Facts to know

Name: Kingdom of Morocco
Capital: Rabat
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Ruler: King Mohammed VI
Geographic Location: Northwest Africa; borders Algeria & Mauritania
Geography: Mountains, Desert, Beaches, Forests, Oases, Gorges, Plains, Valleys
Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar
Population: 32 million Moroccans Abroad: 1.7 million
Area: 172,000 sq miles (about the size of California)
Languages: Arabic, Berber, French, Spanish
Ethnicity: Arab, Berber, Andalusian, Sub-Saharan African
Religion: Sunni Muslim (99%); Christian (0.8%); Jewish (0.2%)
Literacy Rate: 52% Unemployment Rate: 11%
Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD) Annual Per Capita GNP: $1400
Arable Land: 20%
Agriculture: Wheat, barley, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, olives; livestock
Natural Resources: Phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
Industries: Textiles, tourism, food processing, phosphate, construction
# of tourists in 2006: 6 million
Largest Cities: Casablanca (3.3 million); Rabat (1.6 million)
Time Difference: GMT/UTC Telephone Country Code: 212
Climate: Coast: mild & humid; South + Inland: hot & dry; Mountains: cold & snowy

Average Winter Temp: 18°C/64°F Average Summer Temp: 33°C/91°F
Hottest City: Marrakesh Coldest City: Ifrane
Best Times to Visit: September through November; March through June
Worst Times to Visit: July, August; January & February in mountains;
Ramadan can be a difficult time to visit but is not necessarily the worst time--interesting
time to see the culture in a religious context.
Places to see: Marrakesh, Fez, Meknes, Volubilis, Ifrane, Sahara Desert, Ziz Valley
Oasis, Dades & Todra Gorges, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, High Atlas Mountains,
Essaouira, Agadir, Taroudant, Tafraoute, Laayoune, Safi, El Jadida, Casablanca,
Rabat, Sale, Asilah, Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Saiidia
Things to Do: Mountain trek; Camel trek; Visit Imperial cities & historical sites; Shop;
Take Arabic classes or Cooking lessons; Surf; Ski; Fish; Bird-watch.
Things to Shop for: Berber jewelry, hand-woven carpets, metal and woodcrafts,
leather goods, pottery, spices, embroidered tablecloths, paintings, traditional clothing
and footwear
Moroccan People: Social, friendly, hospitable, generous, easy-going, genuine
Touts on the street: Argumentative, aggressive, disagreeable, persistent
Things to Expect:
• Diverse landscapes & weather • Good food
• Bargaining • Tipping
• Beggars • Poverty
• Liberal Islamic nation • Mosques closed to non-Muslims
• Conservative attitudes and dress • Western attire in big cities
• Men sitting in cafés • Staring
• Being offered hashish • Shepherds in countryside
• Squat toilets • No toilet paper in bathrooms
• Confrontational-sounding conversations
• No public displays of affection between men and women
• Eating with your right hand out of a communal meal platter
  Disadvantages of Travel:
• Being hustled, hassled and harassed
• Unsanitary conditions • Traveler's sickness
• Faulty roads • Breakdowns
• Delays • Tardiness
• Pushing & shoving • Petty theft
   Essential when traveling in Morocco:
• Comfortable clothes and shoes • Sunscreen or wide-brim hat
• Anti-diarrhea medicine • Tissues or toilet paper
• Avoid raw foods • Drink bottled water
• Having an open mind • Respecting the culture & customs