MOROCCO
LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY
Morocco lies on the north-west coast of the African continent. The neighboring countries are Algeria in the eastern zone and Spain in the northern zone. The country is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the eastern zone, and in the western zone lies, the Atlantic Ocean. The narrow straits of Gibraltar have divided Northwest Morocco from Spain. Its full Arabic name is Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah which translates into "The Western Kingdom". Morocco shares the largest part of its border with Algeria to the East and Western Sahara to the South.
CLIMATE
Having Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on its other, the climate of the outer areas of the country is moderate and subtropical. However, the interior regions of the country have higher summer temperatures and lower winter temperatures.
The short rainy season of Morocco falls between the months of November and March, during which time the country sees little spells of rain but for the most part, it is a dry country. Ideally it would be most comfortable to travel to Morocco during the early summer months.
CURRENCY
The Moroccan Dhiram (MAD) is the monetary unit of Morocco. In most parts of the country a dhiram is made up of 20 rials but in Tangier and the Rif, only 2 rials make up a dhiram. This inconsistency in the currency often perplexes a visitor. 1$ equals almost 8 dhirms.
ECONOMY
Agriculture, tourism, phosphates, fish and sea-food- these are the key resources of the Moroccan economy. After the US and China, Morocco ranks third in the production of phosphates, therefore making its economy sensitive to the price fluctuations of phosphates in the international market. The chief upcoming manufacturing sector, comprising production of textiles and clothing, has accounted for a very large percentage of the total exports in the recent years and has also provided employment to a huge number of people.
The scanty rainfall that causes frequent droughts has perhaps the largest negative impact on the country’s economy. In the recent past several states owned enterprises have been privatized by the government in order to boost the economy.
LANGUAGES
Morocco has been through several historical influences and over the centuries, people of different kinds have brought different languages into the country. A total of nine languages are in vogue in Morocco, although there are several dead languages too that form part of its language count. The nine living languages are:
Moroccan Arabic, which is the official language of the country.
Hassaniyya Arabic
Judeo-Moroccan Arabic
Standard Arabic
Moroccan sign language
Spanish
Tachelhit
Central Atlas Tamazight
Tarifit
CULTURE AND CUSTOMS
Morocco comes to the traveler as a complete surprise, like a page straight out of the history books. The people and their way of life seem as dated as the tales one has heard of ancient civilizations. Souks and their great bargaining tactics are still the way the Moroccans conduct business and buying.
The Moroccans are a congenial friendly lot and it you will soon be getting meal invitations from those you might stop to talk to a couple of times. While entering a Moroccan home, take off your shoes at the door. For eating you would notice the absence of cutlery and would need to use your right hand. It is advisable to avoid considering a visit to mosques unless you are a Muslim.
The Moroccan homes are the women’s bastions, while the men take to the streets. You will notice the absence of Moroccan women in restaurants and cafes.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Morocco is both fascinating to visit and intriguing to explore. The land is loaded with natural exquisiteness and memorable places.
Being a country with a rich history and culture, there are hundreds of mosques, palaces, and historical sites to visit. Out of these, some of the more famous ones from the point of view of the tourist are the ancient city of Asilah, the Grottoes of Hercules, and the El Bahia Palace.
The Moroccan landscape is a marvel in itself. Several imposing destinations like as the Sahara Desert and spectacular mountain ranges such as the High Atlas, the Chefchaouen Mountains and the Oregano Mountains, having an abundance of outdoor activities and adventure travel options such as snow skiing, hiking, climbing. Mountaineering, white-water rafting, mountain biking, camel riding, you think of it and the sport and adventure is offered by Morocco to you.
If you are not a mountain person and the sea is your favorite place, seaside towns and beaches are a plenty. Additionally the Moroccan coast has spectacular fishing villages such Dakhla and swimming beaches such as Plage Quemada and Lalla Fatma.
Urban life and living is fast sapping us of energy and leaving us depleted. What better way to rejuvenate your energies than try the luxuriant traditional Moroccan bath or hammam, where the bath assistant, called tabaya scraps off the dead outer layer of your skin with the traditional soap, savon noir.
All relaxed and revived, join one of the many music festivals of the country and doze to the lilt of the Moroccan tunes.
GETTING AROUND
The Air route
In case you want to travel fast and comfortable, from Casablanca airport to Agadir, Dakhla, Fes, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Oujda and Tangier, the Royal Air Maroc operates regular services Another air service runs domestic air service, the Marrakech-based national low-cost carrier Atlas Blue (8A)).
Going around by Rail
If you enjoy the comfort and laze of rail travel that allows you too see the country, then the Moroccan rail system provides regular services. Rail is a very reasonable way to travel, but if you want to travel in an air-conditioned train, the fare would be a bit higher.
Road Travel
Moroccan roads are all-weather highways and not a bad option for the more adventurous. In the mountains, road travel becomes much more difficult, especially across the Atlas Mountains.
Coach
A large variety of coach services, most privately run can be tried out. However, to be pre-warned Morocco has a poor road safety record.Bus
You need to be strong and adaptable because although buses run frequently and regularly between most major towns and villages, they are generally very over crowded. However, on the plus side, the bus fares are very low.Taxi
All major towns have metered petit taxis. The Mercedes cars, used for travel Can be shared, but since they have no meters, the fares should be agreed before departure.
Hiring a car
Hiring a car is usually an expensive affair but if one is still keen then offices of international and local car hire companies are present in major towns and cities.
ACCOMMODATION
Morocco has a variety of accommodations from which to choose. International hotels including the Ramada, Sheraton and Hyatt Regency, can be found in the larger cities, such as Casablanca and Tangier. Other than that most of the major cities and the metropolitan centers of Morocco have excellent five star hotels that offer the luxury of their international counterparts, adding a dash of local charm and hospitality. Another kind of accommodations in Morocco is the Riads, which are traditional Morocco homes that have been converted into small hotels and private guest houses. Riads can be found usually inside the older districts throughout Morocco which are steeped in culture.
The most favored accommodation style of the Moroccan visitor is perhaps the traditional Moroccan home called the Riad. These homes have been converted into small hotels by the owners and most are provided with very good facilities.
Some places like Agadir, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech and Tangier, have self catering apartments as staying options.
A good budget accommodation is the Youth Hostel. The cities of Asni, Azrou, Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Rabat and Tangier all have international Youth hostels.
In recent years a number of fully serviced beach resorts have sprouted along the coast and these offer some very good facilities like restaurants, full recreational activities and kids' clubs.
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