Morocco

Rabat serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Morocco, positioned in Northern Africa. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Rabat is Morocco's political capital but Marrakech is its emotional one — a city whose medina functions as a living 11th-century city plan, its souks of leatherwork, carpets, and spices organised by trade exactly as they were in 1070, and its Djemaa el-Fna square transforming each evening from a market to a stage for storytellers, musicians, and acrobats.

With a population of approximately 37.1M, Morocco is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The principal languages spoken are Arabic, Berber, French, which reflect the country's cultural heritage and open doors to a wide international community. Internationally, Morocco is reached via the dialling code +212. Moroccan identity synthesises Berber (Amazigh) indigenous culture, Arab Islamic tradition, and French and Spanish colonial influences into a distinctly North African synthesis — the revival of the Amazigh language and its addition to the Moroccan constitution in 2011 representing a delayed recognition of the pre-Arab heritage that persists in Berber villages of the Atlas Mountains and Saharan south.

Morocco spans 446,550 km², in the Northern Africa subregion of Africa. Geographically centred around 32.0°N, 5.0°W, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Africa convention.

The official currency is the Moroccan dirham (د.م.), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Morocco's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

The emblematic dish of Morocco is Tagine. Tagine — a slow-cooked stew in a conical clay vessel that self-bastes meat and vegetables with condensed steam — is less a specific recipe than a cooking method producing hundreds of variations from lamb with preserved lemon and olives to chicken with apricots and almonds, each recipe reflecting the regional traditions of the cook's family home.

Football holds a special place in the heart of Morocco's national identity. Football is Morocco's primary passion, but the national team's 2022 World Cup semi-final run — the first by any African nation, achieved with victories over Spain and Portugal — generated a response from the Moroccan diaspora across Europe that reminded host cities of the density of North African immigrant communities whose football loyalty to the Atlas Lions had never found a stage this large.

The highest point in Morocco is Toubkal, rising to 4,167 metres above sea level. Toubkal at 4,167 metres is the highest peak in North Africa and the Arab world, reached by a two-day trek from the village of Imlil through Berber villages where hospitality includes the same mint tea protocol that operates in Marrakech hotels — a summit whose snow-capped winter silhouette is visible from Marrakech's palm-lined boulevards on clear days.