About Morocco: Geography and Tourism
A majority of Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber stock.
Most of Morocco’s 32.2 million people live west of the Atlas Mountains, an Alps-like range that shelters the country’s fertile region from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca, an Atlantic seaport and the country’s largest city, is the focal point of business and industry. Rabat, the country’s second largest city, is the seat of government. Tangier, another major seaport, serves as the country’s gateway to Spain and Europe. The “Imperial Cities” of Fes, Marrakech, and Meknes are popular tourist destinations for Morocco’s nearly 6 million annual visitors because of their handicrafts, shopping souks, and ancient architecture.
Morocco is similar in many respects to California, only Morocco has 2,000 miles of coastline. Morocco has some of the most varied geographical attributes of any country in North Africa. It offers deserts, four mountain ranges (winter sports are enjoyed in the Atlas Mountains), over a thousand miles of beaches, and vast expanses of cultivated land that supply Europe with much of its produce. There are tremendous recreational and tourism opportunities that are rapidly being recognized by Europeans.
Morocco’s climate, like its geography, is remarkably varied. Weather in the coastal regions is mild, but can be cool and wet in the northern areas. The average daily temperature in Tangier and Casablanca ranges from 54° in the winter, to 77° F in the summer. Summer temperatures in inland cities like Marrakech can climb as high as 115° F, while winter temperatures in the Atlas mountains can fall below freezing.