Morocco

Morocco "Land of God"is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically,
Morocco is characterized by a rugged mountainous interior and large portions of desert. It is
one of only three countries (with Spain and France) to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean
coastlines.
Morocco has a population of over 33,8 million and an area of 446,550 km2 (172,410 sq mi).
Its political capital is Rabat, although the largest city is Casablanca; other major cities
include Marrakesh,Tangier, Tetouan, Sal, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, andNador. A
historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by
its neighbours. Its distinct culture is a blend of Berber, Arab, Sub-Saharan African, and
European influences.
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. TheKing of Morocco holds
vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military, foreign policy and
religious affairs.Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is
vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Assembly of
Representatives and the Assembly of Councillors. The king can issue decrees
called dahirs which have the force of law. He can also dissolve the parliament after consulting
thePrime Minister and the president of the Constitutional court.
Morocco's predominant religion is Islam, while the official languages
are Berber and Arabic. Moroccan Arabic, referred to as Darija, and French are also widely
spoken.

Military
Mohammed VI, a FREMM multipurpose frigate of the Royal Moroccan Navy.
Compulsory military service in Morocco has been officially suppressed since September
2006, and the countrys reserve obligation lasts until age 50. The countrys military consists of
the Royal Armed Forcesthis includes the Army (the largest branch), the Navy, the Air
Force, the Royal Guard, the Royal Gendarmerieand the Auxiliary Forces. Internal security is
generally effective, and acts of political violence are rare (with one exception, the 2003
Casablanca bombings which killed 45 people[46]). The UN maintains a small observer force in
Western Sahara, where a large number of Moroccos troops are stationed. The Saharawi
group Polisariomaintains an active militia of an estimated 5,000 fighters in Western Sahara
and has engaged in intermittent warfare with Moroccan forces since the 1980s.

Foreign relations
Morocco is a member of the United Nations and belongs to the Arab League, Arab Maghreb
Union (UMA), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement and
the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN_SAD). Morocco's relationships vary greatly
between African, Arab, and Western states. Morocco has had strong ties to the West in order
to gain economic and political benefits.[47] France and Spain remain the primary trade
partners, as well as the primary creditors and foreign investors in Morocco. From the total
foreign investments in Morocco, the European Union invests approximately 73.5%, whereas,
the Arab world invests only 19.3%. Many countries from the Gulf and Maghreb regions are
getting more involved in large-scale development projects in Morocco.[48]
Morocco remains the only African state not to be a member of the African Uniondue to its
unilateral withdrawal on 12 November 1984 over the admission of theSahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic in 1982 by the African Union (then called Organization of African
Unity) as a full member without the organization of a referendum of self-determination in the
disputed territory of Western Sahara.
A dispute with Spain in 2002 over the tiny island of Perejil revived the issue of the
sovereignty of Melilla and Ceuta. These small enclaves on the Mediterranean coast are
surrounded by Morocco and have been administered by Spain for centuries.
Morocco has been given the status of non-NATO ally by the US government.

Morocco is included in the European Union's European Neighbourhood Policy(ENP) which

aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer.

Tourism
Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Moroccan economy, it is well developed with
a strong tourist industry focused on the country's coast, culture, and history . Morocco
attracted more than 10 million tourists in 2013. Tourism is the second largest foreign
exchange earner in Morocco after the phosphate industry. The Moroccan government is
heavily investing in tourism development, in 2010 the government launched its Vision 2020
which plans to make Morocco one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world and to double
the annual number of international arrivals to 20 million by 2020,[57] with the hope that
tourism will then have risen to 20% of GDP. A large government sponsored marketing
campaigns to attract tourists advertised Morocco as a cheap and exotic, yet safe, place for
tourists, most of the visitors to Morocco continue to be European, with French nationals
making up almost 20% of all visitors. Most Europeans visit in April and the autumn, apart
from the Spanish, who mostly visit in June and August In 2013. Morocco's relatively high
amount of tourists has been aided by its location, Morocco is close to Europe and attracts
visitors to its beaches. Because of its proximity to Spain, tourists in southern Spain's coastal
areas take one- to three-day trips to Morocco. Air services between Morocco and Algeria have
been established, many Algerians have gone to Morocco to shop and visit family and friends.
Morocco is relatively inexpensive because of the devaluation of the dirham and the increase
of hotel prices in Spain. Morocco has an excellent road and rail infrastructure that links the
major cities and tourist destinations with ports and cities with international airports. Low-cost
airlines offer cheap flights to the country.
Tourism is increasingly focused on Morocco's culture, such as its ancient cities. The modern
tourist industry capitalizes on Morocco's ancient Roman and Islamic sites, and on its
landscape and cultural history. 60% of Morocco's tourists visit for its culture and heritage.
Agadir is a major coastal resort and has a third of all Moroccan bed nights. It is a base for
tours to the Atlas Mountains. Other resorts in north Morocco are also very popular.
[58]

Casablanca is the major cruise port in Morocco, and has the best developed market for

tourists in Morocco, Marrakech in central Morocco is a popular tourist destination, but is

more popular among tourists for one- and two-day excursions that provide a taste of

Morocco's history and culture. The Majorelle botanical garden in Marrakech is a popular
tourist attraction. It was bought by the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Berg
in 1980. Their presence in the city helped to boost the city's profile as a tourist destination.[59]
As of 2006, activity and adventure tourism in the Atlas and Rif Mountains are the fastest
growth area in Moroccan tourism. These locations have excellent walking and trekking
opportunities from late March to mid-November. The government is investing in trekking
circuits. They are also developing desert tourism in competition with Tunisia.

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces

They consist of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, theRoyal Guard, the Royal
Gendarmerie and the Auxiliary Forces.
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are large, expensive and well-trained with extensive
experience in counter-insurgency, desert warfareand combined air-land operations, Further
experience has come from participating in peace-keeping operations[2] however It has not
fought a conventional interstate war since the Algerian-Moroccan war of 1963meaning that
They have little experience in state-on-state Warfare.[4]
But this force still faces many challenges. The U.S. Embassy in Rabat commented in 2008
that: "The military remains plagued by corruption, an inefficient bureaucracy, low levels of
education in the ranks, periodic threats of radicalization of some of its soldiers, political
marginalization, and the deployment of most of its forces in Western Sahara".

Branches:
The modern Moroccan military is composed of the following branches :

The Royal Army

The Royal Moroccan Army is the branch of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible
for land-based military operations. The army is about 175,000 troops strong, In case of war or
state of siege, an additional force of 150,000 Reservists and paramilitary forces, including
20,000 regulars of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie and 30,000 Auxiliary Forces come under
the Ministry of Defense command.

Royal Guard
The Moroccan Royal Guard is officially part of the Royal Moroccan Army, However it is
under the direct operational control of the Royal Military Household of His Majesty the King,
The sole duty of the guard is to provide for the security and safety of the King and royal
family of Morocco.

The Royal Air Force

The Royal Moroccan Air Force is the air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces,
It employs 13,000 personnel and is equipped with more than 300 aircraft, in the 21st
century the Royal Moroccan Air Force started a progressive modernization program of
its ageing fleet and their technical and operational capacities.

The Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces responsible of conducting naval
operations, Its mission includes the protection of Moroccan territory and sovereignty, as well
as the control of Morocco's 81,000 square nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Given
Morocco's significant coastline (2,952 km) and strategic position oversseing the strait of
Gibraltar, it (with Spain and the United Kingdom) is deeply involved in the security of this
important international waterway.

Royal Gendarmerie
The Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie is the Gendarmerie body of Morocco, the legislation
which founded the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie describes it as a public force designed to
guarantee public security and public order and the implementation of laws. This legislation
text attaches the Gendarmerie to the Royal Moroccan Army, then constituting a military force
in its structure, administration and command forms. It consists of officers and NCOs.

Auxiliary Forces
The Moroccan Auxiliary Forces is a paramilitary force legally part of the Royal Moroccan
Armed Forces but following the command of the Ministry of the Interior of Morocco, which
supplements the military, Gendarmerie and police when needed, Auxiliary Forces' missions

are to support security forces and the army, maintain public security, and participate in
operational missions of territory defense.
Participation in peacekeeping operations

United Nations Operation in Cte d'Ivoire

Morocco has deployed one infantry battalion to participate in the ONUCI peacekeeping
mission whose objective is "to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace
agreement signed by them in January 2003" (which aimed to end the Ivorian Civil War). The
two main Ivorian parties here are the Ivorian Government forces who control the south of the
country, and the New Forces (former rebels), who control the north. The UNOCI mission
aims to control a "zone of confidence" across the centre of the country separating the two
parties.

MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Morocco has deployed 6 observers, one mechanised infantry battalion and one field hospital
to participate in the United Nations Security Council efforts to monitor the peace process of
the Second Congo War .

Kosovo Force
Morocco has deployed one company of soldiers[18] to contribute in the NATO-led international
peacekeeping force which was responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.

Peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic

The Moroccan Royal Armed Forces Has sent a contingent on December 25, 2013 for the
Central African Republic to be deployed in the UN Integrated Peace building Office
(BINUCA). Moroccan authorities also said they stand ready to support the Central African
Republic in its path toward peace and stability.