Airport
Casablanca - The Mohammed V Airport is located 30km (19 miles) south of the city (travel time – 35 minutes). Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop (closed after last arrival), post office, banking and bureau de change facilities (open 24 hours), restaurant and bar (0800-2300) and car hire (Avis, Hertz and Europcar). There are taxi services into Casablanca and train services available to Rabat. , Airport Code:CMN ., - distance Here, some 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and downtown Casablanca.

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

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Currency
Dirham (App. 9 Dirhams per Dollar)
1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
1 DH = 0.10 Euro 1 DH = 0.08 Us Dollar (June 2001)
importation and exportation of dirham are not allowed.

Credit Cards
Majors credit cards accepted in all the country. You'll find distributors in the majors cities and international hotels

Tipping
Service charges are usually included in hotel bills, it is customary to tip hairdressers & waiters between MAD 1-2.

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Useful Numbers
International Area Code: 212
Police 19
Fire/Ambulance 15
Permanence accidents de la circulation 044-43-07-99

Electricity
220/110V AC 50HZ

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Health Risks
Morocco is quite safe from a health point of view; however, some precautions will ensure a healthy, enjoyable trip. It is recommended that visitors see their physician to obtain appropriate inoculations.
Visitors should wash their hands often with soap and water, drink bottled water, eat cooked food including fruits and vegetables, and protect themselves from insects using repellents. They should avoid food purchased from street vendors and watch out for ice.

Time Zone
GMT/UTC

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Business Hours
Banks are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm during the summer. They close earlier, at 2pm, in the summer, and hours vary during Ramadan.
Shops and Souks and generally open from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Government Offices are open from Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm; Friday, 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 3:00 pm–6:30 pm.

Holidays
2008
1 Jan New Year's Day.
10 Jan Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
20 Mar Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday).
1 May Labour Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People's Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed's Birthday.
2 Oct Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
18 Nov Fête de l'Indépendance (Independence Day).
9 Dec Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
29 Dec Fatih Muharram (Muslim New Year).

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
11 Jan Manifesto of Independence.
9 Mar Aïd al-Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday).
1 May Labour Day.
30 Jul Feast of the Throne.
14 Aug Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day).
20 Aug Révolution du Roi et du Peuple (Anniversary of the King and the People's Revolution).
21 Aug King Mohammed's Birthday.
21 Sep Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March).
18 Nov Fête de l'Indépendance (Independence Day).
28 Nov Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).

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Climate
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior 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)

Clothing
During the daytime, however, it gets rather warm, and you would do well to wear lightweight clothes, as well as a good pair of sunglasses and something to cover your head.
Most hotels, even those with international reputations, permit visitors to wear the usual casual clothes.
Women should respect the mores of the society and not dress provocatively. American casual clothing is acceptable. A cardigan over the shoulders is useful when visiting religious shrines, as well as for cool evenings.

GDP Growth Rate
6.8%

Inflation
3.6%

Imports
semiprocessed goods, machinery and equipment, food and beverages, consumer goods, fuel

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Exports
phosphates and fertilizers, food and beverages, minerals

Trading Partners
EU, US, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil

Industries
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Teledensity
5.03 %

Government
constitutional monarchy

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Geography
Morocco is situated on the north west of Africa and is over 446,000sq km in area. Morocco occupies the northwestern tip of Africa. The coastal areas are fertile but much of the rest of the country is taken up by the Atlas mountains which rise to over 4,000m and the Sahara desert.

Population
Morroco: 33.8 million
Casablanca 3,397,000

Ethnic Groups
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy
51.7%

Religion
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%