Facts & Figures
Area : 710 850 square Kilometers (slightly larger than the USA state of California)
Population : 31 million with a population growth rate of 1.70%.
|
Coastline: |
1,835 km |
|
Climate: |
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior |
|
Terrain: |
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains |
|
Geography: |
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar |
Capital : Rabat (pop. 646 000 .
Main cities : Casablanca (pop 3.30 million ), Fez, Marrakech, Settat, El Jadida, Oujda, Meknes, Tangier, Nador, Agadir, Laayoune, Kenitra.
Languages : Arabic is the country's official language. An important part of the population speaks French which is the first foreign language. English and Spanish are also widely spoken.
Currency Dirham (Dh) . : 1 British Pound £ = 15.91 Dh // 1 US$ = 8.69 Dh // 1 Euro = 10.96 Dh (May 2006).
GDP (1999 ) : 343 131.2 million Dh.
Time Zone
Morocco is on Greenwich Mean Time "GMT".
Passport and Visa
A valid passport is required to visit Morocco.
Visas are not required for a large number of countries (notably European Union countries and North America).
Moroccan embassies and consulates abroad issue visas to nationals of the country concerned, on presentation of a valid passport.
The "tourist" stay is limited to 3 months.
Vaccination
Anticholera vaccination is required for travelers from infected areas.
Customs
Customs offices are open on a permanent basis at frontier posts.
Stay Formalities
Foreign investors desiring a resident permit go to the Central police station of the city of residence with the following documents : 8 photos, small format 1 stamp of 60 Dirhams No. of trade register.
A statement from a bank in Morocco 1 photocopy of the lease contract, rent receipt, electricity receipt
Printed forms duly filled out (available at the central police station, 2 forms per person)
Photocopy of the passport with entry date
Society
Medicine is practiced by private physicians, generalists or specialists, as well as in public hospitals and private clinics.
Pharmaceuticals are provided on presentation of a physician's prescription. The products conform to international health norms and are often manufactured by local companies which are subsidiaries of multinationals within the framework of licences.
Other languages are taught at schools, notably English, Spanish and German.
The cultural services of the foreign embassies in Morocco ensure in certain cases the teaching of their language through private schools coming.
Religion
The Constitution guarantees the freedom of cult, with Islam being the religion practiced by nearly all Moroccans. |
