Morocco GeographyGeography of MoroccoMorocco is the northwesternmost country which spans from the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean on the north and the west respectively, into large mountainous areas in the interior, to the Sahara desert in the far south. Morocco is a Northern African country, located in the extreme northwest of Africa on the edge of continental Europe. The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco with a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) span of water. Morocco borders the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the western Mediterranean Sea to the north, and has borders with Algeria and disputed Western Sahara. The terrain of Morocco is largely mountainous. The Atlas Mountains stretch from the central north to the southwest. It expands to about 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) and is the dorsal spine of the country. To the north of the Atlas Mountains, there are the Rif Mountains, a chain that makes part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia, Spain. The massive range expands to about 250 kilometres (160 mi) from Tangier in the west to Nador eastward. In the west of the country, along the Atlantic coast, the Moroccan Plateau stretches from Tangier to Lagouira, about 2,310 kilometres (1,440 mi) long, and get inward to Saiss Plains near Fes and Tansift-Alhaouz near Marrakech. These vast plains promotes fertile agricultural lands and support 15% of the local economy. In the extreme southeast of the country, the lands are arid due to their proximity to the Sahara Desert. Palm trees oasis are developed in many regions, notably in Figuig and Zagora. Morocco Geography Statistics Morocco Coordinates: 32°00′N 5°00′W Morocco Total Area: 446,550 km² (excluding Western Sahara), 712,550 km² (Morocco and Western Sahara combined) Morocco Land Area: 446,302 km² (or 712,200 km²) Morocco Water Area: 250 km² Morocco Area Comparative: Morocco without Western Sahara is slightly larger than California, slightly larger than Newfoundland and Labrador, slightly more than half the size of New South Wales province of Australia, slightly less than twice the size of the United Kingdom.
Morocco Land Boundaries with Border Countries: Algeria 1 559 km, Free Zone (de facto border along the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall) 2200 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km Morocco Coastline: 1835 km Morocco Coastline Including the Coast of Western Sahara: 2945 km () Morocco Maritime Territorial Sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km, 13.8 mi) Morocco Maritime Contiguous Zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km, 27.6 mi) Morocco Maritime Exclusive Economic Zone: 575,230 km2 (222,100 sq mi) with 200 nmi (370.4 km) Morocco Martime Continental Shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Morocco's Climate Morocco's climate can be divided into two parts: The northwest and the southeast. In the southeast, the climate is arid and poorly populated. The northwest has a mild climate, and 95% of the Moroccan population lives in these regions. The largely populated areas of the northwest of the country mostly have a Mediterranean climate, but since the country is heavily mountainous, continental and alpine influence is evident, as well as the oceanic influence along the Atlantic coastline. And finally, the semi-arid lands, that cover few regions in the northeast, the central-south, and the southwest. Along the Mediterranean coast, the climate is typically Mediterranean and supports all types of typical Mediterranean vegetation. The summers are moderately hot and the winters are mild. Further away from the coast, into the Rif Mountain range, the climate starts to become more continental in character, with colder winters and hotter summers. At elevations above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the climate is alpine with warm summers and cold winters. Rainfall is much higher on the west side than it is on the east side. The average annual precipitation is between 600 and 1,500 mm (24 and 59 in), and 300 and 700 mm (12 and 28 in) respectively. Snow is abundant at higher elevations.
Morocco Physical Geography The northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains. The northern mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes. Morocco occupies a strategic location along the Strait of Gibraltar, the waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Morocco Elevation Extremes Lowest Point: Sebkha Tah −55 m Morocco Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Toubkal mountain 4,165 m Morocco Longest River: Draa River (1,100 km) Morocco Land Use and Natural Resources Morocco Natural Resources: Phosphates, Iron ore, Manganese, Lead, Zinc, Fish, Salt Morocco Land Use Arable Land: 17.5% Morocco Land Use Permanent Crops: 2.9% Morocco Land Use Permanent Pastures: 47.1% Morocco Land Use Forests: 11.5% Morocco Land Use Other: 21.61% (2011) Morocco Land Use Irrigated Land: 14,850 km² (2004) Morocco Land Use Total Renewable Water Resources: 29 km3 (2011) Morocco Land Use Natural Hazards: periodic droughts Morocco Environment - Eco-regions Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub
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