The curiosities of Morocco are many and, some of them, completely unknown to those who do not live or have not spent a few days this country located in Northwest Africa, a curious continent , Y separated from Europe only by the few kilometers that make up the Strait of Gibraltar , just south of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a fascinating country, with a great cultural and gastronomic richness that you should not miss when you have the chance.
20 curiosities about Morocco that you probably did not know
We are sure that the following curious facts about Morocco will interest you and surprise you. Of course, if you know some more, do not hesitate to leave your comment so we can expand the following list and expand our knowledge of this amazing country.
1. Tourist destination par excellence
One of the curiosities of Morocco is that it is the first tourist destination in all of Africa, even ahead of Egypt. At year it receives about 10 million tourists, which makes it one of the main economic engines of the country.
2. First importer of green tea worldwide
The tea culture is so deeply rooted in the Moroccan tradition that, today, one of the curiosities of Morocco is that it is the first importer of this infusion. This is because it does not constitute a prominent producer country. In fact, most of the green tea that matters comes from China Although it is the world's largest producer, it is not the largest importer due to its own production.
3. A Muslim country suspicious of polygamy
Despite the fact that polygamy is a common practice in some Muslim countries, in the case of Morocco it only represents 0.31% of marriages that are celebrated annually. This has helped the Family Code driven in 2004 by the king Mohamed VI , which states that this practice must be allowed by the first wife to be carried out.
4. The oldest university in the Islamic world
Another of the curiosities of Morocco is that it has the oldest university in Islamic countries. It's about the university Al Qarawiyyin , located in the city of Fez , which was founded in the year 859.
5. The climate of Morocco
One of the aspects that can attract tourists the most is the climate of Morocco, which is Mediterranean on the coasts, continental in the mountainous areas and desert in the zones belonging to the Sahara . In this way, we find that, in coastal areas, the climate is really temperate, reaching around 12 degrees in winter and not exceeding 25 in summer. Very nice!
6. The religion of Morocco
The religion practiced in Morocco is eminently Muslim. According to studies of the year 2017, it is estimated that 97.8% of the population profess Islam , 1.1% Christianity, 0.7% Judaism and the remaining 0.4% would be divided among other minority religions.
7. The language of Morocco
Another curiosity of Morocco is that it has several official and unofficial languages. The two officers and those that are preeminently spoken in the cities would be the Classical Arabic and the Berber . To these two should be added the unofficial languages: Moroccan Arabic, Riff, Tamazight, Tashelhit, as well as Spanish and French .
8. Own gastronomy
Although Moroccan gastronomy is characterized by fitting into the concept of "Mediterranean diet", it has managed to maintain its own and autochthonous characteristics of the area . In this way, we can find some of its most typical and delicious dishes such as couscous, tajine, roast lamb or pastry among others.
9. The Moroccan flag
Another curiosity of Morocco is found in its flag, which despite being very simple is full of meaning. The Moroccan flag consists of a red background and, in the center, a green star is located .
The red color symbolizes the descendants of Muhammad, while the star is a symbol of health, knowledge, and life in general. Likewise, the star is green because it is the official color that symbolizes the Islamic religion.
10. The capital of Morocco
Although Morocco's most populous city is Casablanca, the capital of the country is located in the Atlantic city of Rabat . Rabat has a population of just over a million and a half inhabitants, and its origins go back to a Roman settlement founded in the year 40 after Christ .
11. The Arab country further west
One of the names that Morocco has received throughout history is "al-Magrib al-Aqsa", which means "Extreme West" and served to attest that Morocco is the closest country to the West of the Arab world.
12. The left hand never to manipulate food
When they serve you food, for example plan, in Morocco, you can eat it with your hands, but remember that in this country using your left hand to feed yourself is seen as something of bad manners. Trust your right hand to the fullest!
13. The color of mourning is white
Traditionally, white has been the color of mourning in Morocco. A widow used to wear white for 40 days after the death of her husband.
14. In Morocco you can ski
This is one of the most striking curiosities of Morocco. In this country is not all desert, you can even ski in places prepared for it located in the Atlas Mountains.
15. The Moroccan symbol of love
In Morocco, traditionally, the liver was the organ symbol of love and not the heart.
16. The movie Casablanca nothing Moroccan
Do you know the movie â ?? Casablanca? ????? Although the whole film is supposed to happen in Morocco ... and not a single fragment of its footage was recorded in this country! All the filming was done in a studio in Los Angeles.
17. Always accept tea in Morocco
The national drink of Morocco is green tea, that's why they matter so much. If they ever offer it to you in this country, it is as a show of hospitality and to reject it is considered very rude.
18. The Moroccan djellaba
Morocco's national attire is the djellaba, a piece of unisex clothing and usually hooded, very comfortable and quite wide.
19. The national animal
The lion of the Atlas is the national animal of Morocco. Unfortunately, it is considered that there are no longer free copies.
20. Remember to barefoot
When you enter a Moroccan home, look at the entrance. If you see that there are several sandals and shoes, take off yours too! It means that in that house is not well seen to enter with shoes.
As you can see, Morocco is a fascinating country full of curious things to discover. In addition, it is one of the places in the north of Africa plus open to tourists and foreign visitors , which makes it a good destination for a holiday or, simply, to know a different culture but, at the same time, close to the European one.