Morocco is the tantalising lower lip on the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, a Muslim land so rich in mystique it seems to hover like a magic carpet somewhere between myth and reality. Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh...just the names of these cities and towns should stir a hint of spice in the nostrils of the most geographically challenged. Many Moroccan destinations have been mythologised, and for good reason, but the more jaded traveller may well moan about the extinction of the 'real' Morocco. Still others will extol the country's unique living history, its shimmering light, its art. The truth lies somewhere in between.
Morocco is the ideal starting point for the traveller to Africa. An easy hop from Europe, it can be a friendly, hectic and stimulating place to get around in. Open-air markets throughout the country are piled high with rugs, woodwork, and jewellery. The country's prime produce (if you don't count the hashish) is leather - said to be the softest in the world.

Full country name: Kingdom of Morocco
Area: 447,000 sq km
Population: 29 million
Capital city: Rabat
People: 55% Arab, 44% Berber, 0.7% foreigners
Languages: Arabic (officially) with Berber dialects, as well as French, Spanish and English.
Religion: 98% Muslim, 1% Christian, 1% Jew
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Major industries: Agriculture, manufacturing, fishing, tourism
Major trading partners: EU, US, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil

Facts for the Traveler
Visas: All visitors require a passport. Citizens of the UK, EU, US, Australia and New Zealand do not need visas. Three-month visitor's stamps can be extended by Immigration or Bureau des Etrangers in most large towns.
Health risks: Malaria lurks in the northern coastal reaches of Morocco, but generally the country is one of Africa's least daunting healthwise. Medical treatment, however, can be very expensive.
Time: GMT/UTC
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz (110V in some older places)
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go
On the coast the weather is tourist-friendly pretty much all year round, although winter can bring cool and wet conditions in the north. In the lowlands, the cooler months from October to April are popular among visitors. This time of year is pleasantly warm to hot (around 30°C) during the day and cool to cold (around 15°C) at night. Winter in the higher regions demands some serious insulation. If you're heading into the hills, the ski season usually lasts from December to March. For most trekking trips you should book in the high season (June 15 to September 15) or you may find areas full.

Events
This is one of those religious frontiers where orthodoxy and local custom have met and compromised. The veneration of saints is frowned on by the orthodox Sunni Muslims but Islam, like Christianity, is made up of many sects and such festivals continue. It's worth asking around for details of festival dates because many don't take place at any fixed time in the western calendar.
Around May there's the Mousseum of Sidi Mohammed M'a al-Anim, an occasion to see the 'blue people' (Moors of the Sahara) and the commercial gathering of tribes. The National Folklore Festival of Marrakesh is a 10-day tourist event well worth attending for the dancers, musicians and other entertainers from around the country. In October, the little Northern town of Erfoud hosts a festival in honour of the quintessential desert fruit, the date. Independence Day, one of five national secular holidays, is celebrated on 18 November.