Atlas, the
gorges which, like the rivers that flow at their bases,
gradually peter out into the endless sand and stony wastes
of the vast Sahara.
The `coolest of the hottest countries', Morocco's
colder months are most un-African. In the higher regions
in particular, winter conditions can be positively Arctic.
In summer, the mountains are hot during the day and cool
at night. The rainy season between November and April is
something of a misnomer, bringing only occasional light
rain.
Full country name: Kingdom of Morocco
Area: 447,000 sq km
Population: 29 million
Capital city: Rabat
People: 55% Arab, 44% Berber, 0.7% foreigners, 0.2%
Jews
Languages: Arabic (officially) with Berber
dialects, as well as French, Spanish and English.
Religion: Islam
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Head of State: King Hassan II
Economic Profile
GDP: US$87.5 billion
GDP per head: US$3,100
Inflation: 6%
Major industries: Agriculture, manufacturing,
fishing, tourism
Major trading partners: France, Spain, Italy, Iraq |
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