Morocco is a corruption of the Arabic name Al Maghreb Al Aqsa which means the land of the setting sun, referring to its position in the extreme West of the Arab countries. It covers a surface area of 710.000 km2, bordered by the Mediterranean sea from the north and the Atlantic ocean from the west . It is only a few miles across the strait of Gibraltar from Spain and a 3-hour flight from Britain, yet it is a very different world from that of Europe.

​Morocco has a turbulent history with a succession of invasions, revolutions and dynastic crises. Throughout time from prehistory until independence from the French protectorate, it has inherited a mix of cultures and a fusion of architectures and lifestyles.

​Islam is the country's predominant religion with a minority of Jewish and Christian communities. The population is estimated to about 32 million, 70% of which is of Berber origin and the rest is of Arab ethnicity. However, Arabic has become the official language since the Arab’s took over in the early 9th century, while Berber or Tamazight remained as a spoken language only until the last two decades when it became academically programmed and taught at  schools. Whereas French and Spanish, introduced to the country during protectorate are still common as foreign languages.

​Morocco is a land of mountains, the Atlas Mountains stretching over 700 km across the country from the northeast to the southwest; its highest peaks culminate 4000m including Toubkal, (4167m) the highest in North Africa. This giant range divides the country into two different parts: a fertile side with farming lands and manufacturing sites in the north-west and a dry desert in the south-east.

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The diversity of natural resources and the fascinating mix of cultures highlight Morocco as an increasingly popular not to be missed destination.