Profile of Morocco

•  Geography of Morocco

•  Climate of Morocco

•  Economy

•  Art & Culture

•  Tourism

•  Media

•  Sport

•  Morocco in Figures

Geography of Morocco

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 . The Moroccan coast extends over 3,500 km.

Area: 710, 850 square kilometers. Weather: The dominating weather in is Mediterranean , temperate 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 desert weather.

Climate of Morocco  www.meteomaroc.com

Morocco has a subtropical climate, tempered by oceanic influences that give the coastal cities moderate temperatures. Toward the interior, winters are colder and summers warmer. At high altitudes temperatures of less than -17.8° C (0° F) are not uncommon, and mountain peaks are covered with snow during most of the year.

Rain falls mainly during the winter months. Precipitation is heaviest in the northwest and lightest in the east and south.

Economy   www.finances.gov.ma

Morocco is located at the crossroads of major trade currents and is close to European major markets. This situation gives Morocco a privileged place both on the financial and commercial levels. Morocco is a market largely open onto the external world and a traditionally liberal one. Foreign trade accounts for 35% of its G.D.P. and several important international groups have been active in Morocco for several years.

Art & Culture  www.minculture.gov.ma

"Morocco is a tree, the roots of which are planted firmly in Africa but has its branches in Europe"."...Quotation of late his Majesty Hassan II. In his book "Le Défi" (The Challenge).

The richness of the Moroccan culture comes from the various civilizations that Morocco encountered trough different eras in its history. From the Byzantine civilization to the Roman influence to the Arab civilization, then the Spanish and French colonization, Morocco is now a panorama of genuine values of multiculturalism and gets its unity in its diversity. That is how the Moroccan identity is preserved.

Morocco’s rich architectural heritage is evident in its mosques and madressahs. The mosques’ interiors are usually adorned with paved courtyards, fountains and elaborate mosaics. Delicate traceries surround doors and windows and embellish screens. The Al-Qarawiyin mosque in Fez is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. Moroccans are known for their handmade rugs (kilims). The rugs are made from wool or silk. Certain colours and designs are associated with particular regions. A good Moroccan carpet contains up to 480,000 knots per square metre and can take up to nine months to make.

There are many cultural influences coming from the French dominated colonial era, with which the way the democratic institutions are set up and operate even today. The artistic and the architectural influences are more widely related to the Spanish culture. The beautiful gardens with greenery, fountains and running water are most obviously influenced from the Andalusian Gardens. It is most probably a two-way influence ; first, from the Islamic background into Spain, and then from Spain back to the Islamic North African countries

Tourism   www.tourisme.gov.ma

Morocco’s location on the edge of the Sahara together with its historic trade links with the great ports of Europe has shaped its rich cultural traditions. The incomparable blend of mosques and minarets, spices and scents and great Imperial cities are a constant source of inspiration while our trek in the High Atlas provides a further compelling dimension to our journey. Our travels from Casablanca to Fes and Marrakesh provide a fascinating introduction to the souqs (the teeming markets) ; the medinas (the complex of palaces, mosques and minarets) and riads (the traditional houses where we sample spicy cuisine and unequalled hospitality) while in the ancient trading port of Essaouira we wander the narrow lanes that could be anywhere in southern Europe. The highlight of our journey is our trek in the Atlas Mountains. We follow trails through traditional Berber villages to alpine pastures where the summits of the High Atlas stretch before us. We also offer a non-technical ascent of Jebal Toubkal (4167m), the highest mountain in Morocco.

Media    www.mincom.gov.ma    www.haca.ma

The Moroccan media landscape manifests a true dynamism in both the printed press and audiovisual media.

During the last years, there has been a substantial development of the printed press.

This development is bound to be reinforced thanks to the generalization of state aid to all national newspapers which abide by the criteria spelled out in the contract-program signed on March 11, 2005 by the Ministry of Communication and the Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Editors. by the Ministry of Communication and the Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Editors.

Likewise, the audiovisual sector has been deeply changing since the end of the state’s monopole : Promulgation of the law on the Audio-visual Communication, setting up of The high authority of audio-visual communication, and creation of the National Company of Radio and Television.

In addition, new TV channels have been launched such as the regional channel of Laayoune and the educational channel : “Quatrième”.

Al Al Maghribia, a satellite channel broadcasting 2M and TVM programmes has also been launched.

We cannot talk about the Moroccan media landscape without mentioning the Maghreb Arab Press Agency whose human resources, logistics and network of offices, inside the country and abroad, allow the collection and diffusion of a considerable mass of information.