See also christianity and islam; Flag; holi-
days; idolatry; JUdaism and islam.
Further reading: David King, “Science in the Service
of Religion: The Case of Islam.” Impact of Science
on Society 159 (1990): 245–262; Paul Lunde, “Pat-
terns of Moon, Patterns of Sun.” Saudi Aramco World
55 (November–December 2004): 17–32; Annemarie
Schimmel, And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Ven-
eration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety (Chapel Hill: Uni-
versity of North Carolina Press, 1985).
Morocco
Located on the northwestern tip of Africa, Morocco
is a country roughly the size of California, with
geographical features and a population size (34.3
million, 2008 est.) also similar to those of Ameri-
ca’s most populous state. Morocco’s Atlantic coast
stretches from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Canary
Islands, and extends even further if one includes
the Western Sahara (a disputed territory adminis-
tered by the Moroccan government since 1975).
The northern, eastern, and southern regions con-
tain several mountain ranges, including the Rif,
High Atlas, Middle Atlas, and Anti-Atlas. The
country’s climate is semi-arid, with deserts in
the south and the east. Between the Middle Atlas
and the Atlantic are Morocco’s most fertile lands,
including the Sebou valley, home to the cities of
Meknes and Fez. Along with Marrakech, these
cities represent three of Morocco’s four “imperial
cities,” with each serving as the country’s capital
at different historical periods. In the 20th century,The town of Chefchaouen in Morocco’s Rif Mountains, founded in the 15th century (Federico R. Campo)
K 480 Morocco