II.

Land and Resources

Morocco has the broadest plains and the highest mountains in North Africa. The country has four main physiographic regions: an area of highlands, called Er Rif, paralleling the Mediterranean coast; the Atlas Mountains, extending across the country in a south-western to north-eastern direction between the Atlantic Ocean and Er Rif, from which the mountains are separated by the Taza Depression; a region of broad coastal plains along the Atlantic Ocean, framed in the arc formed by Er Rif and the Atlas Mountains; and the plains and valleys south of the Atlas Mountains, which merge with the Sahara along the south-eastern borders of the country. Most Moroccans inhabit the Atlantic coastal plain. The highest mountain is Toubkal (4,165 m/13,665 ft), in the Grand Atlas range. Elevations in Er Rif attain heights of about 2,440 m (8,000 ft).

A.

Rivers and Lakes

Morocco has many rivers, which, although unimportant for navigation, are used for irrigation and for generating electric power. The chief rivers are the Moulouya, which drains into the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sebou, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

B.

Climate

Along the Mediterranean coast, Morocco has a subtropical climate, tempered by oceanic influences that give the coastal cities moderate temperatures. At Essaouira (Mogador), for example, temperatures average 16.4° C (61.5° F) in January and 22.5° C (72.5° F) in August. Towards the interior, winters are colder and summers warmer. Thus, in Fès the mean temperature is 10° C (50° F) in January and 26.9° C (80.5° F) in August. At high altitudes temperatures of below -17.8° C (0° F) are not uncommon, and mountain peaks are covered with snow for most of the year. Rain falls mainly during the winter months. Precipitation is heaviest in the north-west and lightest in the east and south. The average annual precipitation is about 955 mm (37y in) in Tangier, 430 mm (17 in) in Casablanca, 280 mm (11 in) in Essaouira, and less than 102 mm (4 in) in the Sahara.

C.

Natural Resources

Morocco’s resources are primarily agricultural, but mineral resources are also significant. Among the latter the most important is phosphate rock, of which Morocco has 75 per cent of world reserves; other minerals include coal, cobalt, iron, lead, manganese, petroleum, silver, tin, and zinc.

The soils along the coast of Morocco are halomorphic and humus-carbonate; inland areas have podzolic and steppe soils. The southern part of the country is mainly desert.

D.

Plants and Animals

The mountainous regions of Morocco contain extensive areas of forest, including large stands of cork oak, evergreen oak, juniper, cedar, fir, and pine. Except for areas under cultivation, the plains are usually covered with scrub brush and alfalfa grass. On the plain of Sous, near the southern border, is a large forest of argan, a kind of thorny tree found principally in Morocco.

Moroccan wildlife represents a mingling of European and African species. Of the animals characteristic of Europe, the fox, rabbit, otter, and squirrel abound; of predominantly African types, the gazelle, wild boar, panther, baboon, wild goat, and horned viper are common.

E.

Environmental Concerns

Population pressures are leading to soil erosion and desertification, as marginal lands are farmed and ground cover is destroyed by overgrazing. Morocco has a low rate of deforestation relative to other African countries, however, with only 0.3 per cent (1990-1996) of its forests destroyed each year. Forests cover 8.6 per cent (1995) of the country's area.

Morocco irrigates 2.8 per cent of its land (1997)—one of the highest percentages in Africa. The country uses more than 90 per cent of its fresh water for agricultural production. Available drinking water has been further limited by pollution of freshwater sources with raw sewage and industrial waste. Periodic droughts contribute to water shortages in some areas of the country, and the problem of water scarcity is expected to worsen as Morocco's population continues to grow.

Reserves and national parks cover 0.7 per cent of Morocco's total land area (1997). The country is home to 39 threatened animal species. The government has ratified international agreements protecting biodiversity, endangered species, wetlands, and the ozone layer. The country has also signed treaties limiting hazardous waste, marine dumping, and nuclear testing. Morocco is party to the World Heritage Convention and participates in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Man and the Biosphere Program.