Famous landmarks in Morocco

Morocco is a country in the northwest corner of Africa, with coasts on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. At the Strait of Gibraltar it lies only about 14 kilometres from Spain. Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco also administers most of Western Sahara, a territory whose status is disputed. It is known for the Atlas Mountains, Sahara dunes, busy old medinas and markets, colourful tilework, mint tea and tagine stews.

On My Earth Toy you can visit the blue town of Chefchaouen, the earthen fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, the Hassan II Mosque by the sea in Casablanca, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, Marrakesh's Koutoubia Mosque, the Erg Chebbi dunes and the Kasbah of the Udayas. Look for the Barbary macaque and discover the Jardin Majorelle.

Geography and nature

Several mountain ranges cross Morocco: the Rif in the north and the Middle, High and Anti-Atlas further south. Jebel Toubkal, at 4,165 metres, is the highest peak in North Africa. South and east of the mountains, the land turns to the Sahara, with giant sand dunes such as Erg Chebbi. In the southwest grow argan trees, where goats sometimes climb into the branches to eat the fruit. Cedar forests in the Middle Atlas are home to the Barbary macaque.

People, languages and culture

Arabic and Tamazight, the Amazigh (Berber) language, are both official, and most people speak Moroccan Arabic, called Darija; French is widely used in business. Nearly all Moroccans are Muslim. Old cities such as Fes and Marrakesh have walled medinas with winding alleys, markets called souks, and buildings decorated with zellij, mosaics of small cut tiles. Couscous is often eaten on Fridays with family, and sweet mint tea is poured from high above the glass to make it frothy. Gnawa music is listed by UNESCO.

History in a nutshell

Amazigh peoples have lived here for thousands of years. Phoenicians and Carthaginians set up trading posts, and the Romans built cities such as Volubilis. Arab armies brought Islam in the 7th century, and in 788 the Idrisid dynasty founded the first Moroccan Islamic state. Later dynasties such as the Almoravids and Almohads ruled lands from Spain to the Sahara. The Alaouite dynasty has ruled since the 17th century. France and Spain set up protectorates in 1912, and Morocco became independent on 2 March 1956.