Geography of Marrakech
Marrakech, or Marrakesh, Morocco, a city near the Atlas Mountains, some 140 miles (225 km) south of Casablanca. It is primarily a trade center, serving southern Morocco and known mainly for its markets and handicrafts. Tourism is also important. In the old walled section, which has changed only slightly over the centuries, are several Moorish-style palaces and the famed Koutoubia Mosque and minaret.
Marrakech was founded in 1062 by the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty, and for almost two centuries was the capital and leading city of the Berber kingdoms that controlled much of Spain and North Africa. It again flourished in the 16th century, when it was Morocco's capital. Under French rule, 1912-56, it developed a modern Western section and began a new period of growth.
Population: 602,000.