Morocco Country & Tourist Information

Location
North Africa.

Area
710,850 sq km (274,461 sq miles).

Population
33.8 million (UN estimate 2007).

Population Density
48 per sq km.

Capital
Rabat.
Population: 1.6 million (2005 estimate).

Government
Constitutional monarchy since 1956, when Morocco gained independence from France.

Language
The official language is Moroccan Arabic, but Berber languages are spoken by a large minority. French is widely spoken throughout the country, except in the northern regions where Spanish is more predominant. English is also understood, particularly in the north and major tourist destinations like Marrakech.

Religion
Predominantly Muslim with Jewish, Christian and Hindu minorities. Morocco’s population and culture is a blend of religious and cultural traditions, encompassing Berber, Arab, African, Mediterranean and Jewish influences.

Time
GMT.

Electricity
110/220 volts AC, 50Hz, depending on age and location of building.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi since 2007.

Head of State
King Mohammed VI since 1999.

Recent History
Since King Mohammed VI was enthroned in 1999, the country has instituted sweeping political and economic changes. Although poverty is still widespread and unemployment remains high, initiatives to attract foreign investment and tourism are bringing new opportunities to urban areas. The human rights record is markedly improved from the previous regime, and today ranks among the cleanest across Africa and the Middle East. Women have benefitted from education initiatives and expanded rights, and new protections for Berber (Amazigh) culture include the introduction of Tamazight (written Berber) in schools. Morocco’s parliament has only nominal power, but the country’s first municipal elections in 2002 were hailed as a step towards democratization. Islamist and other political factions are closely monitored, as is the news media. Two territorial disputes remain: the Western Sahara, claimed by the indigenous Sahrawi Polisario Front, and the Spanish-occupied enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast.

Telephone
Country code: 212. Privately run téléboutiques can be found throughout the country, with an attendant to provide advice, change and phonecards.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mainly available in the cities in the west of Morocco.

Internet
Access is widely available in business centers, hotels and in Internet cafes.

Media
The press is subject to government censorship in Morocco, and although King Mohammed VI eased some restrictions on the press when he came to power, issues such as Western Sahara, the monarchy and corruption remain sensitive. The government manages Morocco’s two television networks, although it plans to allow private investment in state-run broadcasters and the official news agency. Satellite dishes are widely used, giving access to a range of foreign TV stations.

WESTERN SAHARA:
National Radio of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic broadcasts in Arabic and Spanish; the station supports the Polisario Front.

Post
Airmail to Europe takes up to one week and can be unreliable.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1430-1830, Sat 0830-1400.

Press
• Daily newspapers are published in French and Arabic.
• The main French newspapers are: L’Economiste, Le Matin, Libération and Le Journal.
• The main Arabic newspapers are Al Anbaa and Assabah.

Radio
• State-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) has regional and national services.
• Tangier-based Medi 1 is privately owned by Moroccan and French concerns, and has programs in Arabic and French.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
9 Mar Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday).
1 May Labor Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People's Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed's Birthday.
21 Sep Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
18 Nov Fête de l'Indépendance (Independence Day).
28 Nov Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
18 Dec Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
26 Feb Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday).
1 May Labor Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People's Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed's Birthday.
10 Sep Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
16 Nov Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
18 Nov Fête de l'Indépendance (Independence Day).
7 Dec Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).

Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon, and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Aïd al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted until the end of Aïd al-Fitr. Aïd al-Fitr and Aïd al-Adha may last two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Contact Information:

Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the UK
49 Queen’s Gate Gardens, London SW7 5NE, UK
Tel: (020) 7581 5001.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1300 (visa section); closed UK and Moroccan national holidays (open until 1500 during Ramadan).

Moroccan Consulate in the UK
Diamond House, 97-99 Praed Street, London W2 1NT, UK
Tel: (020) 7724 0624.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1230.

Moroccan National Tourist Office in the UK
205 Regent Street, 2nd Floor, London W1R 7DE, UK
Tel: (020) 7437 0073.
Website: www.visitmorocco.org



Moroccan National Tourist Office in the USA
20 East 46th Street, Suite 1201, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 557 2520.

Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the USA
1601 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 462 7979.
Website: www.moroccanconsulate.com


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