Morocco facts

In Morocco. The Berber language is ancient and has 2200 years of written tradition. In 2011 Berber became a constitutionally official language of Morocco, after years of persecution (under the policy of Arabization). There is a movement among speakers of the closely related varieties of Northern Berber to unite them under a standard language.

Rabat. In 16th-18th centuries, Rabat was a reputed corsair haven. The city served as one of the many ports in North Africa for the Barbary pirates. Photo: Tour Hassan (1195), a classic example of Almohad art.

Around 14 km. The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa by 7.7 nautical miles (14.3 km) at the strait's narrowest point. Ferries cross between the two continents every day in as little as 35 minutes.

Draa River. The River Draa is the longest in Morocco and stretches for 684 miles. The river flows from the Atlas in Central Morocco towards the southeast side, and the upper parts of the river are dry. During the ancient times, this river crossed the desert to join the Atlantic, providing water for many people.

Casablanca. The largest cities in Morocco: Casablanca (3.4 million), Fez (1.1 million), Tangier (0.9 million) and Marrakesh (0.9 million).

Alboran Sea. The Alboran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the sea is derived from the small Alboran Island in the middle of the sea. The island is named after a Tunisian pirate, Al Borani, who had a base on the island in the 16th century.

In 2002. The Perejil Island crisis was a bloodless armed conflict between Spain and Morocco that took place on 11–20 July 2002. The incident took place over the small, uninhabited Perejil Island (literally means "Parsley Island"), when a squad of the Royal Moroccan Navy occupied it. Navy and aviation units participated in the operation.