The Kingdom of Morocco

History	Language and Religion
National Anthem and Armorial bearing	Physical and human framework

Physical and Human framework

The Kingdom of Morocco is located in northwest of Africa on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea. It is separated from Europe by the the Straits of Gibraltar. The kingdom's capital is Rabat. The national territory stretches on an area of about 740 000 square kilometres and the population reached 29, 17 millions in 2002
Demographic growth: 1, 7 % per year (between 1994 and 1998).
The Moroccan national currency is the Moroccan Dirham which is indexed to the dollar and to the Euro since 1999 January the 4th.

   The Atlantic Morocco with its Mediterranean climate contains the most important plateaus and plains (Abda, Gharbm, and Chaouia) as well as the longest rivers (Sebour, Oum rabïe). This part of the Kingdom is the most populated (about 19 millions). To the north, the "Rif" chain overhangs the Mediterranean shore and stands as a natural boundary to the eastern provinces, an area with dry climate formed by sparsely populated high plateaus and the valley of the Moulouya river .   

The chain of Atlas which stands up in the east and south of the Atlantic Morocco is made up of ::
· The Medium Atlas,
· The High Atlas (Great Atlas in Arabic, peak at Jebel Toubkal: 4 165 m)
· The Minor Atlas which forms the southern boundary of the "Souss Valley" populated with Amazigh People.

To the South of the Minor Atlas, stretches the Moroccan Sahara dotted with oasis (Smara) and seasonal rivers (Drâa), with small inland towns and coastal modern cities (Laâyoune, Dakhla). This greater part of Morocco is mainly populated by nomad tribes.

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