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 13 km 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 1350 km 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 km 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 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.

Geography statistics

Coordinates: Coordinates: 32°N, -5°W Area: total: 446,550 km² land: 446,302 km² (or 712,200 km²) water: 250 km² Area – comparative: Morocco 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. Land boundaries: total: 2,018.9 km border countries: Algeria 1 559 km, Western Sahara 444 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km Coastline: 1835 km Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nmi Contiguous zone: 24 nmi Exclusive economic zone: 575,230 km2 with 200 nmi 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 1000 m, 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 1500 mm, and 300 and 700 mm respectively. Snow is abundant at higher elevations. Along the Atlantic coast, the climate is the Mediterranean with oceanic influence. The imprint of the oceanic climate differs along the coastline from region to region. It is generally presented 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 1000 m, the climate is typically alpine, with warm summers and cold winters. Rainfall is generally high. The average annual precipitations is between 500 and 1800 mm on the north, but as you move southward, the average drops by about 100 to 200 mm. 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. The southern regions of the northwest are semi-arid. Rainfall is lower, and is between 250 and 350 mm 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 (1,100 km)

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% (2011) Irrigated land: 14,850 km² (2004) Total renewable water resources: 29 km3 (2011) Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment

Ecoregions

Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub

Temperate coniferous forests

Montane grasslands and shrublands

Deserts and xeric shrublands

Freshwater ecoregions

Marine ecoregions

Current environmental issues

Land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); 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 (MARPOL 73/78), 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.