Geography of Morocco


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 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 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 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 Essaouira and get inward to Saiss Plains near Fez and Tansift-Alhaouz near Marrakesh. 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.

Geography statistics

Area:
total:
446,550 km²
land:
446,302 km²
water:
250 km²
Land boundaries:
total:
2,018.9 km
border countries:
Algeria 1 559 km, Western Sahara 444 km, Spain 6.3 km, Spain 9.6 km
Coastline:
1835 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea:
Contiguous zone:
Exclusive economic zone:
with
Continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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, 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, and respectively. Snow is abundant at higher elevations.
  1. Typical Mediterranean climate cities: Tangier, Tétouan, Al Hoceima, Nador
  2. Typical continental-influenced cities: Chefchaouen, Issaguen, Targuist, Taza
  3. Typical alpine-influenced cities: Bab Berred
Along the Atlantic coast, the climate is Mediterranean with oceanic influence. The imprint of the oceanic climate differs along the coastline from region to region. It is generally present from Asilah to Essaouira. The summers are warm to moderately hot, and winters are cooler than on the Mediterranean coast. Further away from the coastal lands, into the Atlas Mountain range, the climate starts to become more continental in character, with colder winters and hotter summers. At elevations above, the climate is typically alpine, with warm summers and cold winters. Rainfall is generally high. The average annual precipitations is between on the north, but as you move southward, the average drops by about. Snow is abundant at higher elevations. There are two ski stations, one in the middle-Atlas Mischliffen, and the other in the High-Atlas Oukaïmeden.
  1. Typical oceanic-influenced cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Essaouira, Larache
  2. Typical continental-influenced cities: Fez, Meknès, Khenifra, Beni Mellal
  3. Typical alpine-influenced cities: Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt, Imouzzer Kandar
The southern regions of the northwest are semi-arid. Rainfall is lower, and is between annually. Although temperature ranges generally do not change in comparison with the upper provinces, a slight increase in high averages is not to be dismissed. Largely due to the lower latitudes where they fall.
Typical cities with such climate are Agadir and Marrakesh.

Climate change

As of 2020, Morocco has been hit with unseasonal heatwaves.

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.
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point:
Sebkha Tah −55 m
Highest point:
Toubkal mountain 4,165 m
Longest river: Draa River

Land use and natural resources

Natural resources:
Phosphates, Iron ore, Manganese, Lead, Zinc, Fish, Salt
Land use:
Arable land:
17.5%
Permanent crops:
2.9%
Permanent pastures:
47.1%
Forests:
11.5%
Other:
21.61%
Irrigated land:
14,850 km²
Total renewable water resources:
29 km3
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment

Ecoregions

[Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub]

Land degradation/desertification ; water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters.

International environmental agreements

Morocco is party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Morocco, the points that are farther north, east or west than any other location.