Where is Morocco? Continent, neighbours and distance from Spain
Morocco is in the north-west corner of Africa, with the Atlantic Ocean on its west coast and the Mediterranean on its north coast. At its closest point it is only about 14 km from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, which makes it the African country nearest to Europe. It borders Algeria to the east and, through the Western Sahara territory that Morocco administers, Mauritania to the south. The capital is Rabat, the largest city is Casablanca, and the time zone is UTC+1.
What continent is Morocco in?
Africa. Morocco is one of the five countries of North Africa’s Maghreb, together with Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. The word Maghreb means “the west” in Arabic, because the region is the western edge of the Arab world; the old Arabic name for Morocco itself, al-Maghrib al-Aqsa, means “the far west”.
Morocco is a member of the African Union and the Arab League. It has never been part of Europe politically, although the links across the water are old and deep: Spain still holds two small cities on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, and Spanish is widely understood in the north.
Is Morocco in Europe?
No. The confusion is understandable. You can stand on the beach at Tangier and see Spain. Ferries cross from Tarifa to Tangier in about an hour, and Algeciras to Tangier Med in about an hour and a half. Many of our guests arrive this way after a few days in Andalusia and are surprised by how different the two shores feel, from the call to prayer to the mint tea.
Morocco applied to join the European Economic Community in 1987 and was turned down on the grounds that it is not a European country. It is, however, a close partner of the EU and the first stop in Africa for most Europeans.
Is Morocco in the Middle East?
No. The Middle East is generally taken to run from Egypt eastwards through the Arabian Peninsula to Iran. Morocco is more than 3,000 km west of Cairo. It shares a language, Arabic, and a religion, Islam, with the Middle East, but its history, food and music are Berber (Amazigh), Andalusian and West African as much as Arab. Moroccan Arabic, called Darija, is hard for Middle Eastern Arabic speakers to follow, and Amazigh is an official language alongside Arabic.
Morocco’s neighbouring countries and borders
Morocco has one long land border and a short one.
- Algeria lies to the east and south-east, along a border of about 1,500 km. The land border has been closed since 1994, so there is no overland travel between the two countries.
- Mauritania is to the south, beyond the Western Sahara. The Western Sahara is a disputed territory that Morocco administers; the UN lists it as a non-self-governing territory. For visitors, the practical point is that the coast road south from Agadir continues through Laayoune and Dakhla to the Mauritanian border.
- Spain is Morocco’s neighbour by sea across the Strait of Gibraltar, and on land at the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
To the west is nothing but the Atlantic until the Canary Islands, about 100 km off the southern Moroccan coast, and then the Americas.
The shape of the country: coasts, mountains, desert
Morocco is about 446,000 km² without the Western Sahara, roughly the size of California or slightly larger than Sweden, and home to about 37 million people. The main geographic zones run in bands from north-west to south-east:
- Two coastlines. Around 500 km of Mediterranean shore from Tangier to the Algerian border, and well over 1,000 km of Atlantic coast from Tangier south past Casablanca, Essaouira and Agadir.
- The Rif. A green, rugged range across the north, where Chefchaouen sits.
- The Atlantic plains. The fertile lowlands between the coast and the mountains, where Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Meknes and Fes are, and where most Moroccans live.
- The Atlas. Three ranges: the Middle Atlas with its cedar forests, the High Atlas with Toubkal at 4,167 m (the highest peak in North Africa), and the Anti-Atlas further south. The High Atlas gets heavy snow in winter.
- The pre-Sahara and Sahara. South and east of the Atlas, the oases of the Draa and Ziz valleys lead to the dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and Erg Chigaga near M’Hamid.
Our map of Morocco shows these zones with the main cities and driving routes.
How far is Morocco from Spain and other places?
Distances between countries are better expressed as travel times. These are typical non-stop flight times to Casablanca or Marrakech, or, in the case of Spain, the ferry.
| From | Travel time |
|---|---|
| Tarifa, Spain (ferry to Tangier) | ~1 h |
| Algeciras, Spain (ferry to Tangier Med) | ~1.5 h |
| Madrid | ~1.5 to 2 h flight |
| Paris | ~3 h flight |
| London | ~3.5 h flight |
| New York | ~7 h flight to Casablanca |
| Dubai | ~8 h flight |
| Delhi | ~10 h or more, with a stop |
The United Kingdom and Ireland have direct flights to Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, Fes and Tangier; we go into the details on our London to Morocco flight time page. From North America, the non-stop routes land in Casablanca, as explained on our flights to Morocco from the USA guide. Indian travellers usually connect through the Gulf or Europe.
What time zone is Morocco in?
Morocco keeps UTC+1 all year, the same as Central European Time in winter. Since 2018 the country has not changed its clocks twice a year, with one exception: during Ramadan it moves back one hour to UTC+0 so that the evening meal comes earlier. That means Morocco is on London time in British summer and one hour ahead of London in winter, five hours ahead of New York in summer and six in winter. If you travel during Ramadan, double-check your flight times; we explain what else changes on our Ramadan in Morocco page.
Where in Morocco should you go?
Because the country is long and varied, where you start depends on what you want to see.
- Tangier, at the top, is the arrival point from Spain and the gateway to Chefchaouen and the Rif.
- Casablanca, on the Atlantic, has the main international airport and is a short drive from Rabat and a morning’s drive from Fes or Marrakech.
- Fes, inland in the north, has the largest intact medieval medina in the Arab world and is the usual starting point for the drive south over the Middle Atlas to the desert.
- Marrakech, further south at the foot of the High Atlas, is the base for the mountains, the Atlantic coast at Essaouira and the two-day route over the Tizi n’Tichka to the Sahara.
- Merzouga in the far south-east is where the big dunes are. Most Morocco desert tours connect Marrakech and Fes through it.
A classic first trip is a loop: Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, the desert, the Dades and Todra gorges, Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech, in about 10 days. That is the shape of our 10-day Morocco tour from Casablanca.
Frequently asked questions
Is Morocco in Africa or Europe?
Africa. Morocco occupies the north-west corner of the African continent. Spain is visible across the Strait of Gibraltar, 14 km away at the narrowest point, but the strait is the boundary between the two continents.
What countries border Morocco?
Algeria to the east (border closed since 1994), Mauritania to the south beyond the Western Sahara, and Spain’s enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast. By sea, Spain and Gibraltar are the nearest neighbours.
Is Morocco an Arab country?
Morocco is a member of the Arab League and Arabic is an official language, but the country’s roots are Amazigh (Berber), and Tamazight is also official. French is the main language of business and signage, and Spanish is common in the north.
How far is Morocco from Spain?
About 14 km across the Strait of Gibraltar at the narrowest point, between Tarifa and the coast near Tangier. The fast ferry from Tarifa to Tangier takes about an hour; from Algeciras to Tangier Med, about an hour and a half.
What is the capital of Morocco?
Rabat, on the Atlantic coast about 90 km north-east of Casablanca. Casablanca is the largest city and economic centre, Marrakech is the most visited, and Fes is the oldest imperial capital.
Is Morocco safe to visit?
Morocco is one of the more stable and visitor-friendly countries in the region, and millions of Europeans visit each year. Petty hassle in the medinas is the main thing to prepare for; we set out the realities on our is it safe to travel to Morocco page.
Once you know where Morocco sits, it is easy to see why a single trip can combine the Mediterranean, two mountain ranges and the Sahara. Our Morocco tour packages cover all of these with a private driver-guide, starting from whichever city your flight or ferry lands in.
