National Flag of Morocco

Moroccan Flag

The Flag of Morocco - Description of the Moroccan Flag

 As the above picture of the Moroccan Flag indicates the overall background
is Red
 The description of the Moroccan Flag is as follows:
 Red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
Solomon's seal in the center of the flag green is the traditional color of
Islam
 According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the Moroccan flag represent the following:
 Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
 Green - hope, joy and love and in many cultures have a sacred
significance and is is the traditional color of Islam
 The basic style shown in the picture of the Moroccan flag is described as
Emblem -reflecting the central design of the flag pattern
 All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from
left to right
 The shape and flag ratio of the Moroccan flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½
times the height )
  The Meaning & History of the Moroccan Flag - The Moroccan emblem
depicts the green Sulayman star and was introduced in 1912, when Morocco
was placed under French protectorate
 The pentagram is usually known as King Solomon's Seal, while the
hexagram is known as the Star of David

Moroccan Flag Etiquette

 Moroccan Flag etiquette is very strict and is is essential that Flag protocols
and rules are followed correctly
 Basic Flag Etiquette applies to all nations, including Moroccan as follows:
 Etiquette relating to the order of precedence for the flag
 National Flag of Moroccan
 State Flag of Moroccan
 Military Flag of Moroccan (in order of creation date)
 Other Flag of Moroccan
 The United Nations uses alphabetical order when presenting a national flag
including the Moroccan Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures that no one
country's flag has precedence over another country's flag
 The National flag of Moroccan should never be flown above another
national flag on the same staff as this would suggest superiority, or
conversely, inferiority of one flag, or Nation, over another
 The Moroccan flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground
 A tattered or faded flag of Moroccan should be removed and replaced with a
new flag
 Due care and consideration must be taken to ensure that the Moroccan flag
is always flown the correct way up
 A Flag of Moroccan, when in such condition that it is no longer a fitting
emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by
burning in private with all due care and respect
Moroccan Flag Meaning:

Green and red are traditional colors of Islam, which is Morocco's official religion. Red is also the
color of the reigning Moroccan dynasty. The Seal of Solomon represents the link between God
and the nation.

Moroccan Flag History:

The Moroccan flag was adopted on November 17, 1915. Morocco gained independence from
France on March 2, 1956. The 'Seal of Solomon' was added to the red flag, previously used by
the reigning Moroccan dynasty since the 17th century, to differentiate Morocco's flag from
similar red flags of other nations.

Interesting Moroccan Flag Facts:

The Moroccan flag remained unchanged when the sultanate of Morocco was restored by the two
colonial rulers of France and Spain, and independence was granted in 1956. A year later, the
sultan became a king and Morocco became a kingdom.
Morocco in world map….
Morocco Facts and Figures
BASIC FACTS
Official name Kingdom of Morocco

Capital Rabat

Area 453,730 sq km
175,186 sq mi
Currency Moroccan
dirham (MAD)

PEOPLE
Population 34,272,968

Population growth
Population growth rate 1.50 percent ssssss

Projected population in 2025 42,553,182 (2025 estimate)

Projected population in 2050 50,871,553 (2050 estimate)

Population density 77 persons per sq km

199 persons per sq mi

Urban/rural distribution
Share urban 59 percent

Share rural 41 percent

Largest cities, with population

Casablanca 2,933,684
Rabat 1,622,860

Marrakech 823,200 (2007 estimate)

Tangier 703,614 (2007 estimate)

Ethnic groups

Arab, Berber, mixed Arab-Berber 99 percent

Other 1 percent

Languages

Arabic (official), Derija (Moroccan Arabic), Berber dialects, French

Religious affiliations

Muslim 98 percent

Christian 1 percent

Nonreligious and other 1 percent

HEALTH AND EDUCATION

Life expectancy
Total 71.5 years

Female 74 years

Male 69.1 years

Infant mortality rate 38 deaths per 1,000 live births

(

Population per physician 1,943 people

Population per hospital bed 1,250 people

Literacy rate
Total 53.5 percent
Female 41.5 percent

Male 65.6 percent

Education expenditure as a share of 6.6 percent

gross national product (GNP)

Number of years of compulsory 9 years (2002-2003)

schooling

Number of students per teacher, 28 students per teacher

primary school

GOVERNMENT
Form of government Constitutional monarchy

Voting qualifications Universal at age 18

Constitution 4 September 1992; amended

1996
Armed forces

Total number of military personnel 200,800

Military expenditures as a share of 4.2 percent

gross domestic product (GDP)

ECONOMY
Gross domestic product (GDP, in U.S. $145.969 billion
$)

GDP per capita (U.S.$) $4,604.60

GDP by economic sector

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 15.7 percent
Industry 27.8 percent

Services 56.5 percent

Employment

Number of workers 11,314,809

Workforce share of economic sector

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 45 percent

Industry 20 percent

Services 36 percent

Unemployment rate 9.7 percent

National budget (U.S.$)

Total revenue $16.45 billion

Total expenditure $16.92 billion

Monetary unit

1 Moroccan dirham (DH), consisting of 100 centimes

Major trade partners for exports

France, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany

Major trade partners for imports

France, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany
ENERGY, COMMUNICATIONS, AND TRANSPORTATION
Electricity production
Electricity from thermal sources 94.21 percent

Electricity from hydroelectric sources 4.74 percent

Electricity from nuclear sources 0 percent

Electricity from geothermal, solar, and 1.05 percent

wind sources

Number of radios per 1,000 people 247

Number of telephones per 1,000 45

people

Number of televisions per 1,000 156

people

Number of Internet hosts per 10,000 1.2

people

Daily newspaper circulation per 1,000 28

people

Number of motor vehicles per 1,000 45

people

Paved road as a share of total roads 57 percent

Morocco
 INTRODUCTIO
I N

Morocco, kingdom in North Africa. Morocco is a fabled destination for travelers, known
for its spectacular mountain scenery, its colorful bazaars, and its ancient capitals at Fès
and Marrakech. Even modern Moroccan sites carry a mystique: Think of Casablanca,
made famous by a motion picture (see Casablanca). In Arabic the country’s name is Al
Mamlakah al Maghribīyah, meaning “the kingdom of the West.”

Morocco is located at the crossroads of several worlds: African, Mediterranean, Christian,

and Islamic. From these varied influences the country has forged a distinctive culture,
apparent in its arts and architecture, language, cuisine, and outlook on the world. Spain
lies directly across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco, only 13 km (8 mi) distant. For 44
years, from 1912 to 1956, Morocco was divided into protectorates and ruled by France
and Spain. Even today, two Spanish enclaves—Ceuta and Melilla—on the Mediterranean
coast remain within Morocco, and small islands off the coast also belong to Spain.

The people of Morocco are mainly Arabs and Berbers or of mixed Arab and Berber
ancestry. Arabic is the official language of the country, but many people speak a Berber
language, especially in rural areas. French is also spoken in the cities. Morocco’s
economy is based largely on agriculture, but tourism contributes significantly.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, with a king as head of state and a prime minister
as head of the government. Rabat, where the king lives, is the capital of Morocco.
Casablanca, south of Rabat along the Atlantic coast, is the country’s largest city and
commercial center. Morocco borders the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to its
north and east, and the Sahara to its south. Also south of Morocco lies Western Sahara, a
former overseas province of Spain that Morocco has claimed and administered since
1979. The country’s southeastern border with Algeria, in the Sahara, has never been
precisely defined.
 LAND AND
II RESOURCES

Morocco has the broadest plains and the highest mountains in North Africa. The country
has four main natural regions. An area of highlands, called Er Rif, runs parallel to the
Mediterranean coast in the north, from Tangier to the Algerian border. Er Rif forms a
barrier, preventing easy access to the coast from central Morocco. The Atlas Mountains,
the second region, extend across the center of the country from the southwest to the
northeast. The Taza Depression lies between Er Rif and the Atlas Mountains, allowing
passage across the northern interior of Morocco into Algeria. Broad coastal plains along
the Atlantic Ocean form the third region, framed by Er Rif and the Atlas Mountains.
Finally, plains and valleys south of the Atlas Mountains merge with the Sahara along the
southeastern border of Morocco. Most Moroccans inhabit the Atlantic coastal plain.

The Atlas Mountains consist of several distinct and parallel ranges. The highest range,
known as the High Atlas or Grand Atlas, is in the middle. The next highest range, known
as the Middle Atlas, lies to the north of the High Atlas. A lower range, called the Anti-
Atlas, lies to the south of the High Atlas. The highest mountain in Morocco is Jebel
Toubkal in the Grand Atlas.

Sandy beaches interrupted by rocky outcrops line the Atlantic coast of Morocco, with
particularly fine beaches from Agadir south, sharp drops to the Mediterranean along Er
Rif, and stunning Mediterranean beaches along the Tangier Peninsula. However, large
tourist developments have spoiled many of the beaches along the Tangier Peninsula.

A Rivers

Morocco has many rivers. Although unimportant for navigation, the rivers are used for
irrigation and for generating electric power. The chief rivers are the Moulouya, which
drains into the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sebou, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Dry valleys called wadis fill with water during the rainy season and can flow torrentially
during the rainy winter months. The wadis generally run into the Sahara.

Climat
B e

Along the Mediterranean, Morocco has a subtropical climate. An ocean current tempers
the climate and gives the coastal cities moderate temperatures. At the port city of
Essaouira (formerly known as Mogador), for example, temperatures average 16.4°C
(61.5°F) in January and 22.5°C (72.5°F) in August. Toward the interior, winters are colder
and summers warmer. Thus, in Fès the average temperature is 10°C (50°F) in January
and 26.9°C (80.5°F) in August. Marrakech is often the hottest of the major cities.
Temperatures there commonly reach a daytime high of 38°C (100°F), yet nights are dry
and comfortable. At high altitudes temperatures of less than -17.8°C (0°F) are not
uncommon, and mountain peaks are covered with snow during most of the year.

A hot, dry, and sometimes violent wind, the chergui, accompanies centers of dense low
pressure that frequently emerge out of the Sahara, rise over the Atlas, and abut high-
pressure zones at the Atlantic. Known as the sirocco in Europe, the chergui can bring
stifling, uncomfortable weather that lasts several days.

Rain falls mainly during the winter months. Precipitation is heaviest in the northwest and
lightest in the east and south. The average annual precipitation is about 955 mm (about
37.5 in) in Tangier, 430 mm (17 in) in Casablanca, 280 mm (11 in) in Essaouira, and less
than 102 mm (4 in) in the Sahara.

Natural
C Resources

Morocco’s resources are primarily agricultural, but mineral resources are also significant.
Among the latter the most important is phosphate rock; other minerals include coal, iron,
lead, manganese, petroleum, silver, tin, and zinc.

Plants and
D Animals

The mountainous regions of Morocco contain extensive areas of forest, including large
stands of cork oak, evergreen oak, juniper, cedar, fir, and pine. Except for areas under
cultivation, the plains are usually covered with scrub brush and alfa grass. On the plain
of Sous, near the southern border, is a large forest of argan, thorny trees found
principally in Morocco.

Moroccan wildlife represents a mingling of European and African species. Of the animals
characteristic of Europe, the fox, rabbit, otter, and squirrel abound; of predominantly
African types, the gazelle, wild boar, panther, baboon, wild goat, and horned viper are
common.
 Soil
E s

Three general types of soil are found in the semihumid part of Morocco. They are harcha,
poor, stony soils with little humus (organic matter); hamri, red soils produced over
limestone bedrock with some humus; and tir, sandy-loam, brown-to-black soils with
moderate amounts of humus. The densest agricultural settlement is on the most fertile
tir soils of the plains. The southern part of the country is mainly desert.

Environmental
F Issues

Population pressures have led to soil erosion and desertification as marginal lands are
farmed and ground cover is destroyed by overgrazing. Morocco has a low rate of
deforestation relative to other African countries, however. Forests cover 9.8 percent
(2005) of the country’s area.

The country uses more than 90 percent of its fresh water for agricultural production.
Available drinking water has been further limited by pollution of freshwater sources with
raw sewage and industrial waste. Periodic droughts contribute to water shortages in
some areas of the country, and the problem of water scarcity is expected to worsen as
Morocco’s population continues to grow.

Reserves and national parks cover 1.2 percent (2007) of Morocco’s total land area. The
country is home to 50 threatened animal species.

Morocco has ratified international agreements protecting biodiversity, endangered

species, wetlands, and the ozone layer. The country has also signed treaties limiting
hazardous waste and marine dumping.

PEOPL
III E

The original population of Morocco was Berber, and about three-quarters of all present-
day Moroccans are of at least partial Berber descent. Arabs, who constitute the bulk of
the inhabitants of the larger cities, form the second largest ethnic group. Considerable
intermarriage among Arabs, Berbers, and the country’s small number of black Africans
has broken down differences among ethnic groups. There is also a small French
community in Morocco. More than half the population lives in urban areas. The rural
population in 2005 was 41 percent of the country’s total.

Berbers were the original, pre-Islamic inhabitants of Morocco. Arab armies marched
across northwest Africa in the 7th century ad and arrived at the Atlantic Ocean in 682.
They brought the Islamic religion with them. Arab settlement in Morocco came in the
next century, when the first Islamic colonies were established, Sijilmasa about 760 and
Fès about 790. Indigenous Berbers converted to Islam, and over the centuries much
admixture of Arab and Berber took place.

Principal
A Cities

Morocco’s capital is Rabat. Other major urban centers are Casablanca, the country’s
largest city and main seaport; Marrakech and Fès, both important trade centers; and
Tangier, a seaport on a bay of the Strait of Gibraltar. The government has encouraged
Moroccans to settle in Western Sahara, where the largest city is El Aaiún.

Religio
B n

Islam is the established state religion of Morocco. Almost the entire population is Sunni
Muslim. The monarch is the supreme Muslim authority in the country. There is a very
small Christian population. Morocco once had a Jewish population, numbering 221,000 in
1956, but nearly all of the country’s Jews emigrated elsewhere during the 1960s and
1970s because of tensions between Arab countries and Israel.

Languag
C e

The Berber languages, once dominant throughout Morocco, have declined in importance.
Only about a fourth of the people speak Berber as their first language. Many of these
people also spoke Arabic, the country’s official language, which is the primary language
of about three-fourths of the population. In the cities many Moroccans also speak French.
French is also used in higher education.

Berber belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family (see African Languages) and is
spoken across North Africa and throughout the Sahara. In Morocco, three Berber dialects
prevail: Tarifit (also called Rifi), Tamazight, and Tachelhit. The dialects are related to
specific localities. Tarifit, for example, is spoken in Er Rif and northern Middle Atlas.
Tamazight is spoken in the Middle Atlas, and Tachelhit in the High Atlas.

Educatio
D n

Schooling is compulsory in Morocco for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Some 104
percent of girls and 115 percent of boys attend primary school; only 45 percent of
secondary-school-age Moroccans actually attend secondary school. Arabic is the main
language of instruction, and French is also used in secondary schools and in higher
education. In 2005 it was estimated that 53 percent of the population was literate.

Higher education of the traditional type, focused on Islamic law (Sharia) and theology, is
centered in Fès at Al Qarawiyin University, which was founded in ad 859. The university
system expanded greatly in the 1980s. Modern higher education, in Arabic and in
French, is offered at Mohammed V University (1957), at Rabat; Mohammed Ben Abdellah
University (1974), at Fès; Cadi Ayyad University (1978), at Marrakech; Hassan II
University (1976), at Casablanca; Mohammed I University (1978), at Oujda; Ibn Zohr
University (1989), at Agadir; and Al Akhawayn University (1995), at Ifrane in the Atlas
Mountains. Rabat also has colleges of fine arts, music, public administration, agriculture,
and economics, and the School of Native Arts and Crafts (1921) is in Tétouan.

Cultur
E e

Morocco has felt the influences of several ancient cultures. Excavations have unearthed
elements of the Phoenician, Greek, Carthaginian, and Roman civilizations. Christianity
spread to this region in Roman times and survived the Arab invasion, but Arabic
influences, which began in the 7th century, were to prove the strongest. The Arabs
brought to Morocco a written language that is still the primary language of business and
culture. Over the centuries Morocco received an influx of Moors and Jews, who left Spain
as a result of the Christian conquest or the Inquisition. As a result of Moorish influence,
Morocco developed a style of music and architecture known as Arab-Andalusian. It soon
spread to the rest of Islamic North Africa. The western African influence, seen in dances
and other arts, spread northward with the establishment of trade routes across the
Sahara from the 10th century on. Among more recent cultural influences, the strongest
is that of France.

Morocco’s literary legacy goes back to the earliest days of Arab settlement and the
foundation of Islamic civilization. The most famous of Morocco’s early writers is Ibn
Battūtah, who was born in Tangier in 1304 and lived and worked throughout the then-
known world, from Mali to India and China. He completed Rihla (“Travels”), the narrative
of his observations, in 1356.

Moroccan literature of the 20th century reflected such concerns as colonialism,

nationalism, the survival of traditional cultures framed by Islamic values, and
introspective and inventive literary forms. Autobiographical works and treatments of
social problems dominated novels in Arabic. Notable Moroccan authors in Arabic included
Mohamed Zefzaf and Abdellah Laroui. Among French language novels Driss Chraïbi’s Le
Passé Simple (The Past Tense, 1954) shocked Moroccans with its condemnation of
patriarchal society. Later novels of Chraïbi were translated into English, including
Naissance à l’aube (1986; Birth at Dawn, 1990). Abdelkebir Khatibi wrote on social
themes in his autobiographic La Mémoire tatouée (Tattooed Memory, 1971) and his
novel Triptyque de Rabat (Rabat Triptych, 1993). Tahar Ben Jelloun, born in Fès and
based in France, rose to international fame for his novels in French, especially L’Enfant
du sable (1985; The Sand Child, 1988), which was translated into many languages, and
La Nuit sacrée (1987; The Sacred Night, 1989), which won the Prix Goncourt, France’s
top literary award.

The art of oral storytelling, frequently accompanied by singing and dancing, continues in
the countryside and at local festivals. Berber storytellers specialize in recounting odes
and songs of local myth and faraway places.

Classical music in Morocco is music of the Arab-Andalusian style. It features an orchestra

of traditional stringed instruments, such as the rabab (two-string violin), ‘ud (Arab lute),
and qanun (zither), as well as percussion instruments, including the tambourine and
drum. Songs in Arabic often accompany this music. A popular music style known as rai
(“opinion”) developed in the cities of Algeria and Morocco during the 1970s, as young
people sought to break with traditional society and express their views. Its outspoken
lyrics are set to a rock beat, and the music is performed on traditional as well as
electronic instruments. A folklore festival is held each June in Marrakech, featuring folk
music and folk dances from various locales in Morocco.
Handicrafts have long been important in Morocco and are produced both in cities and in
the countryside. They were originally made as items for daily use rather than works of
art, but are now found in shops and souks (markets) in every city and town. Fine
examples can be found in the country’s museums. Morocco’s handicrafts include jewelry,
leatherwork, pottery, textiles and carpets, and woodwork. The town of Safi has long been
a center for pottery in Morocco.

The Moroccan national library, which was founded in 1920, is located at Rabat. Other
libraries in the country include the Library of Casablanca and the University library at
Fès. Morocco has a number of major museums. The Archaeological Museum in Tétouan
has collections of Carthaginian, Roman, and Islamic art and artifacts. Archaeological
museums also are found in Rabat and Larache. Tangier has a Museum of Contemporary
Art. The National Museum of Ceramics is at Safi.

ECONOM
IV Y

Morocco is primarily an agricultural country, and its dependence on agriculture has

hampered economic growth. While Morocco was a French colony, the economy was
shaped by French interests. Fruits and vegetables, and phosphate rocks for fertilizer,
became its chief exports. Morocco’s economic ties to Europe remain strong, and the
country hopes to strengthen these ties by joining the European Union (EU).
Manufacturing and agribusiness have grown along the coast, which is far more
developed than the interior of the country, where traditional farming continues.

Tourism has become increasingly important to Morocco’s economy, with more than 2
million tourists visiting the country each year. Tourist complexes have been built along
the coast, and large new hotels have sprung up in Fès, Marrakech, and other popular
tourist destinations. Agadir is the chief coastal resort.

In 2006 gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at $65.4 billion, or $2,144.60 per
person. (GDP is a measure of the value of all goods and service a country produces.) The
government’s budget in 2006 included revenues of $16.4 billion and expenditures of
$16.9 billion.

Agricultur
A e
Despite Morocco’s dependence on agriculture, only 19 percent of the land is cultivated.
Agricultural output is reliant on weather conditions, particularly rainfall, and income from
agriculture depends on agricultural prices, neither of which the country controls. The
principal crops of Morocco are cereals, particularly wheat and barley; root crops such as
potatoes and sugar beets; vegetables, including tomatoes and melons; fruits, particularly
citrus fruits, grapes, and dates; and sugarcane. A wide variety of other fruits and
vegetables are also grown. Livestock includes sheep, goats, and cattle.

Forestry and
B Fishing

Forestry is not an important industry in Morocco. Cork oak forests of the Gharb region
supply industrial cork. Much of the timber cut is used as fuel.

Fishing has become increasingly important to the economy, and the waters off the coast
of Morocco are rich in fish. Conflicts developed with the European Union (EU) in the late
1990s over European, especially Spanish, fishing fleets operating in Moroccan waters.
Spanish fishers threatened to block imports of fish from Morocco if their boats were
barred from Moroccan waters. An agreement reached with the EU reduced European fish
catches to protect endangered stocks of fish and boost Morocco’s fishing industry. The
chief fishing centers in Morocco are Agadir, Safi, Essaouira, and Casablanca. The fish
catch includes sardines, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, and shellfish. Much of the catch is
processed—frozen or canned—for export in Morocco.

Mining &
C Minerals

Morocco is a leading producer of phosphate rock, used for fertilizer. Morocco has about
two-thirds of the world’s known supply of phosphate rock. Output was 8.5 million metric
tons in 2004. Other minerals, produced in small amounts, include coal, iron ore, silver,
and zinc. Morocco has two-thirds of the world’s phosphate reserves and is the world’s
top exporter of phosphate rock. In 2003 Morocco mined nearly 22 million metric tons of
phosphate rock. Morocco is a minor producer of oil and natural gas. In fact, it is the
largest energy importer in North Africa. Crude petroleum production totaled only about
300 barrels per day in 2005. Natural gas production was estimated at 5 million cubic
meters in all of 2003.

D Manufacturi
 ng

The government has promoted efforts to expand Morocco’s manufacturing sector since
the 1980s to reduce the country’s dependence on agriculture and phosphate exports.
The major industry is the processing of phosphates. Steel mills were built during the
1980s and 1990s, and petroleum refining has increased in importance. Food-processing
and textiles have also become significant industries. Handicrafts are supported by the
government, and Moroccan artisans produce fabrics, leather goods, ceramics, rugs and
carpets, and woodwork of high quality.

Energ
E y

Some 94 percent of Morocco’s electricity production in 2003 was generated in thermal

plants, and the remainder was produced in hydroelectric facilities. Morocco’s output of
electricity in 2003 was 17.3 billion kilowatt-hours.

Currency and
F Banking

Morocco’s unit of currency is the dirham, consisting of 100 centimes. Currency is issued
by the Banque al-Maghrib (1959), the state bank. The country also has a number of large
private banks.

Foreign
G Trade

Morocco’s leading exports are phosphates and phosphoric acid. Other exports include
citrus fruit, wheat, fish, and minerals. Exports in 2003 earned $8.8 billion. Imports were
valued at $14.2 billion. Imports typically consist of industrial equipment, food products,
manufactured goods, and fuels. The principal purchasers of Morocco’s exports are
France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States; chief sources of imports
are France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United
States. Morocco gains much foreign exchange from remittances by Moroccans working
abroad and from the expenditures of the large number of tourists who visit the country
each year.
 Transportati
H on

Nearly all goods move in and out of Morocco by ship, and the country has extensive port
facilities. Casablanca remains the most important port. Other ports include Agadir,
Kenitra, Mohammedia, Safi, and Tangier. The country has a limited but efficient rail
network, with 1,907 km (1,185 mi) of railroad track. The main lines connect Tangier to
Fès, Casablanca, and Marrakech; from Fès tracks run east to Oujda and on to Algeria.
Morocco 57,493 km (36,786 mi) of roads, 57 percent of which are hard-surfaced.
Domestic and international air service is provided by Royal Air Maroc; several major
foreign airlines also serve Morocco.

Communicatio
I ns

Until the 1980s virtually every aspect of the press—radio, television, newspapers, and
magazines—was tightly controlled by the Ministry of the Interior and Information. Radio
and television were exclusively in the hands of the government, while the press
practiced self-censorship. The situation has since become more open, and the press is
freer to investigate social issues than it had been. However, attacks on Islam, the
monarchy, or Moroccan territorial integrity—namely, Western Sahara—are offenses
punishable by prison sentences.

Radio and television programs are broadcast in several languages in Morocco. The
government-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) broadcasts radio programs mainly in
Arabic, although the major cities have programming in French. Berber shows also are
produced. A commercial radio station, Médi-1, began operation in Tangier in the mid-
1980s, and a private cable channel, 2M, began operation in 1989. Television broadcasts
are in French and Arabic. The country has 24 daily newspapers and numerous
periodicals.

Labo
J r

Morocco’s workforce in 2006 included 11.3 million persons. Some 45 percent of the labor
force was engaged in agriculture, forestry, and fishing; another 36 percent worked in
services; and 20 percent was employed in industry, including manufacturing,
construction, and mining.
 GOVERNMEN
V T

Morocco is a hereditary monarchy, governed under a constitution promulgated in 1996.

Replacing an amended 1972 constitution, the 1996 constitution is nominally more
democratic. Under the 1972 constitution, one-third of the members of parliament were
indirectly elected, and tended to support the wishes of the monarchy. This existing
legislative body was reorganized by the 1996 constitution to become entirely popularly
elected. The new constitution also created a second, indirectly elected “advisory”
legislative body, however, effectively ensuring the supremacy of the king.

Executiv
A e

The monarch, who, according to the constitution, must be male, is the head of state of
Morocco. He appoints the prime minister and cabinet. He also has the power to call for a
reconsideration of legislative measures and to dissolve the legislature. The monarch is
commander in chief of the country’s armed forces.

Legislatur
B e

Under the 1996 constitution, Morocco’s legislature changed from a unicameral house to
a bicameral one. The new legislature consists of a 325-member Chamber of
Representatives and a 270-member Chamber of Advisers. Members of the Chamber of
Representatives are directly elected by universal suffrage to five-year terms. Members of
the Chamber of Advisers serve nine-year terms; 60 percent are indirectly elected by
local councils, and the remaining 40 percent are selected by representatives of business
associations and trade unions. The Chamber of Advisers may initiate legislation on equal
footing with the Chamber of Representatives, but the former has the potential decisive
advantage of being able to dissolve the government with a two-thirds majority vote. The
first elections for these legislative bodies were held in 1997.
 Political
C Parties

Morocco has a multiparty political system. Most parties are aligned in three major
groupings: centrist parties, such as the Popular Movement (MP) and the National Rally of
Independents (RNI); leftist parties, such as the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP);
and center-right parties, such as the secular Istiqlal (Independence) Party and the
moderate Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD).

Local
D Government

Morocco is divided into 16 administrative regions, which are in turn subdivided into 65
provinces and prefectures. The regions are administered by regional councils, whose
members are either elected by communal councils or appointed by the minister of the
interior. The provinces and prefectures are subdivided into communes.

Judiciar
E y

The highest tribunal in Morocco is the Supreme Court, which sits in Rabat. The country
also has 15 courts of appeal. Cases involving small sums of money are heard by local
tribunals, and more important cases are initiated in regional tribunals. In addition, the
country has 14 labor tribunals.

Health and
F Welfare

Health services are fairly well developed in Morocco’s cities, but health conditions in
rural areas remain poor. The state-run health-care system offers free care, but is limited
in its reach and resources. The private system consists of profit-making clinics. Folk
medicine is still practiced in rural areas. The government provides for social security
benefits.
 Defens
G e

Military service of 18 months is compulsory for males in Morocco. The army in 2004
numbered 180,000, the air force 13,000, and the navy 7,800.

HISTOR
VI Y

The history of the region comprising present-day Morocco has been shaped by the
interaction of the original Berber population and the various peoples who successively
invaded the country.

Early
A History

The first of the invaders well known to history were the Phoenicians (see Phoenicia), who
in the 12th century bc established trading posts on the Mediterranean coast of the
region. They founded a settlement known as Rusaddir, now modern Melilla. The
Phoenician colonies in North Africa were later taken over and extended by the
Carthaginians (see Carthage). The Carthaginians founded towns on the Atlantic coast at
Tangier, Larache, and as far south as Essaouira. Carthaginian inscriptions have been
found at Volubilis, the Roman capital of western North Africa, near Meknès.

The conquest of Carthage by Rome, in the 2nd century bc, led to Roman dominance of
the Mediterranean coast of Africa. About ad 42 the northern portion of what is now
Morocco was incorporated into the Roman Empire as the province of Mauretania
Tingitana. Tingis was the name of the town that became Tangier. In the Germanic
invasions that attended the decline of the Roman Empire, the Vandals in 429 occupied
Mauretania Tingitana. The Byzantine general Belisarius defeated the Vandals in 533 and
established Byzantine rule in parts of the country.

Muslim
B Conquest

Byzantine rule was ended by the Arabs, who invaded Morocco in 682 in the course of
their drive to expand the power of Islam. Except for the Jews, the inhabitants of Morocco,
both Christian and pagan, soon accepted the religion of their conquerors. Berber troops
were used extensively by the Arabs in their conquest of Spain, which began in 711.

The first Arab rulers of the whole of Morocco, the Idrisid dynasty, held power from 789 to
926. The dynasty was named after Idris I, a refugee from the east who was the great-
great-grandson of Fatima, daughter of the prophet Muhammad. In 793 Idris died—
poisoned, it is said, by an emissary of the Abassid caliph Harun ar-Rashid, from whose
usurpation he had fled. Idris I was succeeded by his son, Idris II, who made Fès his
capital. This city was to become a center of Islamic and Arab culture throughout the
centuries, thanks largely to the settlement there in the 9th century of two large
contingents of refugees—one from Kairouan (present-day Al Qayrawān)in Tunisia, the
other from Córdoba, cities that were the centers of Muslim civilization in Africa and Spain
respectively. The Idrisid dynasty thus gave Morocco a capital, a tradition, and its patron
saints in the two founders, Idris I and II.

Almoravids, Almohads, and

C Merinids

The Idrisid was succeeded by other dynasties, both Arab and Berber. Not until the 11th
century can we speak of an independent kingdom of Morocco within its 20th-century
frontiers. The unification of the country was the work of Berbers from south of the Tlas,
nomads from the country now known as Mauritania. The Berbers were reforming
Muslims; their first great leader, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, was an austere Muslim, living on
camel flesh and milk and wearing only woolen garments. His followers were known as
Almoravids, from the Arabic al-murabit, meaning “hermits.” Yusuf ibn Tashfin extended
his rule over all North Africa as far as Algiers (in what is now Algeria), and also into
Muslim Spain. The Almoravids ruled from 1062 to 1147.

In the 12th century, after a civil war lasting more than 20 years, the Almoravids were
succeeded by another great Berber dynasty, the Almohads. Their name comes from the
Arabic al-muwahhid, meaning “those who proclaim the unity of God,” and they ruled
from 1147 to 1258. They also extended Moroccan rule and came to control not only
Muslim Spain but all North Africa, including Tunisia, from which they expelled the
Normans. In 1195 they won a great victory over the Christians in Spain at Alarcos.

The Almohad Empire began to disintegrate after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in
1212, in which the Spanish defeated the Moroccans. By midcentury its power was gone.
A third Berber dynasty, the Merinids, followed, but it failed to keep a foothold in Spain or
to maintain Moroccan rule in North Africa beyond the frontiers of Morocco. A period of
disorder and almost incessant civil war followed the collapse of the Merinids in 1358.
Rulers of various dynasties reigned briefly and ineffectually over parts of the country.
The Portuguese and Spanish captured a number of Moroccan ports.
The period of these three Berber dynasties—the Almoravids, the Almohads, and the
Merinids—was a great age for Moroccan architecture. The finest monuments in Morocco
are the mosques, minarets, and gateways built by the Almohads in the Atlas, at
Marrakech, and in Rabat, and the madrasas (colleges) of Fès built by the Merinids. These
magnificent constructions were the work of Muslim architects from Andalusia in southern
Spain, for the Moroccan rulers rapidly adopted the culture of their new subjects and
brought craftsmen and artists to Morocco from Spain. Two of Morocco’s great minaret
towers—the Koutoubiya in Marrakech and the Hassan Tower in Rabat—were built by a
Muslim architect from Spain. The absorption of Spanish Muslims had in fact begun even
before the time of the Almoravids, when disturbances in Muslim Spain first led Muslims
to seek refuge on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. The process continued until
the beginning of the 17th century, with the expulsion of Moriscos (Christian converts
from Islam) from Spain.

Sharifian
D Dyanasties

Morocco experienced a revival under the Saadians, known as the first Sharifian dynasty
(1554-1660). The Saadian rulers were sharifs—that is, rulers who claimed descent from
the prophet Muhammad. They had reclaimed a number of ports from the Portuguese by
1578. The reign (1579-1603) of Ahmed I al-Mansur is regarded as the golden age of
Morocco. It was unified and relatively prosperous; its native arts and architecture
flourished.

Al-Mansur not only successfully resisted Turkish attacks on the eastern frontier but also
sent an expedition to the south that captured Tombouktou (in Mali) and put an end to
the Songhai kingdom. He became master of the gold route from West Africa, and
encouraged the cultivation of sugarcane. Morocco became one of the chief suppliers of
sugar to England and other parts of western Europe.

The Saadians were succeeded by the second Sharifian dynasty, who have ruled since
1660 and remain on the Moroccan throne to this day. For 55 years, from 1672 to 1727,
the able and ambitious Ismail al-Hasani ruled the country. He expanded relations with
the European powers, regained the port of Tangier, and built a capital at Meknès. Al-
Hasani’s reign was followed by a long period of disorder, which was punctuated with
brief interludes of relative peace and prosperity.

European
E Intrusion

In 1415 Portugal had captured the port of Ceuta. This intrusion initiated a period of
gradual extension of Portuguese and Spanish power over the Moroccan coastal region.
The Moroccans inflicted a severe defeat on the Portuguese in 1578, and by the end of
the 17th century they had regained control of most of their coastal cities. In the 18th and
early 19th centuries pirates from Morocco and other so-called Barbary states of North
Africa preyed on the shipping that plied the Mediterranean Sea (see Barbary Coast).
Because of the depredations of the Barbary pirates and because Morocco shared control
of the Strait of Gibraltar with Spain, the country figured with increasing weight in the
diplomacy of the European maritime powers, particularly Spain, Britain, and France.
Spain invaded Morocco in 1859 and 1860 and acquired Tétouan.

In April 1904, in return for receiving a free hand in Egypt from France, Britain recognized
Morocco as a French sphere of interest. Later that year France and Spain divided
Morocco into zones of influence, with Spain receiving the much smaller part of Morocco
and the region south of Morocco, which would become Spanish Sahara. Germany soon
disputed these arrangements, and a conference of major powers, including the United
States, met in Algeciras, Spain, in January 1906, to conclude an agreement (see
Algeciras Conference). The resultant Act of Algeciras guaranteed equality of economic
rights for every nation in Morocco.

In July 1911, the Germans sent a gunboat to the Moroccan port city of Agadir, in a move
designed to encourage Moroccan resistance to French dominance. This incident
provoked French mobilization and brought Europe to the brink of war, but in later
negotiations Germany agreed to a French protectorate over Morocco in return for French
territorial concessions elsewhere in Africa.

The
F Protectorate

In March 1912 the sultan of Morocco recognized the protectorate. Later that year the
French, under a revision of the 1904 convention with Spain, obtained a larger share of
Moroccan territory.

The Spanish experienced greater difficulties in Spanish Morocco. Abd el-Krim, a leader of
Berber tribes, organized a revolt against Spanish rule in 1921. By 1924 he had driven the
Spanish forces from most of their Moroccan territory. He then turned upon the French.
France and Spain agreed in 1925 to cooperate against Abd el-Krim. More than 200,000
troops under French marshal Henri Philippe Pétain were used in the campaign, which
suppressed the revolt in 1926. Rebels in parts of the Atlas Mountains were not fully
subdued until the end of 1934, however.

Under the French regime, the whole country was finally brought under control by the
central government. A system of roads, railroads, and ports, needed for economic
development, was created, and a growing industrial city was built at Casablanca. An
educated elite was formed from students who attended modern schools and were
introduced to ideas of the 20th century. This generation of educated Moroccans set out
to recover the country’s independence.

During World War II, France’s collaborationist Vichy government allowed Morocco to
support the German war effort following Germany’s defeat of France in 1940. In 1942,
British and American troops landed and occupied Morocco, giving impetus to the
independence movement. In 1944, Moroccan nationalists formed the Istiqlal party, which
soon won the support of Sultan Mohammed V and the majority of Arabs. It was opposed
by most of the Berber tribes, however. The French rejected the plea by the sultan in
1950 for self-government. The sultan was deposed in 1953 by pro-French reactionary
notables, organized with the encouragement of French authorities, and exiled to
Madagascar. But in 1955 the French permitted him to return to his throne.

Independence and
G Unification

France recognized Moroccan independence in March 1956. In April the Spanish

government recognized in principle the independence of Spanish Morocco and the unity
of the sultanate, although it retained certain cities and territories. Tangier was
incorporated into Morocco in October 1956. Ifni, in the southwest, was returned to
Morocco in 1969.

Sultan Mohammed V assumed the title of king in 1957. After French authority was
removed, the sultan as king became an absolute ruler over a country with no
constitutional institutions of any kind. This situation increased the difficulty of moving
toward a parliamentary form of government, which the nationalist movement desired.
The first three governments after independence were formed to a large extent on party
lines, although the king retained control of the army, the police force, and the central
administration. In forming the fourth government in 1960, the king abandoned the
attempt to respect party claims. Ministers were selected instead for their “loyalty,
integrity, and ability,” and King Mohammed V himself became premier, naming his son
as his day-to-day deputy.

At Mohammed’s death in 1961, the throne passed to his son Hassan II. A royal charter
was implemented by Hassan, whereby a constitutional monarchy was established on the
approval by referendum of a constitution in December 1962. The nation’s first general
elections were held in 1963, and the first parliamentary government was formed
afterward. Parliamentary government proved short-lived, however, and was dominated
by interparty bickering that impeded legislative action.

In 1965, after serious rioting in Casablanca, the king proclaimed a state of emergency.
He dissolved parliament, suspended the constitution, and assumed full executive and
legislative power, serving as his own prime minister for two years. Because the state was
held together largely by religious fidelity to the king, who was both a temporal and
spiritual leader, the politicians and populace accepted royal interference in politics and
administration. Hassan gave strong support to the Arab cause in the 1967 Six-Day War
with Israel and made subsequent attempts to secure Arab unity.

In 1970, ending the state of emergency, the king introduced a new constitution
strengthening royal power and establishing a unicameral parliament. It was approved in
a referendum, despite the opposition of the Istiqlal and its offshoot, the USFP (Socialist
Union of Popular Forces). Following an attempt, in 1971, by a section of the army to
overthrow the monarchy, the king tried to conciliate the opposition. In 1972 he won
approval for a new constitution that curtailed his power and increased parliament’s.
However, because the Istiqlal and USFP rejected the constitution and its reforms as
inadequate, the king suspended parliament and postponed elections indefinitely. In 1973
he issued laws that took over all foreign-owned land and forced most foreign-owned
firms to sell Morocco shares in their holdings.

Saharan War and Constitutional

H Changes

Morocco forced Spain to withdraw from Spanish Sahara in 1976. When the Spanish left,
they ceded the northern two-thirds of the colony to Morocco, while Mauritania received
the southern third. This disposal of the phosphate-rich territory was disputed by many
Sahrawis, nomadic tribespeople who sought independence for Western Sahara and
formed the Polisario Front. This Saharan nationalist guerrilla movement proclaimed
Western Sahara an independent nation, called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR), and conducted guerrilla warfare from bases inside Algeria. Although burdened
by the ensuing guerrilla warfare, Morocco resolved to continue the fight alone after
Mauritania decided to withdraw from the conflict in 1979. Relations between Morocco
and neighboring Algeria grew strained over Algeria’s support for the Polisario Front.

Faced with mounting international opposition, King Hassan nevertheless committed

additional troops and resources to the effort to protect the phosphate mines and major
towns from Polisario harassment. In 1984 Morocco quit the Organization of African Unity
(OAU) to protest its seating of a Polisario delegation. By 1987 the Moroccan military had
enclosed four-fifths of the Western Sahara with a defensive wall that sharply curtailed
attacks by Polisario forces. Efforts by the United Nations (UN) to mediate the dispute
continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s. A cease-fire was implemented in Western
Sahara in 1991, and a UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination was postponed
repeatedly due to disagreements over voter eligibility. From the early 1990s on, Morocco
was criticized by the Polisario Front for encouraging Moroccans to migrate to Western
Sahara in hopes of having them counted as eligible voters.

Western Saharan constituencies were included in 1992 local elections, which followed
King Hassan’s promulgation of a new constitution, overwhelmingly approved by
referendum. In 1996 a referendum approved the king’s plans for a new legislative upper
house, composed of indirectly elected representatives of local government and the
professions. The constitutional revisions of 1992 and 1996 expanded the powers of
parliament.

A New
] King
Hassan II died in July 1999 and was succeeded by his son Mohammed VI. The new king
promised to continue the reforms begun by his father. Under Mohammed’s leadership,
the government pushed through reforms in family law—granting more rights to women—
and liberalized economic policies in the hope of attracting more investment from abroad.
In 2000 the king started a campaign for Morocco to join the European Union (EU), but the
plan met with little EU enthusiasm. Terrorist bomb attacks in Casablanca in 2003 led the
government to enact new antiterrorism legislation. An Equity and Reconciliation
Commission was established in 2004 to investigate human rights abuses from 1956 to
1999, during the reign of Mohammed’s father. The final report, delivered in 2006,
recommended payments for individuals who were tortured and for families of people
who disappeared.

Parliamentary elections for the 325-seat Chamber of Representatives were held in

September 2007. A total of 23 parties and 5 independents won seats in the new
parliament. Taking the largest share of seats were the secular conservative Istiqlal
(Independence) Party, followed by the moderate Islamist Party of Justice and
Development (PJD). A record-low voter turnout of 37 percent and accusations by the PJD
that secular parties had bought votes marred the election results. The victory of Istiqlal
ensured that Morocco, an important U.S. ally in the Muslim world, would continue to
maintain strong ties with the West.