Geography
With Atlantic and Mediterranean beaches, desert sands, fertile plateaux, thick forests and teeming cities, Morocco is a land of great contrasts and beauty. The coastal regions are shielded by an arc of four distinct geologically unstable mountain ranges or massifs. These ascend through the Rif (about 2,200m high) and the middle (Moyen) Atlas (over 3,000m) up to the high Atlas, the highest and most rugged mountains in Africa. Here the tallest peak, Jebel Toubkal, stands at 4,165m and, with the surrounding heights, is mantled in winter snow. Further south the Anti-Atlas descends to the Sahara. After rains, waters surge through the river valleys or oued. About one-third of the country, principally the phosphate-rich Western Sahara, is disputed territory.

History
Morocco first appeared in recorded history as Mauretania Tingitana, a Roman province. After the Romans departed, local Berber tribesmen ruled the country until the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Control then passed through a series of Moroccan dynasties. Between 1700 and 1850 Moroccan power declined. In 1856 a free trade treaty was signed with Britain, but in 1912 Morocco was divided into zones under French and Spanish administration. The Berber liberation uprising of 1918 was terminated by France only in 1934. During the 1940s Sultan Muhammad V emerged as spiritual leader and assumed autocratic control of the country at its independence in 1956. In 1976 part of Spanish Sahara was ceded to Morocco by Spain, an act contested by the Polisario Front.

The People
Excavations have unearthed elements of Phoenician, Hellenic, Carthaginean and Roman civilisations, relics of which are housed in Tétouan Museum. The bulk of today's population is Muslim of Berber or Arabic origin. Berbers have traditionally inhabited the mountains and parts of the desert. The Arabs are descendants of the 7th and 11th century invaders and Muslims evicted by the Spanish during the Reconquista. There are small populations of Negroes (from Sub-Saharan Africa), French (in the south) and Spanish (in the north) and a few Jews. A small group of "true-blue" moors live in the south but there are few, if any, Tuaregs in Morocco. About two thirds of the population are now urbanised. The wealthy merchants of Casablanca, the European-educated elite of Rabat and the traditional old, wealthy families of Fès rub shoulders with the peasant poor. The mother tongue of many Moroccans is Berber but Arabic is spoken by the Muslim majority. French, Spanish and English are also national languages.

Climate
Morocco generally enjoys a Mediterranean climate. However, there are wide variations in temperature and rainfall. The rains which fall during winter (November - January or later) are heavier in the north and mountains.
The coast experiences warm summers (12oC - 25oC) and mild winters. By contrast the mountains bake in summer (40oC) whilst the chill factor can make winters seem much colder than the official -20oC. Snow often blocks passes. In the desert regions the almost lack of humidity results in extremes of temperature. It can be stiflingly hot when the Sirocco or Chergui easterly winds blow in off the Sahara. These occur at any time, may be dust-laden and raise temperatures in the interior.

Flora
Visitors are often surprised by the amount of green. The lower plains are generally either cultivated with cash crops (including wheat, barley, vegetables and citrus) or covered in scrub and coarse Alfa (Esparto) grasses. On sheltered mountain slopes are the remnants of once vast forests of oaks, cork oaks, cedars, thujas and occasionally cyprus and juniper. The Argan, which bears an oil-rich olive-like fruit, is peculiar to the south whilst date palms found in various places are native to the desert. South of the Atlas massif only the hardiest drought-resistant plants grow outside the oases. The so-called Barbary fig and the eucalyptus are not indigenous. Many Berbers grow Kif (marijuana).

Fauna
Many large African mammals, including elephant and lion, once roamed Morocco but today the most common animals are mules, donkeys, goats, sheep, horses and camels. The dromedary was imported in the 4th century AD. Along the Sahara border, horned vipers, some gazelle and an occasional ostrich may be spotted. Eastern Morocco is home to a few carnivores such as jackal, fennec (desert fox), hyaena and lynx, whilst the Atlantic plains are inhabited mainly by vipers and squirrels. In the Atlas Mountains there are rabbits, macaque monkeys (Barbary apes), baboons, wild boar and a breed of sheep, the mouflon.

Morocco has few native bird species but a large number of migrants - particularly flamingoes, various ducks and gulls - pass through at various times of the year. The most common kind is probably the stork, often seen perched or nesting on minarets. Occasionally an eagle or falcon may soar but smaller species are a little more commonly seen.

Dance
Despite its popularity in expensive tourist hotels and sleazy nightclubs, belly dancing is not strictly Moroccan. Morocco is notable for its wealth of Berber folk dances but those seen in cities are usually poor imitations. Two types of circle dancing, Ahidous and Ahouach, may be seen in the streets or in the kasbahs of the south. The Gnaoua (black acrobatic musicians) are now fairly rare.

Architecture
Some interesting western-style and Art Deco buildings are found in major cities (especially Casablanca) but it is the many fine examples of 12th to 14th century mosques, gateways, minarets and madrasas (colleges) that distinguish Moroccan culture. Traditional buildings, including private houses, were often erected around a central fountained courtyard and elaborately decorated with wood and stucco work, wrought iron and zellij tiles on the inner walls. Many classic buildings bear green-tiled roofs, a hallmark of Andalusian influence. In the south, ochre-coloured multi-storied Berber Ksar (castles) and kasbahs (dignitaries' abodes) are most striking. On the northern plains, grassland-type huts reveal the influence of migrants from West Africa.

Music
Whilst musical traditions owe much to eastern Arab influences, a classical inheritance from Muslim Spain known as the Nawba system is strong. Moroccan wind, string and percussion instruments are typically Arab in nature, though having characteristics of western orchestral instruments. Playing is often accompanied by song and dance. Berber heddaoua (wandering minstrels) provide a musical background to their poetry whilst music is sometimes used as a medium for storytelling. Amongst the modern generation, traditional sounds are often infused with western effects.

Food
The staple food is couscous - steamed semolina with a savoury sauce. Tajine, a meat and vegetable casserole, is also popular but, like couscous, its quality can vary greatly. When in Fès, try pastilla, a pigeon pie baked with nuts and spices in a sugared filo-like pastry. Fresh Portuguese and Spanish style seafood dishes are a speciality of coastal restaurants. Tea (atay) is served in a glass with a sprig of mint (nanaa') and heavily sweetened. Coffee is strong and either "small black" or "large white" with a glass of water. An excellent accompaniment is sfinj - a light, deep-fried doughnut. Fresh fruit juice is common and cheap. Boiled water, coke, beer, wine and spirits are available. Common fruits are oranges, mandarins, grapes, watermelons, dates and, in the south, bananas.

Arts and crafts
For centuries Morocco has enjoyed a reputation for: quality knotted rugs and carpets; fine flat-weave kilims and other wool products; fine pottery; Arab brass and copper ware; heavy silverware and jewellery and traditional leatherware (maroquinerie). Silk and brocade work is increasingly hard to find but jellabas (full-length cotton robes) are popular with visitors. Designs are abstract, geometric and floral, with interlaced motifs regularly repeated. The market now includes many cheap souvenirs, particularly jewellery. Those seeking genuine quality products need to do some homework - and visit craft souks (markets).

Tangier
Tangier is strategically placed on the Straits of Gibraltar. It has been hotly contested and managed by many different powers since Greek times. During the 20th century it became a centre for smuggling illegal immigrants to Europe, drug-running and the manipulation of money markets. It was also a haven for exiles, artists, gays and other oddities, but much of this ended with independence in 1965. Favourite tourist haunts include: museums devoted to Moroccan history and arts; the cliff-top Kasbah; the Medina and "famous foreigner" homes; the budget hotels of Grand Socco Square and upmarket hotels in ville nouvelle. Touts, including the world's most insinuating and aggressive hustlers, abound.

Casablanca
This huge, modern metropolis is Morocco's oldest city, its economic and industrial centre and its main port. The most notable feature is probably the Hassan II Mosque, the biggest in the west. It has a sliding roof, the world's tallest minaret (210m) and holds 100,000 people. Completed in 1993 it is part of an ambitious urban development plan that incorporates a cultural centre and a huge marina. There are few other tourist attractions, though the beach front, with its upmarket hotels, restaurants, bars and night-clubs, is flooded (mainly by Casablancans) in summer. A few good examples of Mauresque (Franco-Moorish) architecture and some striking 1930s art deco buildings could be of interest.

Marrakech
This one-time capital and important Islamic cultural centre now hums with hordes of package tourists. Their focus is Djemma-el-Fna, the square at the heart of the old city. Around it is a labyrinth of twisting alleys and souks. There is the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque, the tallest and most famous landmark in Marrakech, as well as other mosques, palaces, museums and the Saadian Tombs to see. Many enjoy the tranquillity of the city's beautiful gardens.

Fès
Oldest of the imperial cities and long considered the centre of Islamic orthodoxy and culture, Fès is now suffering the pressures of over population. Its ville nouvelle with its chic café-lined avenues stands in stark contrast to the old world areas. Most tourists head for the souks in the 9,400 streets of Fes el-Bali, the original medina, or for the Mellah (old Jewish quarter), houses, palaces, pavilions, medersas, mosques and gardens of Fes el-Jdid.

Published in Travel Africa Edition Ten: Winter 1999/2000 Text is subject to Worldwide Copyright (c)