Information about Morocco
Government | Language | Religion | Time | Electricity | Economy | Communications | Contact adresses | Duty Free
Health | Accomodation | Climate | Money | Passport | Travel in Morocco | Travel International| Social conventions
Area : 710,850 sq km (274,461 sq miles).
Population : 31.6 million (UN, 2005).
Population Density : 44.4 per sq km.
Capital : Rabat. Population: 1.3 million (1994).
Government: Constitutional monarchy since 1956. Gained independence from France in 1956.
Recent history: King Mohammed VI was enthroned in July 1999. He soon embarked on a series of
political and economic changes and pursued a modernising course. Although poverty is still widespread
and unemployment remains high, one of the King's priorities was to fight poverty. He set up a programme
of economic liberalisation to attract foreign investment, eased restrictions on the press and granted more rights to women.
Morocco is located on the westernmost tip of north Africa, bordering Algeria to the east and Mauritania to
the south and southeast, the Atlantic ocean to the west and the Mediterranean to the north. Running through
the middle of the country is the Atlas mountain range, which leads to the fertile plains and sandy beaches of the
Atlantic coast. The Middle Atlas range sweeps up from the south, rising to over 3000m (9850ft), covered with
woodlands of pine, oak and cedar, open pastureland and small lakes. The Rif Mountains run along the north coast.
The ports of Ceuta (Sebta) and Melilla on the north coast are administered by Spain.
Language: The official language is Arabic, but Berber is spoken by a large minority.
French is widely spoken throughout the country, except in the northern regions where
Spanish is more predominant. English is also understood, particularly in the north and the main tourist areas.
Religion : Predominantly Muslim with Jewish and Christian minorities. Morocco's population and culture
stems from a cross-section of origins including Berbers, Arabs, Moors and Jews.
Social Conventions: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Many of the manners and social customs emulate
French manners, particularly amongst the middle class. The visitor may find, in some social situations, that patience and
firmness will pay dividends. Often visitors may find themselves the centre of unsolicited attention. In towns, young boys
after money will be eager to point out the way, sell goods or simply charge for a photograph, while unofficial guides will
always be offering advice or services. The visitor should be courteous but wary of the latter. Normal social courtesies should
be observed in someone's home. Casual wear is widely acceptable, although swimsuits and shorts should be confined to the
beach or poolside. Women travelling alone, and/or wearing clothes regarded as provocative (eg strappy tops, short skirts, etc)
may attract unwanted attention. Sexual relations outside marriage, and homosexual conduct, are punishable by law.
Smoking is widespread and it is customary to offer cigarettes.
Electricity: 127/220 volts AC, 50Hz, depending on age and location of building.
Economy:
Main exports: Clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilisers, petroleum products, fruit and vegetables.
Main imports: Crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications and equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors and plastics.
Main trade partners: Spain, France, USA and UK.
Agriculture employs one-fifth of the working population, the principal crops being cereals, vegetables and citrus fruits (of which Morocco
is one of the world's largest exporters), and accounts for about 20 per cent of GDP. Livestock farming produces enough meat to fulfil
domestic needs. Fishing is vital to both the domestic and export markets, as well as for the revenue accruing from the sale of licences
allowing foreign fleets to fish in Moroccan territorial waters. Mining is the country's principal industry. Morocco is the world's largest
exporter of phosphate rock, both in raw and processed form (such as fertilisers), and this is the principal source of export revenue.
It has substantial other mineral assets including iron ore, coal, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, silver and manganese. Morocco has small
reserves of oil and gas, but must import the bulk of its needs. The main components of the manufacturing sector are food processing,
textiles and the production of leather goods. In the service sector, tourism has grown rapidly and is now worth almost US$2 billion annually.
The tourism industry has benefited from Morocco having one of the best infrastructures on the African continent; this is also an important
consideration for foreign investors.
Remittances from Moroccan workers abroad (mostly in Europe) are another major source of revenue.
During the last 10 years, the government has introduced a series of IMF-sponsored reforms, including trade liberalisation and public
expenditure cuts in exchange for successive assistance programmes. This has reduced the size of the public sector and contributed
towards easing Morocco's huge foreign debt but at the cost of increased unemployment. Almost half the workforce are officially unemployed.
A trade agreement with the EU was signed in 1995 under which all tariff barriers will be removed by 2012. Morocco is also part of a planned
Free Trade Zone (including Jordan, Tunisia and Egypt) which will offer preferential access to EU markets. The Moroccan government formed a
free trade agreement with the US in 2004. Finally, Morocco is now the largest single recipient of aid from the EU. Morocco is also a member
of the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and a founder member of the Union of the Arab Maghreb. In 2004, GDP
growth reached 3.5 per cent.
Communications: Telephone : IDD is available. Country code: 212. Privately-run Téléboutiques can be found through out the country. There is an attendant to provide advice, change and phone cards.
Mobile Telephone : Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mainly available in the cities in the west of Morocco.
Internet : Access is widely available in business centres, hotels and in Internet cafes.
Media : Although King Mohammed VI eased restrictions on the press when he came to power, some issues such as Western Sahara, the monarchy and corruption remain sensitive topics. The government owns, or has a stake in, Morocco's two television networks. It plans to allow private investment in state-run broadcasters and the official news agency. Satellite dishes are widely used, giving access to a range of foreign TV stations.
WESTERN SAHARA:
National Radio of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic broadcasts in Arabic and Spanish; the station supports the Polisario Front.
Post : Airmail to Europe takes up to one week and can be unreliable. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1430-1830, Sat 0830-1400.
Press : Daily newspapers are published in French and Arabic. The main French newspapers are: L'Economiste, Le Matin, Libération and Le Journal. The main Arabic newspapers are Al Anbaa and Assabah.
Radio : State-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) has regional and national services. Tangier-based Medi 1 is privately-owned by Moroccan and French concerns and has programmes in Arabic and French.
Contact adresses:
Moroccan National Tourist Office in the UK : 205 Regent Street, 2nd Floor, London W1B 4HB, UK
Tel: (020) 7437 0073.
Website: www.visitmorocco.org
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the UK : 49 Queen's Gate Gardens, London SW7 5NE, UK
Tel: (020) 7581 5001.
Website: www.mincom.gov.ma
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1300 (visa section); closed UK and Moroccan national holidays (open until 3pm
during Ramadan).
Moroccan Consulate in the UK : Diamond House, 97-99 Praed Street, London W2 1NT, UK
Tel: (020) 7724 0624.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1230.
Moroccan National Tourist Office in the USA : 20 East 46th Street, Suite 1302, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 557 2520.
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the USA : 1601 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 462 7979.
Duty Free:
Overview : The following goods may be imported into Morocco without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 400g of tobacco; 1l of spirits and 1l of wine; 5g of perfume.
A special permit is required for sporting guns and ammunition which is obtainable upon arrival from the police authorities if passenger(s) hold a permit from their country of origin.
Health: Healthcare: There are good medical facilities in all main cities, including emergency pharmacies (sometimes in the Town Hall) outside normal opening hours. Government hospitals provide free or minimal charge emergency treatment. Full health insurance is essential.
Accomodation: Country Pub Accommodation : Riads are traditional, luxury Moroccan town houses. These are usually found in medinas (old towns) of large cities and can offer excellent self catering accommodation. Meals can be provided. Check whether your accommodation is to be on the top floor, (very hot in summer) or the ground floor (damp in winter).
Hotel: Morocco has 100,000 hotel beds to cater for its thriving tourist market. There is quite a wide choice of accommodation in all sizeable centres. The upper end of the market is represented by internationally known hotels in most main towns, notably Agadir, Marrakech and Tangier.
Grading: Hotels are rated from 1 to 5 stars.
Self Catering : Self-catering apartments are available in Agadir, Marrakech and Tangier.
Camping/Caravanning : There are established campsites with good facilities in many parts of Morocco. Accomodation in Morocco
Climate:
The climate varies from area to area. The coast has a warm, Mediterranean climate tempered on the eastern coast by southwest trade winds. Inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. In the south of the country, the weather is very hot and dry throughout most of the year, with the nights coolest in the months of December and January. Rain falls from November to March in coastal areas. Mostly dry with high temperatures in summer. Cooler climate in the mountains. Marrakech and Agadir enjoy an average temperature of 21°C (70ºF) in the winter.
Required Clothing : Lightweight cottons and linens are worn during summer, with warm mediumweights for the evenings during winter and in the mountains. Waterproofing is advisable in the wet season, particularly on the coast and in the mountains.
Money:
Currency : Moroccan Dirham (MAD) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of MAD200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of MAD10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Currency Exchange : Moroccan Dirhams can only be obtained in Morocco. National currencies should be exchanged at
official bureaux de change only (identified by a golden sign); changing money in the street is illegal. There is no commission charge and visitors will be issued with a receipt which they must keep in order to exchange Moroccan currency back into the original national currency upon departure. Money can be withdrawn in banks with a credit card and a cheque book in some larger towns. Credit / Debit Cards and ATMs : Some credit cards are accepted. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in some larger towns.
Travellers Cheque Advice : To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars. Banking Hours : Mon-Thurs 0815-1215 and 1415-1715; Fri0815-1115 and 1430-1730; Sat 0900-1300. Exchange Rate Indicators : Date Jan 07 £1.00= MAD16.51 $1.00= MAD8.54
Passports: Passport valid for at least six months from date of entry required.
Travel in Morocco: Getting Around By Air : Royal Air Maroc (AT) (website: www.royalairmaroc.com) operates regular services from Casablanca airport to Agadir, Dakhla, Fès, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Oujda and Tangier. Getting Around by Rail : The Moroccan rail system, run by Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), provides regular and cheap services with first-class travel available between major centres. Rail fares are amongst the cheapest in the world, although a supplement must be paid for air-conditioned trains. Sleeping cars and restaurant cars are available. The network runs from Oujda in the northeast to Casablanca on the west coast, Tangier on the north coast and Fès and Marrakech in the interior. The most useful route is from Fès to Rabat and Casablanca, with five daily and two overnight trains. There are also two daily trains and one overnight train (without sleepers) which run from Casablanca to Marrakech. Also, from Monday to Friday, a train runs every 30 minutes from Kenitra to Rabat.
Getting Around by Road : Traffic drives on the right. The major Moroccan roads, particularly those covering the north and northwest of the country, are all-weather highways. In the interior, south of the High Atlas Mountains, road travel becomes much more difficult, especially across the Atlas Mountains in winter. Coach: The main centres are connected by a wide variety of coach services, many of which are privately run. The two largest firms are CTM (covering the whole country) and SATAS (between Casablanca, Agadir and south of Agadir). Visitors should bear in mind, however, that Morocco has a poor road safety record; the roads from Agadir to Marrakech, via Imi'n Tanoute and Chichaoua, are particularly hazardous. Bus: Connections between most major towns and villages are regular and frequent, although buses can be very crowded and it may be wise to buy tickets in advance and arrive well before departure to secure a seat. The price of tickets is very low, especially with some of the smaller local bus companies. It is customary to tip the guard for loading luggage. For charter purposes, air-conditioned motor coaches are available from several companies. Taxi: Those available in major towns, the petits taxis, are metered (see below under Urban). Other larger taxis, usually Mercedes cars, are used for travel to areas outside towns. These can be shared, but fares should be agreed before departure. Car hire: Major hire companies have offices in major towns and cities. Car hire is generally expensive. Documentation: Foreign driving licences are accepted, as well as International Driving Permits. Third Party insurance is required. A Green Card is also necessary. Insurance can be arranged locally.
Getting Around Towns and Cities : There are extensive bus services in Casablanca and other main towns. Pre-purchase tickets are sold. Urban area petits taxis are plentiful and have metered fares. Taxi drivers expect a 10 per cent tip.
Travel international:
Getting There by Air : The national airline is Royal Air Maroc (AT). There are frequent direct flights from all major European cities, from North America and from the Middle East. Main Airports : Casablanca (CMN) (Mohammed V) is 30km (19 miles) south of the city (travel time: 35 minutes). To/from the airport: There are taxi services into Casablanca and train services available to Rabat. Facilities: Outgoing duty free shop, post office, banking and bureau de change, restaurant, bar, tourist help desk and car hire.
Tangier (TNG) (Boukhalef Souahel) is 11km (7 miles) from the city (travel time: 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Bus and taxi services are available into Tangier. Facilities: Outgoing duty free shop, banking and bureau de change, restaurant, bar, tourist help desk and car hire. Other international airports include Fez (FEZ) , Marrakech (RAK) and Rabat-Salé (RBA) .
Getting There by Water : Main ports: Tangier , Casablanca and Ceuta.
There are cheap and regular car- and passenger-ferry links between southern Spain and Tangier and the Spanish enclaves on the north Moroccan coast. Most links are roll-on, roll-off car ferries except where shown. The routes are from Algeciras to Ceuta (Sebta) (car ferry); Algeciras to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Tarifa to Tangier (hydrofoil); Gibraltar to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Almería to Melilla (car ferry); Málaga to Melilla (car ferry); Almería to Nador (car ferry); Gênes (Italy) to Tangier; Alicante to Orán and Almería to Al Hoceima.
There are also car ferries between Sète on the French coast (between Béziers and Montpellier on the Golfe du Lyon) and Tangier. Getting There by Rail : Rail links between Morocco and Algeria are currently suspended. The main international routes are from Oujda to Algiers or from Oran to Algiers. Trains can be caught from London Victoria to Gare du Nord in Paris, and then Gare d'Austerlitz to Algerciras. From here ferries can be caught to Morocco.
Rail passes: The Inter-Rail Pass offers unlimited second-class train travel in up to 29 European countries (includes Morocco and Turkey) split into eight zones (A-H). Three different tickets are available: a ticket covering one zone (two to six countries, 16 days' validity), a ticket covering two zones (six to 10 countries, 22 days' validity) and an All Zone Pass (29 countries, one month's validity). Ferry services between Italy and Greece are included. Passengers must be resident in Europe for at least six months before the pass is used. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence.
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