| Located in northwest Africa, Morocco is bordered
by Algeria to the east, Mauritania to the south, the Western Sahara to
the southwest, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea
to the north. North of Morocco is the eight-kilometre-wide Strait of Gibraltar,
which separates North Africa from Spain and continental Europe. There are
two small Spanish colonies on Moroccan territory, Ceuta and Melilla. They
lie on small peninsulas jutting into the Mediterranean Sea. |
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| Much of Morocco is mountainous. The Rif Mountains
along the Mediterranean coast rise to heights of almost 2,000 metres. To
the south rise the Atlas Mountains: the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas and
the Anti-Atlas ranges. Mount Jebel Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak
at 4,165 metres, is in the High Atlas Mountains. The river valleys between
the mountains are among Morocco’s most fertile areas. South of the mountains
lies the Sahara Desert, which is sparsely populated. |
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Did you know? |
| Marrakesh
is called the "Red City," because of the colour of its buildings, which
were constructed using the red sand found in that region. |
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| The climate varies depending on latitude, altitude
and the distance from the sea, which has a cooling effect. Temperatures
are moderate along the coast and more extreme inland. The mountains have
cold snowy winters and warm summers. The lowland areas are very hot in
the summer, and cold and damp in the winter. The Atlas Mountains prevent
the movement of moist winds from the Atlantic, thereby creating desert
conditions in the south. The Sahara receives little rainfall. |
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| Olive trees and eucalyptus grow on the plains,
evergreen oaks in the mountainous areas. Aromatic herbs, patches of coarse
grass, stunted bushes and date palms grow in the arid regions of the country.
Lizards, chameleons, and snakes inhabit the dry regions. "Sand fish" or
Berber skink, camouflaged by their yellow-brown colour, move through the
sand the way fish move through water. Monkeys, commonly called Barbary
apes, live in the mountains. These monkeys are unique because of their
ability to live in snowy regions. |
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