Vincent, F4BKV will be active from Morocco 13- 19 December 2014 as CN2KV.
He will operate on HF bands SSB.
QSL via home call.
The amazing kingdom of Morocco
Morocco is located in the Maghreb region, North Africa. It is a country with great wonders and spectacular sceneries to behold. The country is characterized by a mountainous interior that is quite rugged. There are also large desert portions within the country and it is this that makes it so interesting. It enjoys the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coastlines just like France and Spain. Other alternate names used to refer to Morocco are Al-Maghrib and al-Mamlakah al Maghribiyah. The words mean the western kingdom in interpretation. The population of this great country stands at 33 million and has an area of 446,550 square kilometers. The political capital is Rabat but the largest city in Morocco is actually Casablanca. Other notable cities in Morocco include:
- Nador
- Kenitra
- Oujda
- Meknes
- Agadir
- Fes
- Sale
- Tetouan
- Tangier
- Marrakesh
The country of Morocco is a very prominent regional power and its history of independence is very unique compared to the countries that border it. The culture is distinct and blends different influences including:
- European
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Indigenous Berber
- Arab
The Geography of Morocco
Morocco is one of the most stunning countries in the world. The Atlantic Ocean coastline reaches way past strait of Gibraltar and onto the Mediterranean Sea. It is a country bordered by Algeria to the east, Spain to the north, and the Western Sahara to the south. Morocco controls the greater part of Western Sahara and de facto borders to the south is Mauritania.
The boundaries that are recognized internationally are between 27 and 36 degrees north in latitude, and the longitudes are 1 and 14 degrees west.
The country's geography is quite vast as it spans from Atlantic Ocean, to the mountains, and on to the Sahara. A greater part of this country is actually mountainous. It is here that the atlas and Rif Mountains are located. In these ranges, the Berber people are most dominant. The Moroccan border to Algeria is non-functional having been closed in the year 1994. There is a Spanish territory in North Africa that neighbor’s Morocco.
A greater part of the country's south east is covered by the Sahara desert. Here the population is very sparse as the land has very little economic use. The greater population of the country lives in the northern part of the mountains. Western Sahara used to be a colony of Spain but was annexed to Morocco in the year 1975.
The capital of Morocco is Rabat but the largest city and the main port remains Casablanca. The code used by ISO to represent Morocco is MA and the code was used for the internet domain for the country.
Climate within Morocco
The climate in Morocco is Mediterranean to the northern areas and also west of the atlas. The climate becomes more extreme as one approaches the interior regions. The terrain is also very interesting the coastal plains are quite rich and they are the backbone for agricultural activities especially the northern parts. The forest cover in Morocco is about 12%. The arable lands are 18% while the irrigated lands stand at 5%. In middle atlas, climates are different. There is Mediterranean where is more humid and has fresher variants, maritime temperature which has the same trait, and allows different cedars. Junipers, moss carpets, and oak species to thrive. Many other plants thrive here too and they form very rich and extensive cloud forests.
As you move east of atlas, the climate changes because of the barrier. It becomes warm and dry over summer most especially on the valleys and lowlands that face the Sahara. It is here that the Sahara begins and it is very visible. At Draa valley, there are oases, rocky desert landscapes as well as sand dunes.
The biodiversity enjoyed by Morocco
Morocco is one of the countries that are well known for biodiversity. Avifauna is by far the most notable. This includes up to 454 species and five were introduced by man. There are 156 which are accidentally or rarely seen.
The Barbary lion which was hunted in the wild and got extinct was actually a Moroccan native sub-species. The last of these was shot in the atlas back in 1922. Other primary predators in northern Africa are the Barbary leopard and the atlas bear. The atlas bear is extinct while the leopard is endangered.
Tourism and the Moroccan economy
One of the most important sectors in Morocco is most definitely tourism. It is very well developed and the industry focuses on history, culture and the coast. In 2013, over 10 million tourists visited Morocco. It is also the second largest earner of foreign exchange coming after the phosphate industry.
Tourism development is being heavily invested in by the government. Their vision 2020 plans to take Morocco to the rank of top 20 tour destinations in the world. They aim at doubling the annual number of international visitors to reach the 20 million mark. Tourism is aimed to rise up to 20% of the GDP. Government sponsored marketing campaigns are aimed to attract even more visitors. They advertise the country as an exotic, cheap and very safe destination for tourists. The larger numbers of tourists are from Europe with French making the greatest percentage of visitors.
The high number of tourists that visit the country can be attributed by its great location. It is very close to Europe and thus people are attracted to the beaches. Its proximity to Spain makes it possible for the Spaniards to take short trips to the country. With the establishment of air services between Algeria and Morocco, many Algerians have been able to travel there so as to visit family and friends and also to shop. The inflation and devaluation of the dirham has made Morocco inexpensive, and easy to visit for a tourist. The road and rail infrastructure is great and this forms that important link to cities and many tour destinations.
Tourism in Morocco focuses on the culture like the ancient cities that are located here. The industry has greatly capitalized on ancient Islamic and roman sites. It also focuses on the cultural history and landscape. There is a lot to see and do if one gets the chance to visit the country.
Video Morocco