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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 fromsimilar 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 Moroccandirham (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)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_dirham


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_4217

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currency



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_4217



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 gross national product (GNP)

6.6 percent

Number of years of compulsoryschooling

9 years (2002-2003)

Number of students per teacher,

primary school

28 students per teacher

GOVERNMENT

Form of government Constitutional monarchy

Voting qualifications Universal at age 18

Constitution 4 September 1992; amended1996

Armed forces

Total number of military personnel 200,800

Military expenditures as a share of gross domestic product (GDP)

4.2 percent

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

wind sources

1.05 percent

Number of radios per 1,000 people 247

Number of telephones per 1,000people

45

Number of televisions per 1,000people

156

Number of Internet hosts per 10,000people

1.2

Daily newspaper circulation per 1,000people

28

Number of motor vehicles per 1,000people

45

Paved road as a share of total roads 57 percent

Morocco



I

INTRODUCTIO

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 ministeras 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.



IILAND ANDRESOURCES

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.

BClimate

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.

C NaturalResources

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.

D

Plants and

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.



ESoils

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.

FEnvironmentalIssues

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.

IIIPEOPLE

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.

APrincipalCities

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.

B Religion

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.

CLanguage

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.

DEducation

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 ZohrUniversity (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.

ECulture

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 andbased 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 orchestraof 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.

IVECONOM

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.

AAgriculture



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.

BForestry andFishing

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.

CMining &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-processingand 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.

EEnergy

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.

FCurrency andBanking

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.

GForeignTrade

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 areFrance, 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.



HTransportation

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.

ICommunications

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 inArabic, 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.

J

Labo

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.



VGOVERNMENT

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.

A

Executiv

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.

B

Legislatur

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. Thefirst elections for these legislative bodies were held in 1997.



CPoliticalParties

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).

DLocalGovernment

Morocco is divided into 16 administrative regions, which are in turn subdivided into 65provinces 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.

E Judiciary

The highest tribunal in Morocco is the Supreme Court, which sits in Rabat. The countryalso 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.

FHealth andWelfare

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.



GDefense

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.

VIHISTOR

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.

AEarlyHistory

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.

BMuslimConquest

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.

CAlmoravids, Almohads, andMerinids

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 extendedhis 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.

DSharifianDyanasties

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 alsosent 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 withbrief interludes of relative peace and prosperity.

EEuropeanIntrusion

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.

F TheProtectorate

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 200,000troops 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.

G

Independence and

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 movingtoward 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 theapproval 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.

HSaharan War and ConstitutionalChanges

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 burdenedby 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 disputecontinued 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 NewKing

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 PJDthat 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.

Documents

Morocco buisnes project 1