Morocco Country Information
Currency
The Moroccan unit of currency is the dirham. The exchange
rate in June 2007 was around 8.1 dirhams to the U.S. dollar.
Cash and travelers checks can be easily exchanged at banks.
ATMs can be used for cash advances using a credit card,
but the transaction usual carries a charge of about 1.5%.
Languages
 The official language is Arabic. French is also widely
spoken, as are various Berber dialects and Spanish.
Shopping
For centuries, Morocco has been a crossroads for traders.
The souks of cities like Marrakech and Fez teem with activity.
Craftsmen pound out brass and leather ornaments. Snake charmers
dazzle the tourists as thousands of shopkeepers peddle their
wares. One can buy almost anything in these markets. Some
of the most popular items are spices, leather goods and
traditional garments such as caftans, a traditional women's
dress, and djellabas, a long man's garment with a pointed
hood. Another must-see are the pharmacies where one can
find traditional cures for everything from the common cold
to a bad case of the blues.
Sightseeing
 Points
of interest in Morocco include:
- Rabat, the fourth imperial city and the site of a number
of famous monuments including Tour Hassan, the incomplete
minaret of the great mosque begun by Yacoub al-Mansour
- The bustling modern metropolis of Casablanca
- Marrakech, one of Morocco’s most important cultural
centers
- Fez, one of the city’s oldest cultural centers
- Tangiers, perched on the country’s northern tip
 Transportation
The train system of Morocco is one of the best in Africa:
comfortable, fast and efficient. The trains connect most
of the major cities to one another. Buses are also an
option. For those who have money to spend there are plenty
of internal flights between major cities. Within the cities,
one can travel by bus or taxi. Renting a car is not cheap,
but good deals can sometimes be found.
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