| Morocco Country Facts Quick Jumps: Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications and Transport Transnational Issues |
See also: Morocco News Articles Morocco Web Directory |
|
Location:
|
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
32 00 N, 5 00 W |
|
Map references:
|
Africa |
|
Area:
|
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly larger than California |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,835 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
|
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior |
|
Terrain:
|
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 20.12%
permanent crops: 2.05% other: 77.83% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
12,910 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts |
|
Environment - current 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 |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar |
© Copyright 2007 John Ross
Mediterranean Blue is Back!
