Travel Guide / Morocco in numbers

Reference

Morocco in numbers

The figures that help you understand Morocco before you go — how big, how busy, how high and how far — gathered in one place, each with its source. We update this page when new official data is published.

Reviewed October 2026Sourced figuresUseful before you plan

By · Last updated October 2026

Menara Gardens pavilion with the snow-capped Atlas Mountains behind
The Menara Gardens and the Atlas Mountains

People and visitors

Figure Value Source
Population (2024 census, legal population) 36.8 million High Commission for Planning (HCP), 2024 census
International arrivals, 2025 19.8 million (a record) Ministry of Tourism, January 2026
International arrivals, 2024 about 17.4 million Ministry of Tourism
Tourism receipts, Jan–Nov 2025 124 billion dirhams Ministry figures reported by Ecofin Agency

Heritage

Figure Value
UNESCO World Heritage Sites 9 — the medinas of Fez (1981), Marrakech (1985), Tetouan (1997) and Essaouira (2001); the Ksar of Aït Benhaddou (1987); the historic city of Meknes (1996); Volubilis (1997); the Portuguese city of Mazagan / El Jadida (2004); and Rabat (2012)
Selected intangible heritage on UNESCO lists The cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna square, Gnawa, the knowledge and practices around argan, couscous (shared with Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia)
Founding of Al-Qarawiyyin, Fez 859
Founding of the current Essaouira 1760s, under Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Intangible Cultural Heritage lists.

Landscapes

Figure Value
Highest peak Jebel Toubkal, 4,167 m — the highest in North Africa
Highest road pass on the Marrakech–Ouarzazate route Tizi n'Tichka, about 2,260 m
Height of the Erg Chebbi dunes up to about 150 m
Height of the Ouzoud waterfalls about 110 m
Seas Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Distances and travel times

Route Distance Typical time
Marrakech – Merzouga about 560 km 9–10 h by road
Marrakech – Essaouira about 190 km about 3 h by bus
Tangier – Casablanca — about 2 h 10 by Al Boraq high-speed train
Casablanca – Marrakech — about 2.5–3 h by train
Fez – Chefchaouen — about 4–5 h by bus
Tangier – Tarifa (Spain) — about 1 h by fast ferry

See our transport guide for details.

Practical facts

Topic Fact
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD), a closed currency
Official languages Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight); French widely used
Time zone GMT+1 for most of the year; clocks usually move back to GMT during Ramadan
Electricity 220 V, European two-pin plugs (types C and E)
Driving On the right
Emergency numbers Police 19 · Gendarmerie 177 · Ambulance/fire 15
Visa Visa-free for up to 90 days for many nationalities — check your situation
High-speed rail Al Boraq, opened 2018, up to 320 km/h; extension to Marrakech targeted before 2030
2030 World Cup Co-hosted with Spain and Portugal — what it changes

Sources

  • High Commission for Planning (HCP) — General Census of Population and Housing 2024.
  • Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy — annual arrivals.
  • UNESCO World Heritage Centre (whc.unesco.org) and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ich.unesco.org).
  • ONCF — Al Boraq high-speed service.

Spotted a figure that has changed? Let us know.

This guide was last reviewed in October 2026. Entry rules, opening hours, transport timetables and prices change; check official sources shortly before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.