Morocco Geography and Climate
Morocco is a country located on the outskirts of the African continent, at the crossroads of the main sea trade routes and therefore found itself at the junction of different cultures. It is a storehouse of historical monuments that have long attracted archaeologists and curious tourists. The favorable climate and warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea put the Moroccan coast on a par with the most famous resort areas. Resting here means discovering new horizons in the knowledge of the world, joining the culture of ancient tribes and, of course, relaxing in the burning African Sun.
On the coast throughout the year there are good conditions for recreation, in the center of the country it is best to relax from October to April, when it is not so hot. The ski season lasts from December to March.
The official language of Morocco is Arabic. Most of the population speaks with a peculiar dialect – Arabic Moroccan. French is widely spoken, and Spanish and English are also spoken in the north of the country.
Geography in in Morocco
According to top-engineering-schools, Morocco is located in the northwest of Africa, in the west it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the north by the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar separates the country from the European mainland. The Atlas Mountains stretch from the southwest to the northeast, which are divided into three ranges – the southern Anti-Atlas (2360 m), the central High Atlas (3700 m) and the northern Middle Atlas (1800 m). Earthquakes are frequent in the foothills of the Atlas. On the northern coast is the Rif Range with an altitude of about 1500 m. Almost all rivers dry up for the summer season, except for Cebu and Umm er-Rbiya. There are freshwater lakes in the mountains, but on the plains they are all salty and are called sebkhs.
Climate in in Morocco
The country is located in the subtropical climate zone. The continentality of the climate increases from the northwest to the southeast, that is, in this direction, the amount of precipitation decreases and the daily temperature amplitude increases. In general, the region experiences dry, hot summers and cool, wet winters.
The northern and western coasts are influenced by Atlantic air masses. The hottest month is august: daytime temperatures reach +30 degrees, while at night there are about 20 degrees of heat. The coldest of all is in January, when daytime temperatures do not exceed +18 degrees, and at night the temperature drops to +8..+10 degrees. The largest amount of precipitation falls in the winter months, in December up to 90 mm falls. On the western coast of Morocco south of Casablanca, thanks to the cold Canary Current, there is no sweltering heat. In the daytime, relatively cool weather with fogs is most often observed. The Atlas Mountains, stretching from the southwest to the northeast, are a natural obstacle to the penetration of moist sea air masses inland. Therefore, most precipitation is observed in the foothills and in the mountains – over 1700 mm per year. In winter, at an altitude of more than 1500 m, snow falls, above 2000 m, a stable snow cover lasts more than 2 months and its thickness sometimes reaches 6 m.
In the central regions of the country behind the Atlas Mountains in the summer months, the daily air temperature often reaches +40 degrees, in winter at the same time the air warms up to +20 degrees. There is little precipitation here – about 200 mm per year.
Best time to visit:
The coastline provides good conditions for recreation throughout the year, in the center of the country it is best to relax from October to April, when it is not so hot. The ski season lasts from December to March.
History in in Morocco
The history of Morocco begins from the 2nd millennium BC. In those days, the local places were inhabited by the Berbers. In 46 AD this territory became part of the Roman province of Mauritania, and the indigenous population began to convert to Christianity. Later, with the development of the Muslim world, Arabs began to visit here, who wanted to spread Islam in Africa. For almost 10 centuries, the Berber and Arab dynasties sat in the country. In the 17th century, pirates found their haven in the coastal regions, which annoyed the largest port cities in the Mediterranean. The Spanish authorities, tired of the attacks, sent their army to Morocco and stormed the main cities of the country. The favorable geographical position of the country in the 19th century attracted the attention of other major European powers, and a struggle broke out between them. In 1904, France and Spain divided the territory of Morocco into zones, and in 1912 the country officially recognized France as its “patron”. This state gained independence in 1956, Mohammed V became its official ruler, after which the throne passed to Hassan II (his son). It was under Hassan II that Morocco became a constitutional monarchy.