Morocco, a country in northwestern Africa, is a land of diverse landscapes and rich cultural history. From the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains, Morocco offers a variety of geographical features. This article delves into the physical aspects of Morocco, including its location, topography, climate, natural resources, and more. Explore this Morocco map to learn everything you want to know about this country.
Location and Borders
Morocco is a Northern African country, located in the extreme northwest of Africa on the edge of continental Europe. Morocco is located in the northern region of the African continent. The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco with a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) span of water. It borders Algeria to the east and southeast, Western Sahara to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. It is the only African country with coastal exposure to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Two small Spanish enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, are situated on the country’s northern coast.
Topography and Terrain
Kingdom of Morocco ranks fifty-seventh in the whole world, regarding size. It is a hugely populated country in the northern Africa. The terrain of Morocco is largely mountainous. Morocco is partially a mountainous country. Some portions of the country are covered by mountain and some are covered by desert.
The Atlas Mountains stretch from the central north to the southwest. It expands to about 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) and is the dorsal spine of the country. The most prominent mountain range in Morocco is the Atlas Mountains. Not only is this mountain chain part of Morocco, but it extends 2,500 km into both Algeria and Tunisia.
To the north of the Atlas Mountains, there are the Rif Mountains, a chain that makes part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia, Spain. The Rif Mountains cover the northwest and northeast area of the country.
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The southeastern region of Morocco lies in the Sahara desert. In the extreme southeast of the country, the lands are arid due to their proximity to the Sahara Desert. This region of the country has a very little population. The area is also not very developed. First, the Sahara Desert is the largest arid desert in the world. It all starts in Morocco with a mix of rock and sand.
In the west of the country, along the Atlantic coast, the Moroccan Plateau stretches from Tangier to Essaouira and get inward to Saiss Plains near Fes and Tansift-Alhaouz near Marrakech.
The highest point of the country is the Jebel Toubkal peak that rises almost 4,165 meter above the sea level. Mount Toubkal is situated within the High Atlas mountain range in Central Morocco. At 4,165 meters (13,665 ft), it’s the highest peak on the mainland. On the other hand the Sebkha Tah claims to be the lowest point of the country.
Climate
Climate Change Impacts Strawberry Harvests in Morocco
Before you visit a country you must gather some information on the climate of the country. Then you can have an idea and decide your time to visit the place. Morocco's climate can be divided into two parts: The northwest and the southeast.
Morocco’s climate can be termed as Mediterranean, especially in the mountainous regions. Along the Mediterranean coast, the climate is typically Mediterranean and supports all types of typical Mediterranean vegetation. The summers are moderately hot and the winters are mild.
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During the months between June and September, the weather remains warm and wet with a very little amount of rainfall. So this period is the best time to visit this country. The temperature usually remains 20°C during this time. During the periods of March to June and September to December are also very pleasing.
In the southeast, the climate is arid and poorly populated. Along the Atlantic coast, the climate is Mediterranean with oceanic influence. The imprint of the oceanic climate differs along the coastline from region to region. It is generally present from Asilah to Essaouira. The summers are warm to moderately hot, and winters are cooler than on the Mediterranean coast.
Further away from the coast, into the Rif Mountain range, the climate starts to become more continental in character, with colder winters and hotter summers. At elevations above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the climate is alpine with warm summers and cold winters. Rainfall is much higher on the west side than it is on the east side. The average annual precipitation is between 600 and 1,500 mm (24 and 59 in), and 300 and 700 mm (12 and 28 in) respectively.
Further away from the coastal lands, into the Atlas Mountain range, the climate starts to become more continental in character, with colder winters and hotter summers. At elevations above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the climate is typically alpine, with warm summers and cold winters. Rainfall is generally high. The average annual precipitations is between 500 and 1,800 mm (20 and 71 in) on the north, but as you move southward, the average drops by about 100 to 200 mm (3.9 to 7.9 in). Snow is abundant at higher elevations.
The southern regions of the northwest are semi-arid. Rainfall is lower, and is between 250 and 350 mm (9.8 and 13.8 in) annually. Although temperature ranges generally do not change in comparison with the upper provinces, a slight increase in high averages is not to be dismissed.
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Climate change is expected to significantly impact Morocco on multiple dimensions, similar to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. As a coastal country with hot and arid climates, environmental impacts from climate change are likely to be wide and varied. Analysis of these environmental changes on the economy of Morocco are expected to create challenges at all levels of the economy. The main effects will be felt in the agricultural systems and fisheries which employ half of the population, and account for 14% of GDP. In addition, because 60% of the population and most of the industrial activity are on the coast, sea level rise is a major threat to key economic forces.
Morocco ratified the Paris Agreement in 2015. Its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) aimed at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 17% by 2030 compared to business-as-usual (BAU), with the possibility of a reduction of 32% conditional on receiving international support.
In June 2021, Morocco submitted an updated NDC with more ambitious targets: reduce GHGs by 18.3% by 2030 compared to BAU, with a reduction of 45.5% conditional on receiving international support. Morocco's contribution to global GHGs is very small (about 0.18%) and majority of GHGs come from the energy sector.
As of the 2023 Climate Change Performance Index, Morocco was ranked seventh in preparedness for climate change.
Climate Data for Selected Cities
The following table provides climate data for several cities in Morocco, illustrating the variations across the country.
| City | Average High Temperature (July) | Average Low Temperature (January) | Average Precipitation (Annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casablanca | 27°C (81°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 460 mm (18 in) |
| Fes | 34°C (93°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 500 mm (20 in) |
| Marrakech | 37°C (99°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 281 mm (11 in) |
| Ouarzazate | 36°C (97°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
Flora and Fauna
Flora: The vegetation of the Kingdom of Morocco is very rich with various unique species of plants. The Atlantic coastal climate is favorable for great vegetation. Cork oak is a largely found plant in this country. Except this, you will also find rich evergreen oak, cedar, and pine forests and various other trees in the mountainous region of the country. Some other unique species of shrubs, jujube trees, mastic, poplars, willows, and tamarisks can be found in the steppe region and the wadis region of the country.
Fauna: On the other hand, the animal kingdom of the country is not very rich like the flora. It is true that lions are gradually being extinct from the country. However various other species such as panthers, jackals, foxes, gazelles and so on are found in the various parts of the country.
Natural Resources
The natural resources of Morocco are phosphates, manganese, lead, iron ore, zinc, salt etc. Moroccan economy is highly dependent on its agricultural products. Some of these are wheat, citrus, barley, olives, wine, vegetables, livestock and so on.
The industries that are growing very fast in this country are food processing industry, phosphate rock mining and processing industry, leather goods industry, textiles industry, construction industry and tourism industry etc. The materials that are exported to the foreign nations are fish, crude minerals, inorganic chemicals, clothing, petroleum products, transistors, fertilizers, fruits, and vegetables.
People and Culture
Kingdom of Morocco is home to almost 33,241,259 people. Various ethnic groups have gathered together in this country. The race Arab-Berber rules as the majority of this huge population. The other minorities are Jewish and some other tribes and castes. Arabic is the official language in this country.
Morocco has developed a very rich culture in the presence of various ethnic groups. Different tribes and races such as Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews, Arabs and Romans, Vandals, Moors and various others reside in this country from the prehistoric era. So it is evident that all these races have left their influence in the Moroccan tradition. Not only the races, but the different religions like paganism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam have also existed in this country for a long time.
Moroccan art is very rich and diverse. The carpet works, jewelry works, ceramics, calligraphy sculpture, clothing, painting and carving works are the various forms of art in this country.
Like the diversity in culture, the music of Morocco is also diverse and very rich. Moroccan music is primarily dominated by the Arabian music. However it also bears some influences of Andalusian and some other foreign regions. Andalusian is a classical form of music.In various parts of Africa, this musical form is a common practice. This Andalusian music originated from the Moors in Cordoba in the prehistoric age.
Rock music and trance music have become very popular in this country. “Chaabi” is a very popular musical band of Rock music in Morocco. The trance music originally came from the Muslim music. Another form of music Ziryab is also very popular in this country. This music was originated from the Persian music.
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