Fast Facts

Fast Facts

• Capital : Rabat
• Country Code : 212
• Population : 33,757,175
• Time : All year round all of Morocco is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) the same time as Britain in winter, one hour behind in summer.

Overview

Morocco is an exciting country, a land of sensations, flavours and happiness. So close to Spain yet a world apart, Morocco is a unique and wonderful country that is continuing to dazzle more and more visitors every year. Morocco has ideal weather, beautiful beaches and its close proximity to the UK, just three hours flight time, makes it the ideal holiday destination.

Morocco is located on the north western tip of Africa and it has a unique culture different to all other countries in Africa. Separated from the rest of the continent by the towering Atlas Mountains and by the Sahara, its climate, geography and history are more closely related to the Mediterranean than the rest of Africa. In the north, its fine beaches, lush highland valleys and evocative old cities reinforce this familiar, yet exotic impressions.

Morocco has a rich cultural heritage with over 300 listed sites including archaeological sites and seven World Heritage Sites including:

• The Medina of Fes (1981)
• The Medina of Marrakesh (1985)
• Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou (1987)
• The Historic City of Meknes (1996)
• The Archelogical Site of Volubilis (1997)
• The Medina of Tetouan (1997)
• The Medina of Essouira (2001)

Climate

The north of Morocco enjoys a wonderful average temperature of 29°C during the summer and a balmy 18°C in the winter. The climate is reliably dry all year round, with the period between October and April providing welcome winter sun.

The coast of Morocco experiences slightly chillier weather with fresh sea breezes during the winter seasons. Desert summers are extremely hot.

Language

Arabic is the main language however French and English are widely spoken.

Money

The unit of currency is the Moroccan dirham (DH), divided into 100 centimes. Coins go up to 5 DH. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 10, 50, 100 and 200 DH.

£1 = 16.2 MAD (Morocan Dirham)
1 euro = 11.21 MAD (Moroccan Dirham)

The import and export of local currency is prohibited. You must convert your currency before departure, and be aware that Irish and Scottish banknotes are not accepted in Morocco.
When changing money you must show your passport so remember to take it with you to the bank. Major credit cards are accepted in most restaurants.

Banks open Monday to Friday from 8.15 to 11.30 a.m. and again from 2.15 to 4 p.m. In summer, though, they operate non-stop from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. And during the holy month of Ramadan the schedule is 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many banks now have ATMs.

Visas

To travel to Morocco most UK citizens just need a valid passport. Tourists need to fill in a form when entering the country and the entry entitles 90 days at a time.

Religion

The religion in Morocco is Muslim. If you are non -Muslim you will not be allowed to enter the prayer halls of mosques in Morocco.