MOROCCO
Also known as: Kingdom of Morocco, Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah, Al Maghrib or 
Specific information on Western Sahara can be accessed by clicking here.
Quick Facts
| Location | Northern Africa , bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea , between Algeria and Western Sahara |
| Size | total: 446,550 sq km |
| Capitals | Rabat |
| Languages | Arabic (official), several Berber dialects; French is often the language of business, government, and diplomacy |
| Ethnic groups | Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% |
| Population | 32,725,847 |
| Religion | Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% |
| Chief of State | King Mohammed VI |
| Government type | constitutional monarchy |
| GDP | $134.6 billion |
| Industries | phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
| Internet country code | .ma |
| Time zone | UTC/GMT 0 (no offset) |
On this page, you will find:
- Country- Map, Flag & Coat of Arms
- Introduction
- Journey Element 1: Nature & Wildlife (Natural Environment; Plants & Wildlife)
- Journey Element 2: Life & Society (History, Society & Culture, Government & Politics)
- Journey Element 3: Trade, Travel & Economy (Transportation, Communication, Economy, Tourism)
- Journey Element 4: Highlights, Current Events & Helpful Links (Highlights & amazing statistics, Current events, Other Helpful Links)
Country- Map, Flag & Coat of Arms
| Map | Map in context (From Wikipedia) |
| Flag | red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912 |
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.
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Journey Element 1: Nature & Wildlife
Natural Environment
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Plants & Wildlife
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National parks & reserves |
National Parks
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Journey Element 2: Life & Society
History Overview
Morocco became a French protectorate by the signing of the Treaty of Fez on March 30, 1912. The northern area of Morocco was under a Spanish protectorate concurrently. The Alaouite dynasty lasted through this period and upon independence in 1956, Sultan Mohammed V adopted the title of 'King' and Morocco became an independent Kingdom. Morocco then recovered Tangier, formerly an international city. Morocco annexed Western Sahara in the 1970s, which had been a colony under the Spaniards since the 19th century. Previous to that it had been an area of Moroccan influence, but this annexation has not been recognized by any nation. Morocco was the first nation to recognize the fledgling United States in 1777 and has the oldest non-broken friendship treaty with the country, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship, which has been in effect since 1783. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the American signatories. The United States legation (consulate) in Tangier, is the first property the U.S. owned abroad. It now houses the Tangier American Legation Museum. Morocco was granted Major Non-Nato Ally status in June 2004 and signed free trade agreements with the United States and the European Union. In 2003, Morocco's largest city, Casablanca, was attacked in the Casablanca terrorist attacks. The attacks left 33 civilians dead and more than 100 people injured. From Wikipedia. |
Significant dates & events
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| 600s | Morocco's strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area. Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, and Byzantine Greeks successively ruled the area. Arab forces began occupying Morocco in the seventh century A.D., bringing their civilization and Islam. |
| 1400s | Morocco's location and resources led to early competition among European powers in Africa, beginning with successful Portuguese efforts to control the Atlantic coast in the 15th century. |
| 1649 | The Alaouite dynasty, which has ruled Morocco since 1649, claims descent from the Prophet Muhammad. |
| 1830 | France shows strong interest in Morocco |
| 1904 | UK recognizes France's "sphere of influence" in Morocco |
| 1906 | Algeciras Conference - France's "special position" formalized. Policingof Morocco entrusted to France and Spain jointly. |
| 1912 | The Treaty of Fes made Morocco a protectorate of France. By the same treaty, Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the northern and southern (Saharan) zones. |
| 1944 | Nationalist political parties, which subsequently arose under the French protectorate, based their arguments for Moroccan independence on such World War II declarations as the Atlantic Charter (a joint U.S.-British statement that set forth, among other things, the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they live). A manifesto of the Istiqlal (Independence) Party in 1944 was one of the earliest public demands for independence. That party subsequently provided most of the leadership for the nationalist movement. |
| 1953 | France's exile of the highly respected Sultan Mohammed V and his replacement by the unpopular Mohammed Ben Aarafa, whose reign was perceived as illegitimate, sparked active opposition to the French protectorate. |
| 1955 | France allowed Mohammed V to return, and the negotiations that led to Moroccan independence began the following year. |
| 1956 -58 | The Kingdom of Morocco recovered its political independence from France on March 2, 1956. Through agreements with Spain in 1956 and 1958, Morocco restored control over certain Spanish-ruled areas. The internationalized city of Tangier was reintegrated with the signing of the Tangier Protocol on October 29, 1956. |
| 1969 | The Spanish enclave of Ifni in the south became part of Morocco. Spain, however, retains control over the small coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in the north. |
| 1961 | The King is the head of the military and the country's religious leader. King Hassan II is in power. |
| 1999 | King Mohammed VI assumed the throne in July of 1999, following the death of his father who ruled for 38 years. |
| 2002- 2003 | In November 2002, King Mohammed VI named a government headed by former Interior Minister Driss Jettou, and composed of ministers drawn from most major parties in the coalition. Parliamentary elections in 2002 and municipal elections in 2003 were largely free, fair, and transparent. The highest court in the judicial structure is the Supreme Court, whose judges are appointed by the King. |
Society & Culture
Most Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber stock. The Arabs invaded Morocco in the 7th and 11th centuries and established their culture there. Morocco's Jewish minority numbers about 4,000. Most of the 100,000 foreign residents are French or Spanish; many are teachers or technicians.
Classical Arabic is Morocco's official language, but the country's distinctive Arabic dialect is the most widely spoken language in Morocco. In addition, about 10 million Moroccans, mostly in rural areas, speak Berber--which exists in Morocco in three different dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhit, and Tamazight)--either as a first language or bilingually with the spoken Arabic dialect. French, which remains Morocco's unofficial third language, is taught universally and still serves as Morocco's primary language of commerce and economics; it also is widely used in education and government. Many Moroccans in the northern part of the country speak Spanish. English, while still far behind French and Spanish in terms of number of speakers, is rapidly becoming the foreign language of choice among educated youth. English is taught in all public schools from the fourth year on.
Most people live west of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the center of commerce and industry and the leading port; Rabat is the seat of government; Tangier is the gateway to Spain and also a major port; "Arab" Fes is the cultural and religious center; and "Berber" Marrakech is a major tourist center.
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Government & Politics
The Moroccan Constitution provides for a monarchy with a Parliament and an independent judiciary. Ultimate authority rests with the King. He presides over the Council of Ministers; appoints the prime minister following legislative elections; appoints all members of the government taking into account the prime minister's recommendations; and may, at his discretion, terminate the tenure of any minister, dissolve the Parliament, call for new elections, or rule by decree.
The issue of sovereignty over Western Sahara remains unresolved. The territory, a desert area bordering the Atlantic Ocean between Mauritania and Morocco, is contested by Morocco and the Polisario (an independence movement based in Tindouf, Algeria). Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the Western Sahara is based largely on an historical argument of traditional loyalty of the Sahrawi tribal leaders to the Moroccan sultan as spiritual leader and ruler. The Polisario claims to represent the aspirations of the Western Saharan inhabitants for independence. Algeria claims none of the territory for itself but maintains that Sahrawis should determine the territory's future status.
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Journey Element 3: Trade, Travel & Economy
Macroeconomic stability coupled with low inflation and relatively slow economic growth has characterized the Moroccan economy over the past several years. The Jettou government continues to pursue reform, liberalization, and modernization aimed at stimulating growth and creating jobs. Employment, however, remains overly dependent on the agriculture sector, which is extremely vulnerable to inconsistent rainfall.
Through a foreign exchange rate anchor and well-managed monetary policy, Morocco has held inflation rates to industrial country levels over the past decade. Despite criticism among exporters that the dirham has become badly overvalued, the country maintains a current account surplus. The combination of strong foreign exchange reserves and active external debt management gives Morocco ample capacity to service its debt.
Economic growth has been hampered by an over-reliance on the agriculture sector. Agriculture production is extremely susceptible to rainfall levels and ranges from 15% to 20% of GDP. Given that almost 50% of Morocco's population depends directly on agriculture production, droughts have a severe knock-on effect to the economy. Over the long term, Morocco will have to diversify its economy away from agriculture to develop a more stable economic basis for growth.
The current government is continuing a series of structural reforms begun in recent years. The most promising reforms have been in labor market and financial sectors, and privatization has accelerated the sale of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) licenses in the last few years. Morocco also has liberalized rules for oil and gas exploration and has granted concessions for many public services in major cities. The tender process in Morocco is becoming increasingly transparent. Many believe, however, that the process of economic reform must be accelerated in order to reduce urban unemployment below the current rate of 18%.
Transportation
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Communication
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| Media | Press
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Economy
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Tourism
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Journey Element 4: Highlights, Current Events & Helpful Links
Highlights & amazing statistics
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Current events
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Other Helpful Links
| Coming from the road! |
