▁Mor oc co ▁are ▁very ▁hot , ▁and ▁include ▁port ions ▁of ▁the ▁Sah ara ▁Des ert , ▁where ▁vast ▁sw ath es ▁of ▁sand ▁d unes ▁and ▁rock y ▁pla ins ▁are ▁d otted ▁with ▁l ush ▁o ases . ▁ ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁Sah ara ▁region ▁in ▁the ▁south , ▁coast al ▁pla ins ▁are ▁fert ile ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁and ▁northern ▁regions ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁compr ise ▁the ▁back bone ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁agricult ure , ▁in ▁which ▁ 9 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁live . ▁The ▁direct ▁expos ure ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean , ▁the ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁main land ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁long ▁stretch ed ▁R if ▁and ▁Atlas ▁mountains ▁are ▁the ▁factors ▁of ▁the ▁rather ▁European - like ▁climate ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁That ▁makes ▁Mor oc co ▁a ▁country ▁of ▁contrast s . ▁For ested ▁areas ▁cover ▁about ▁ 1 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁while ▁a rable ▁land ▁accounts ▁for ▁ 1 8 %. ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 5 % ▁of ▁Mor oc can ▁land ▁is ▁ir rig ated ▁for ▁agricult ural ▁use . ▁ ▁In ▁general , ▁apart ▁from ▁the ▁sout heast ▁regions ▁( pre - S ah aran ▁and ▁desert ▁areas ), ▁Mor oc co ' s ▁climate ▁and ▁ge ography ▁are ▁very ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁I ber ian ▁pen ins ula . ▁Thus ▁Mor oc co ▁has ▁the ▁following ▁climate ▁zones : ▁ ▁Mediter rane an : ▁Domin ates ▁the ▁coast