Good to know
Good to Know
- Marrakech accounts for 8% of Morocco's foreign population despite being one of the country's smaller major cities, indicating a relatively high concentration of expats
- The foreign population in Marrakech is older on average than the Moroccan population, with 15.7% over 60 compared to 9.4% of Moroccans
- French is essential for business dealings; Arabic and Darija remain dominant in daily life
- The tech ecosystem has grown significantly since 2015, with engineering talent increasingly staying in Marrakech rather than migrating to Casablanca
- The city attracts entrepreneurs particularly interested in tourism tech, artisan e-commerce, and creative industries
Notable Nationalities
French
- Notes
- Largest foreign community; includes descendants of families settled during protectorate era
Spanish
- Notes
- Second largest foreign community; historical ties to Morocco
Other African (sub-Saharan and Maghrebi)
- Notes
- 41.6% of foreign population in Morocco are African
Other European
- Notes
- 40% of foreign population in Morocco are European
Business And Tech Presence
- Startup Landscape
- Growing ecosystem with companies in digital, e-commerce, AI, agri-tech, gaming, and tourism tech. Notable startups include FELLAHTECH (agri-tech), NeuroClause (AI legal), CLOVER (game development), Artinoo (e-commerce artisan platform)
- Business Environment
- Increasingly attractive to French and international entrepreneurs; engineers increasingly choosing Marrakech over Casablanca; favorable environment for tech startups and digital innovation
- Workforce Characteristics
- Qualified workforce from universities and regional schools; competitive salary costs versus European standards
Key Institutions
Emerging Business Factory (EBF)
- Type
- Coworking space and startup incubator
- Capacity
- ~80 positions
- Location
- Sidi Ghanem industrial district
- Established
- 2015
- Description
- Largest coworking space in region; houses tech and media innovation ecosystem
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
- Focus
- Applied research and entrepreneurship intersection
- Location
- Benguerir (nearby)
City Population
1032938
Population Year
2026
Expat Population
- Estimate
- 10,000+
- Concentration
- Concentrated in Marrakech with majority in La Palmeraie and Gueliz neighborhoods
Metro Area Population
1050000
Foreign Born Percentage
Approximately 8% of Morocco's foreign population concentrated in Marrakech; nationally 0.25% of Morocco's population are foreign nationals
Demographic Characteristics
- Urban Percentage
- 65% of Morocco's population lived in cities by 2023; Marrakech is highly urbanized
- Median Age National
- 30.1 years
Languages Spoken
- Arabic (official)
- Darija (Moroccan Arabic dialect - everyday conversation)
- Tamazight/Berber (officially recognized since 2011)
- French (widely used in business and education)
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Marrakech
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.