The Morocco – or Kingdom of Morocco – is an Arab country located in the northern portion of the continent, in the North Africa region. Its borders are bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the Mediterranean Sea to the north; through Algeria, to the east and southeast; and Western Sahara to the south. Its territorial area is 446,500 km², where almost 33 million people live.
The Moroccan political system is monarchical, led by the current king Mohamed VI. Like other Arab countries in North Africa, Morocco was also affected by what was known as the Arab Spring , a wave of protests and revolutions that marked most countries in the region as of 2011. However, unlike other countries (such as Libya and Egypt), in which the dictators harshly repressed the demonstrators and ended up being deposed, the monarchy adopted a mild tone of dialogue and political reforms to calm the spirits of the population, in what became known as the Moroccan exception .
The physical geography of Morocco is similar to that of most of North Africa, with a predominantly mountainous relief, with emphasis on the Rif and Atlas , two mountain ranges with high average altitudes – the latter reaches 4065 meters above sea level. sea at Monte Tubkal .
This country has two main climatic types: the Mediterranean climate, with humid winter and dry summer in the north, and the semi-arid climate in the south. In mountainous regions, temperatures remain below the national average, due to the effects of altitude on the climate.
Moroco Flag
The flag of Morocco is all red with a green pentagram in the middle. The present Moroccan flag was first established with the Alawite Dynasty in the 17th century. The Alawite Dynasty is the current Moroccan royal family. Sharif ibn Ali became Prince of Tafilalet in 1631. His son Mulay Al-Rashid managed to unite and pacify the country. Morocco then maintained the original design and colors of the flag after gaining independence from France and Spain in 1956. The meaning of the flag of Morocco is very interesting, and we will learn on this page a little more about this subject of the culture of Morocco .
Meaning of the Moroccan flag
- The official name of Morocco is «Kingdom of Morocco».
- The red symbolizes the descent of the Prophet Muhammad’s royal family. (meaning flag of Morocco vs. religion and royal house).
- The five-pointed green pentagram is the Jewish symbol corresponding to the “Seal of Solomon” that first appeared on the flag of Morocco in 1915.
- As for the color green, it is a symbol of the descendants of the prophet. That is why this color was and remains used today by the Sufi brotherhoods.
- The flag was adopted by Sultan Youssef Ben Hassan on 17 November 1915 as the official flag of Morocco.
- The red flag with the green star is considered to be a strong political symbol.
- Moroccans, however, know very little about the history and symbolism of their flag .
The Moroccan flag has been used by the national movement since the early 1930s and has ended up having a primary place in all anti-colonial demonstrations and official occasions in the country. This nationalist situation led Mohammed V to adopt it definitively in 1947, when he ordered to hoist it in one of the pavilions of his palace in Rabat .
In the economy, agriculture plays an important role, as it does in most African countries. However, in terms of exports, the main products are electrical machinery, followed by clothing, fertilizers and salt. The majority of the population (about 57%) lives in urban areas, showing the rural exodus process currently underway in the country, largely due to the recent industrialization process.
Food in Morocco
There are those who love and hate. The truth is that Moroccan food has its own identity and, therefore, generates such different reactions.
Those who love fall in love with couscous , tagine and harira , all very well seasoned. The table always accompanied by a typical mint tea with sugar – lots of sugar. Moroccan breads and huge olives increase travelers’ curiosity and perfectly complement any meal. And, at dessert time, there is no one who can resist the delicious Moroccan sweets .
Outside the areas of the Medinas, the big cities also offer good options for those who miss a more familiar menu. There are networks fast food chains scattered all over the place and many European and North American restaurants. In Casablanca, for example, it is easy to find local snack bars serving pizza and pasta accompanied by breaded chicken.
Climate
Expect heat during the day and cold at night, regardless of the time of year – the great thermal amplitude is typical of desert regions. Despite this, temperatures can vary widely across the country and, while it is stiflingly hot in some areas, other cities may experience mild temperatures. One tip is to avoid traveling to Morocco in the summer months (between June and September), when temperatures can be very high.