Maroc in brief

Destination Maroc, a Nations Online country profile of the Arab kingdom in the western part of the Maghreb in North Africa, officially known as the Kingdom of Maroc.

The country borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west, the Mediterranean Sea in the north; it shares maritime borders with Portugal and Spain.

Maroc borders Algeria in the east and Western Sahara in the south. The non-self-governing territory, claimed by Maroc, borders Mauritania in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara.

Maroc has a land border with Spain at the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the two populated Spanish territories on the African mainland.

The kingdom covers an area of 446,550 km² (excluding Western Sahara); compared, it is slightly smaller than Sweden or somewhat larger than California.

The country has a population of 36.3 million (in 2021); the capital city is Rabat, the largest city is Casablanca. Spoken languages are Arabic (official), several Berber dialects (Amazigh) and French.

Sports in Maroc

Football Like many countries, Maroc’s most popular sport is football. In fact, football is so important to the country that Maroc has now made five bids to host the Fifa World Cup. So far those bids have been unsuccessful, but they are trying again for 2030. But if you’re not planning your holidays that far ahead, what football can you see in Maroc today? Botola Pro is the professional football league for Maroc, home to 16 teams competing for the title. This league is the most-watched in Africa, broadcasting to an audience of around two billion people across 153 territories. Two of the top teams in Botola Pro to look out for are the current champions and runners up, Wydad AC and Raja Casablanca respectively.

Hiking and Trekking

In Maroc, the four mountain ranges including the ATLAS chain and the RIF mountain range, provide an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy trekking, hiking and climbing. All of them are accessible to people in good physical condition. Perhaps the most popular is Le Deren, in the High Atlas. Certain peaks of the High Atlas remain snow-capped throughout the year.
Of all the mountain sports practiced in Maroc, trekking (on foot or by ski) is one of the best ways to appreciate this vast and little-visited area. The mountains are beautiful and wild, yet they are well organised for hikers with qualified guides, a good network of refuges for night stopovers, hire of pack mules and cross country bikes

Golf

Golf was first introduced into Maroc at the beginning of the century - even before football - and has since become a national passion In Maroc. Major competitions attract golfers from all over the world, the most famous being the annual Hassan II Trophy is played at Royal Golf club, Dar Es-Salam at Rabat.
Golf enthusiasts can enjoy excellent courses in Tangier, Cabo Negro, Fez, Meknes, Ben Slimane, Mohammedia, Casablanca, El Jadida, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Agadir, and Rabat.

Tennis

In Maroc, tennis is played on clay courts. Challenging and exciting play can be found at all major resorts where tennis is a very popular sport.

Motorsports

Maroc plays host to some of the greatest international competitions; including the Paris-Dakar and Atlas Rallies. There are thousands of kilometres of tracks giving enthusiasts a wide selection of challenges. You can choose from tiny "quad" to the heavy long chassis four wheel drive, with or without driver. Contact a travel agent or a car hire company.
"The Friendship Raid" is open to motor bikes and found wheel drives, running from Tangier to Rabat and crossing the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. It is not against the clock and it is an ideal opportunity to meet and get to know other like-minded people.