Morocco

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Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco (Arabic: المملكة المغربية‎; archaic Tangeria), is a country in North Africa with a population of 33,241,259. It has a long coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco has international borders with Algeria to the east, Spain to the north (a water border through the Strait and land borders with two small Spanish exclaves, Ceuta and Melilla), and Mauritania or Western Sahara to the south (depending on the disputed Moroccan claim to Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces; it has administered most of the territory since 1975).

Morocco, a constitutional monarchy, is the only African country that is not currently a member of the African Union. However, it is a member of the Arab League, Arab Maghreb Union, Organization of the Islamic Conference, Mediterranean Dialogue group, and Group of 77, and is a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

Contents 1 Name 2 History 2.1 Berber Morocco 2.2 Roman and sub-Roman Morocco 2.3 Early Islamic Morocco 2.4 Morocco 1666–1912 2.5 European influence 2.6 Resistance 2.7 Independence 3 Politics 3.1 Human rights and reforms 4 Administrative divisions 4.1 Western Sahara status 5 Geography 5.1 Climate 6 Economy 7 Demographics 8 Culture 8.1 Cuisine 8.2 Literature 8.3 Music 8.4 World Showcase 9 Transport 10 Military 11 Media 12 Technology 13 Universities 14 International rankings 15 Affiliations 16 Bilateral and multilateral agreements 17 Public holidays 18 See also 19 References 20 External links

[edit] Name

The full Arabic name of the (Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiya) translates to The Western Kingdom. Al Maghrib (meaning The West) is commonly used. For historical references, historians used to refer to Morocco as Al Maghrib al Aqşá (The Farthest West), disambiguating it from the historical region called the Maghreb. The name Morocco in many other languages originates from the name of the former capital, Marrakech.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Morocco

[edit] Berber Morocco

The area of modern Morocco has been inhabited since Neolithic times, at least 8000 BC, as attested by signs of the Capsian culture, in a time when the Maghreb was less arid than it is today. Many theorists believe the Berber language probably arrived at roughly the same time as agriculture (see Berber), and was adopted by the existing population as well as the immigrants that brought it. Modern genetic analyses have confirmed that various populations have contributed to the present-day population, including (in addition to the main Berber and Arab groups) Phoenicians, Sephardic Jews, and a very limited amount of sub-Saharan Africans. The Berbers, often referred to in modern ethnic activist circles as "Amazigh," are more commonly known as "Berber" or by their regional ethnic identity, such as Chleuh. In the classical period, Morocco was known as Mauretania, although this should not be confused with the modern country of Mauritania.

[edit] Roman and sub-Roman Morocco

North Africa and Morocco were slowly drawn into the wider emerging Mediterranean world by Phoenician trading colonies and settlements in the late Classical period. The arrival of Phoenicians heralded a long engagement with the wider Mediterranean, as this strategic region formed part of the Roman Empire, as Mauretania Tingitana. In the fifth century, as the Roman Empire declined, the region fell to the Vandals, Visigoths, and then Byzantine Greeks in rapid succession. During this time, however, the high mountains of most of modern Morocco remained unsubdued, and stayed in the hands of their Berber inhabitants.

[edit] Early Islamic Morocco

By the seventh century, Arab expansion was at its greatest. In 670 AD, the first Arab invasions of the North African coastal plain took place under Uqba ibn Nafi, a general serving under the Umayyads of Damascus. His delegates went to what is now Morocco, which he called "Maghreb al Aqsa" or "The Far West," in the year 683. The delegates supported the assimilation process that took about a century.

The Arab-Muslim Caliphates (i.e. Umayyads of Damascus and the Abbasids of Baghdad) lost political influence over Morocco when the first Arab dynasty in the country, the Idrisid, cut ties with the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad and the Umayyad rule in Al-Andalus. After the reign of the Idrisids, Arabs lost political control within Morocco. After adopting Islam, several Berber dynasties formed their own Islamic dynasties and reigned over the country. This situation lasted until the Arab Saadi dynasty took over in the 16th century.

What became modern Morocco in the seventh century, was the area influenced by the Arabs, who brought their customs, culture, and Islam, to which most of the Berbers converted, forming states and kingdoms such as the Kingdom of Nekor and Barghawata. The country soon broke away from the control of the distant Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad under Idris ibn Abdallah who founded the Idrisid Dynasty. The Idrisids established Fez as their capital and Morocco became a centre of learning and a major regional power.

Morocco would reach its height under a series of Berber origin dynasties that would replace the Arab Idrisids. First the Almoravids, then the Almohads would see Morocco rule most of Northwest Africa, as well as large sections of Islamic Iberia, or Al-Andalus. Under Islamic rule, Spanish cities such as Sevilla and Granada were places where the citizenry prospered under a tolerant rule which also focused on scholarly advances in science, mathematics, astronomy, geography as well as medicine.

However, Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula ended with the fall of Granada to the forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Under the Catholic Inquisition, troops pillaged Granada amongst other Islamic cities and persecuted its citizens, Muslims and Jewish. Rather than face persecution and possible execution, many Muslims and Jews fled to Morocco. The Inquisitors, eager to abolish any trace of Islamic culture, destroyed the libraries in Muslim Spain, where thousands of priceless texts were kept.

Smaller states of the region, such as the Barghawata and Banu Isam, were conquered. The empire collapsed, however, with a long-running series of civil wars.

[edit] Morocco 1666–1912

The Alaouite Dynasty eventually gained control. Morocco was facing aggression from Spain and the Ottoman Empire that was sweeping westward. The Alaouites succeeded in stabilizing their position, and while the kingdom was smaller than previous ones in the region it remained quite wealthy. In 1684, they annexed Tangier.

Morocco was the first nation, in 1777, to recognize the fledgling United States as an independent nation. In the beginning of the American Revolution, American merchant ships were subject to attack by the Barbary Pirates while sailing the Atlantic Ocean. At this time, American envoys tried to obtain protection from European powers, but to no avail. On 20 December 1777, Morocco's Sultan declared that the American merchant ships would be under the protection of the sultanate and could thus enjoy safe passage.

The Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship stands as the U.S.'s oldest non-broken friendship treaty. Signed by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, it has been in continuous effect since 1786. After the organization of the American government under the Constitution, President George Washington wrote a now venerated letter to the Sultan Sidi Mohamed strengthening the ties between the two countries. The United States legation (consulate) in Tangier is the first property the American government ever owned abroad. The building now houses the Tangier American Legation Museum.

[edit] European influence

Successful Portuguese efforts to invade and control the Atlantic coast in the fifteenth century did not profoundly affect the Mediterranean heart of Morocco. After the Napoleonic Wars, Egypt and the North African maghreb became increasingly ungovernable from Istanbul, the resort of pirates under local beys, and as Europe industrialized, an increasingly prized potential for colonization. The Maghreb had far greater proven wealth than the unknown rest of Africa and a location of strategic importance affecting the exit from the Mediterranean. For the first time, Morocco became a state of some interest in itself to the European Powers. France showed a strong interest in Morocco as early as 1830^{[citation needed]}. Recognition by the United Kingdom in 1904 of France's sphere of influence in Morocco provoked a German reaction; the crisis of June 1905 was resolved at the Algeciras Conference, Spain in 1906, which formalized France's "special position" and entrusted policing of Morocco to France and Spain jointly. A second Moroccan crisis provoked by Berlin, increased tensions between European powers. The Treaty of Fez (signed on March 30, 1912) made Morocco a protectorate of France. By the same treaty, Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the northern and southern Saharan zones on November 27 that year.

Many Moroccan soldiers (Goumieres) served in the French army in both World War I and World War II.

[edit] Resistance

Nationalist political parties, which subsequently arose under the French protectorate, based their arguments for Moroccan independence on such World War II declarations as the Atlantic Charter (a joint U.S.-British statement that set forth, among other things, the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they live). A manifesto of the Istiqlal Party (Independence party in English) in 1944 was one of the earliest public demands for independence. That party subsequently provided most of the leadership for the nationalist movement.

France's exile of Sultan Mohammed V in 1953 to Madagascar and his replacement by the unpopular Mohammed Ben Aarafa, whose reign was perceived as illegitimate, sparked active opposition to the French protectorate all over the country. The most notable occurred in Oujda where Moroccans attacked French and other European residents in the streets. Operations by the newly created "Jaish al-tahrir" (Liberation Army), were launched on October 1, 1955. Jaish al-tahrir was created by "Comité de Libération du Maghreb Arabe" (Arab Maghreb Liberation Committee) in Cairo, Egypt to constitute a resistance movement against occupation. Its goal was the return of King Mohammed V and the liberation of Algeria and Tunisia as well. France allowed Mohammed V to return in 1955, and the negotiations that led to Moroccan independence began the following year.

All those events helped increase the degree of solidarity between the people and the newly returned king. For this reason, the revolution that Morocco knew was called "Taourat al-malik wa shaab" (The revolution of the King and the People) and it is celebrated every August 20.

[edit] Independence

In November 18 2006, Morocco celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence. Morocco recovered its political independence from France on March 2, 1956 and on April 7 France officially relinquished its protectorate. Through agreements with Spain in 1956 and 1958, Moroccan control over certain Spanish-ruled areas was restored, though attempts to claim other Spanish colonial possessions through military action were less successful. The internationalized city of Tangier was reintegrated with the signing of the Tangier Protocol on October 29, 1956 (see Tangier Crisis). Hassan II became King of Morocco on March 3, 1961. His early years of rule would be marked by political unrest. The Spanish enclave of Ifni in the south was reintegrated to the country in 1969. Morocco annexed Western Sahara during the 1970s after having demanding its reintegration from Spain since independence , but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. (See History of Western Sahara.)

Political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997. Morocco was granted Major non-NATO ally status in June 2004 and signed free trade agreements with the United States and the European Union.

In 2003, Morocco's largest city, Casablanca suffered from terrorist attacks. The attacks were targeted against Western and Jewish places and left 33 civilians dead and more than 100 people injured, mostly Moroccans.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Morocco

Morocco is a de jure constitutional monarchy, with an elected parliament. The King of Morocco, with vast executive powers, can dissolve government and deploy the military, among other responsibilities. Opposition political parties are legal and several have arisen in recent years.

[edit] Human rights and reforms

Main article: Human rights in Morocco

Morocco's history after independence and in the beginning of the reign of Hassan II was marked by the period of political tensions between the monarchy and opposition parties. Those years of tension are labelled by the opposition as the Years of Lead. Politically motivated persecutions were common especially when Gen. Oufkir became resposible for home security.

However, during the last decade of the rule of King Hassan II and especially under the reign of Mohammed VI, and with the launch of Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) to investigate into the abuses committed in the name of the state, Morocco is trying to reconciliate with the victims. Many new laws and codes concerning all aspects of life are being launched. The most notable event was the creation of the Mudawana — a family code which was the first unique initiative of its kind in the Arab and Muslim world. The code gives women more rights. Other issues such as the abolition of capital punishment and the reform of the Moroccan nationality law are being debated. The Moroccan parliament is due to vote on these issues in spring 2007.

The 2003 Casablanca bombings and the need to fight the terrorist threat have lead the government to pass a controversial anti-terrorism law that cracked down on terrorist suspects. Moroccan and International organisations continue to have criticism against the human rights situation in Morocco (i.e. arrests of suspected Islamist extremists during 2004 and 2005 related to 2003 Casablanca bombings), and in Western Sahara in particular.^[1]

On mid-February 2007, a study published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies called "Arab Reform and Foreign Aid: Lessons from Morocco" concluded that Morocco provides a valuable lesson in political and economic reform, which others in the Arab world can draw on and that the Moroccan model confirms that it is possible to adopt both reforms simultaneously.^[2]

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main articles: Regions of Morocco and Prefectures and provinces of Morocco

Morocco is divided into sixteen regions,^[3] and subdivided into sixty-two prefectures and provinces.^[4]

As part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature, sixteen new regions were created. These regions are:

Chaouia-Ouardigha Doukkala-Abda Fès-Boulemane Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen Greater Casablanca Guelmim-Es Semara Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz

Meknès-Tafilalet Oriental Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer Souss-Massa-Draâ Tadla-Azilal Tangier-Tétouan Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

[edit] Western Sahara status

Due to the conflict over Western Sahara, the status of both regions of "Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra" and "Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira" is disputed.

The government of Morocco has suggested that a self-governing entity (the CORCAS) should govern the territory with some degree of autonomy, and aims to present this project to the United Nations Security Council before April 2007. The stalemating of the referendum option has lead the UN in recent UN Security Council resolutions to ask the parties to enter into direct negotiations to reach a mutually accepted political solution.

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Morocco

See also List of cities in Morocco and Western Sahara

At 172,402 sq.mi (446,550 sq.km), Morocco is the fifty-seventh largest country in the world (after Uzbekistan). It is comparable in size to Iraq, and is somewhat larger than the US state of California.

Algeria borders Morocco to the east and southeast though the border between the two countries has been closed since 1994. There are also four Spanish enclaves on the Mediterranean coast: Ceuta, Melilla, Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, Peñón de Alhucemas,

and the Chafarinas islands, as well as the disputed islet Perejil. Off the Atlantic coast the Canary Islands belong to Spain, whereas Madeira to the north is Portuguese. To the north, Morocco is bordered by and controls part of the Strait of Gibraltar, giving it power over the waterways in and out of the Mediterranean sea. The Rif mountains occupy the region bordering the Mediterranean from the north-west to the north-east. The Atlas Mountains run down the backbone of the country, from the south west to the north east. Most of the south east portion of the country is in the Sahara Desert and as such is generally sparsely populated and unproductive economically. Most of the population lives to the north of these mountains, while to the south is the desert. To the south, lies the Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that was annexed by Morocco in 1975 (see Green March). Morocco claims that the Western Sahara is part of its territory and refers to that as its Southern Provinces.

Morocco's capital city is Rabat; its largest city is its main port, Casablanca.

Other cities include Agadir, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Mohammadia, Oujda, Ouarzazat, Safi, Salè, Tangier and Tétouan.

[edit] Climate

The climate is Mediterranean, which becomes more extreme towards the interior regions where it is mountainous. The terrain is such that the coastal plains are rich and accordingly, they comprise the backbone for agriculture. Forests cover about 12% of the land while arable land accounts for 18%. 5% is irrigated.

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of Morocco

According to the African Development Bank, the GDP of Morocco accounts for 6% of the African continent.^[5] Morocco is the fifth economic power of Africa with an annual GDP of $34 billion, after South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.(2001)^[6]

Morocco's largest industry is the mining of phosphates. Its second largest source of income is from nationals living abroad who transfer money to relatives living in Morocco. The country's third largest source of revenue is tourism.

Morocco ranks among the world’s largest producers and exporters of cannabis, and its cultivation and sale provide the economic base for much of the population of northern Morocco. The cannabis is typically processed into hashish. This activity represents 0.57 per cent of Morocco's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), estimated at US$ 37.3 billion. A UN survey^[7] estimated cannabis cultivation at about 1,340 square kilometres (515 sq mi) in Morocco's five northern provinces. This represents 10 % of the total area and 27 per cent of the arable lands of the surveyed territory and 1.5 per cent of Morocco's total arable land. Morocco is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and in 1992 Morocco passed legislation designed to implement the Convention.

Morocco has an unemployment rate of 12.1% (2004 Data) and a 1999 estimate by the CIA puts 19% of the Moroccan population under the poverty line.^[8]

Though working towards change, Morocco historically has utilized child labor on a large scale. In 1999, the Moroccan Government stated that over 500,000 children under the age of 15 were in the labor force.^[9]

Morocco has signed Free Trade Agreements with the European Union (to take effect 2010) and the United States of America. The United States Senate approved by a vote of 85 to 13, on July 22, 2004, the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, which will allow for 98% of the two-way trade of consumer and industrial products to be without tariffs. The agreement entered into force in January 2006.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Morocco

Morocco is the fourth most populous Arab country, after Egypt, Sudan and Algeria. Most Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber stock. About three-quarters of all present-day Moroccans are of Berber descent, while Arabs form the second largest ethnic group. The Arabs invaded Morocco in the seventh century and established their culture there. Morocco's Jewish minority has decreased significantly and numbers about 7,000 (see Jewish exodus from Arab lands). Prior to mass emigration, Morocco was home to more Jews than any other Muslim country in the world. Most of the 100,000 foreign residents are French or Spanish; many are teachers or technicians and more and more retirees, especially in Marrakech.

There is no significant genetic difference between Moroccan Arabs and Moroccan non-Arabs (i.e. Berbers). Thus, it is likely that Arabization was mainly a cultural process without genetic replacement.^[10] However, and according to the European Journal of Human Genetics, North-Western Africans were genetically closer to Iberians and to other Europeans than to sub-Saharan Africans.^[11]

Morocco's official language is classical Arabic. The country's distinctive Arabic dialect is called Moroccan Arabic. Approximately 12 million (40% of the population), mostly in rural areas, speak Berber – which exists in Morocco in three different dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhiyt, and Tamazight) – either as a first language or bilingually with the spoken Arabic dialect.^[12] French, which remains Morocco's unofficial second language, is taught universally and still serves as Morocco's primary language of commerce and economics. It also is widely used in education and government. About 20,000 Moroccans in the northern part of the country speak Spanish as a second language in parallel with Tarifit. English, while still far behind French and Spanish in terms of number of speakers, is rapidly becoming the third foreign language of choice among educated youth (after Arabic and French). As a result of national education reforms entering into force in late 2002, English will be taught in all public schools from the fourth year on. French however, will remain the second foreign language due to Morocco`s close economic and social links with France.

Most people live west of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the center of commerce and industry and the leading port; Rabat is the seat of government; Tangier is the gateway to Morocco from Spain and also a major port; Fez is the cultural and religious center; and Marrakech is a major tourist center.

Education in Morocco is free and compulsory through primary school (age 15). Nevertheless, many children – particularly girls in rural areas – still do not attend school. The country's illiteracy rate has been stuck at around 50% for some years, but reaches as high as 90% among girls in rural regions. On September 2006, UNESCO awarded Morocco amongst other countries; Cuba, Pakistan, Rajastan (India) and Turkey the "UNESCO 2006 Literacy Prize".^[13]

Morocco has about 230,000 students enrolled in fourteen public universities. The Mohammed V University in Rabat and Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (a private university) are highly regarded. Al-Akhawayn, founded in 1993 by King Hassan II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, is an English-language American-style university comprising about 1,000 students. The University of Al Karaouine, in Fez, is considered the oldest university in the world and has been a center of knowledge for more than 1,000 years.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Morocco

Morocco is an ethnically diverse country with a rich lavish culture and civilization. Through Moroccan history, Morocco hosted many people coming from both East (Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews and Arabs), South (Africans) and North (Romans, Vandals, Moors and Jews). All those civilizations have had an impact on the social structure of Morocco. It conceived various forms of beliefs, from paganism, Judaism, and Christianity to Islam.

Each region possesses its own specificities, contributing, thus, to the making of national culture and to the civilization legacy. Morocco has set among its top priorities the protection of its legacy and the preservation of its cultural identity.

Culturally speaking, Morocco has always been struggling to stick to the Arabic cultural heritage against any external influence, and that is what makes of the Moroccan culture so authentic, original and faithful to the Arabic lifestyle and patrimony.

[edit] Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Morocco

Moroccan cuisine has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world. The reason is because of the interaction of Morocco with the outside world for centuries. The cuisine of Morocco is a mix of Berber, Spanish, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and African cuisines. The cuisine of Morocco has been influenced by the native Berber cuisine, the Arabic Andalusian cuisine; brought by the Moriscos when they left Spain, the Turkish cuisine from the Turks and the Middle Eastern cuisines brought by the Arabs as well as Jewish cuisine.

Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, like saffron from Tiliouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fez, are home-grown. Chicken is the most widely eaten meat in Morocco. The most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco is beef; lamb is preferred, but is relatively expensive. Couscous is the most famous Moroccan dish along with pastilla, tajine, and harira. The most popular drink is green tea with mint. The tea is accompanied with hard sugar cones or lumps.

[edit] Literature

Main article: Literature of Morocco

Moroccan literature is written in Arabic, Berber or French, and particularly by people of Morocco. It also contains literature produced in Al-Andalus. Under the Almohad dynasty Morocco experienced a period of prosperity and brilliance of learning. The Almohad built the Marrakech Koutoubia Mosque, which accommodated no fewer than 25,000 people, but was also famed for its books, manuscripts, libraries and book shops, which gave it its name; the first book bazaar in history. The Almohad Caliph Abu Yakub had a great love for collecting books. He founded a great library, which was eventually carried to the Casbah and turned into a public library.

Modern Moroccan literature began in the 1930s. Two main factors gave Morocco a pulse toward witnessing the birth of a modern literature. Morocco, as a French and Spanish protectorate left Moroccan intellectuals the opportunity to exchange and to produce literary works freely enjoying the contact of other Arabic literature and Europe.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Morocco was a refuge and artistic centre and attracted writers as Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams and William S. Burroughs. Moroccan literature flourished with novelists such as Mohamed Choukri, who wrote in Arabic, and Driss Chraïbi who wrote in French. Other important Moroccan authors include Tahar ben Jelloun, Fouad Laroui, Mohammed berrada and Leila Abouzeid.

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Morocco

Moroccan music is predominantly Arab, but Andalusian and other imported influences have had a major effect on the country's musical character. Rock-influenced chaabi bands are widespread, as is trance music with historical origins in Muslim music.

Morocco is home to Andalusian classical music that is found throughout North Africa. It probably evolved under the Moors in Cordoba, and the Persian-born musician Ziryab is usually credited with its invention.

There are three varieties of Berber folk music.

Chaabi (popular) is a music consisting of numerous varieties which are descended from the multifarious forms of Moroccan folk music. Chaabi was originally performed in markets, but is now found at any celebration or meeting.

Popular Western forms of music are becoming increasingly popular in Morocco, such as fusion, rock, metal and particularly hip hop. Groups such as H-Kayne and rapper Bigg are extremely popular.

[edit] World Showcase

Main article: Morocco (Epcot)

Morocco participates at the Disney World Showcase Epcot near Orlando, Florida with the Morocco Pavillon since 1984. The pavillon is designed according to the Moroccan architecture and it contains a Gallery of Arts and History with representations of Marrakech and Fes through a house and a restaurant serving Moroccan food. The site also features many attractions such as an an entertainment show called Mo'Rockin that features traditional Moroccan music complete with belly dancing. The characters from the movie Aladdin can be found there also.

[edit] Transport

Main article: Transport in Morocco

[edit] Military

Main article: Military of Morocco

The military of Morocco is composed of the following main divisions:

• Royal Armed Forces
  • Army
  • Navy
  • Air Force
  • Gendarmerie
  • Auxiliary Forces
  • Moroccan Royal Guard
  • Marche Verte

[edit] Media

Main article: Media of Morocco

[edit] Technology

• Casablanca Technopark

[edit] Universities

Main article: List of universities in Morocco

[edit] International rankings

• The 2002 Reporters Without Borders' worldwide press freedom index ranked Morocco 119th out of 167 countries.
• The Economist''s worldwide quality-of-life index 2005PDF (67.1 KiB) ranked Morocco 65th out of 111 countries.

[edit] Affiliations

Organization		Dates
	United Nations	since November 12, 1956
	Arab League	since October 1, 1958
	International Olympic Committee	since 1959
	Organization of African Unity	co-founder May 25, 1963; withdrew November 12, 1984
	Group of 77	since June 15, 1964
	Organization of the Islamic Conference	since September 22, 1969
	Arab Maghreb Union	since February 17, 1989
	World Trade Organization	since January 1, 1995
	Mediterranean Dialogue group	since February 1995
	Major non-NATO ally	since January 19, 2004

[edit] Bilateral and multilateral agreements

• Agadir Agreement
• Middle East Free Trade Area
• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
• Euro-Mediterranean free trade area
• US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement

[edit] Public holidays

Main article: Public holidays in Morocco

[edit] See also

Main article: List of Morocco-related topics

Berbers French Morocco History of the Jews in Morocco Human rights in Morocco Media of Morocco

Military of Morocco Public holidays in Morocco Spanish Morocco Transportation in Morocco "Years of Lead"

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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Government

• Kingdom of Morocco (official portal)
• (French) (Arabic) Parliament of Morocco (official site)
• (French) (Arabic) Public services website
• Kingdom of Morocco (Ministry of Communication)

News

• allAfrica - Morocco
• Maghreb Arabe Presse (government news agency)
• The North Africa Journal (financial news)
• MarocPost
• Western Sahara site

Overviews

• Worldstatesmen.org/Morocco.htm
• Arab Gateway – Morocco
• BBC News – Country Profile: Morocco
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Morocco - Country Page
• CIA World Factbook – Morocco
• US State Department – Morocco includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
• Morocco Country Fact Sheet from The Common Language Project

Directories

• Columbia University Libraries – Morocco (WWW-VL)
• Open Directory Project – Morocco
• Morocco Directory
• (French) Adminet.com - Morocco

Communities

• The Moroccan American Community Events Board
• Maroc Entrepreneurs Association dedicated to the Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Morocco
• (French) Moroccans around the world
• Portal of Moroccans in the U.S.
• Visiting Jewish Morocco
• Moroccan Congress of USA
• http://moroccancharity.org
• Blog for Morocco Lovers

Trade and external relations

• Historical Background on United States - Morocco Relations
• The EU's relations with Morocco
• Moroccan American Trade Council
• Description of benefits of the Moroccan-American FTAPDF (70.5 KiB)
• Moroccousafta a site about the Morocco/US Free Trade Agreement
• The American Legation in Tangier

Surveys and Studies

• Hashish production and trafficking in the Rif area of Morocco
• Human Rights Watch on Morocco
• Maroc Post
• Genetic structure of north-west AfricaPDF (108 KiB) revealed by STR analysis
• Arab Reform and Foreign Aid - Lessons from MoroccoPDF (855 KiB) (CSIS - The Center for Strategic and International Studies)

Tourism and culture

• Morocco travel guide from Wikitravel
• Official Morocco tourism website
• Morocco travel photography
• Pictures of Morocco from flickr
• Images of Morocco
• More pictures of Morocco
• Biodiversity of South Western Morocco (Flora and Plant Communities of Morocco)
• Morocco in Lexicorient
• Morocco Guide

Geographic locale

v • d • e Countries and territories of North Africa  Algeria  Egypt  Libya  Mauritania  Morocco  Sudan  Tunisia  Western Sahara (SADR) v • d • e Countries of Africa Sovereign states Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt1 · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gabon · The Gambia · Ghana · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Spain2 · Sudan · Swaziland · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe Dependencies  |  Unrecognized British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) · French Southern and Antarctic Lands (France) · Mayotte (France) · Réunion (France) · St. Helena3 (UK)  |  Puntland · Somaliland · Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 1 Partly in Asia.  2 Mostly in Europe.  3 Includes the dependencies of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. v • d • e Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea  Albania  Algeria  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Croatia  Cyprus  Egypt  France  Greece  Israel  Italy  Lebanon  Libya  Malta  Monaco  Montenegro  Morocco  Slovenia  Spain  Syria  Tunisia  Turkey For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List of unrecognized countries. v • d • e Countries and territories of the Middle East Bahrain · Egypt · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Oman · Palestinian territories · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · United Arab Emirates · Yemen Greater Middle East:  Afghanistan · Cyprus · Pakistan · Turkey · Sudan · Somalia · Eritrea · Djibouti · Libya · Algeria · Tunisia · Morocco ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. See templates for deletion to help reach a consensus on what to do. › v • d • e Countries on the North Atlantic Ocean Eurasia-Africa: Benin • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Côte d'Ivoire • Equatorial Guinea • France • Gabon • Gambia • Ghana • Gibraltar • Guernsey • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Iceland • Ireland • Isle of Man • Jersey • Liberia • Mauritania • Morocco • Nigeria • Norway • Portugal • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Sierra Leone • Spain • Togo • United Kingdom (England • Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales) • Western Sahara Americas: Aruba • Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Bermuda • Brazil • Colombia • Canada • Cayman Islands • Costa Rica • Cuba • France (French Guiana • Saint Barthelemy • Saint Martin • Saint Pierre and Miquelon) • Greenland • Guyana • Haiti • Honduras • Mexico • Montserrat • Netherlands Antilles • Nicaragua • Panama • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Suriname • Trinidad and Tobago • Turks and Caicos Islands • United States • Venezuela

International membership

v • d • e Members and observers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Members Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Benin · Burkina Faso · Brunei · Cameroon · Chad · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Gabon · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jordan · Kuwait · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Libya · Maldives · Malaysia · Mali · Mauritania · Morocco · Mozambique · Niger · Nigeria · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Somalia · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Turkey · Tunisia · Togo · Turkmenistan · Uganda · Uzbekistan · United Arab Emirates · Yemen Observers Countries Bosnia and Herzegovina · Central African Republic · Russia · Thailand · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Muslim communities Moro National Liberation Front International organizations Economic Cooperation Organization · African Union · League of Arab States · Non-Aligned Movement · United Nations v • d • e Member states of the Arab League Algeria · Bahrain · Comoros · Djibouti · Egypt · Iraq · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Libya · Mauritania · Morocco · Oman · State of Palestine · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Somalia · Sudan · Syria · Tunisia · United Arab Emirates · Yemen v • d • e Member states and observers of La Francophonie Members Albania · Andorra · Belgium · Benin · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada (New Brunswick • Quebec) · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Cyprus1 · Comoros · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Dominica · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Republic of Macedonia2 · France (including French Guiana • Martinique • St. Pierre and Miquelon) · Gabon · Ghana1 · Greece · Guadeloupe · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Laos · Luxembourg · Lebanon · Madagascar · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Moldova · Monaco · Morocco · Niger · Romania · Rwanda · St. Lucia · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Switzerland · Togo · Tunisia · Vanuatu · Vietnam Observers Armenia · Austria · Croatia · Czech Republic · Georgia · Hungary · Lithuania · Mozambique · Poland · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Ukraine 1 Associate member.    2 Also known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. v • d • e Monarchies of the World African: Lesotho • Morocco* • Swaziland° Asian: Bahrain* • Bhutan° • Brunei° • Cambodia^ • Japan • Jordan* • Kuwait* • Malaysia (^) • Nepal • Oman° • Qatar° • Saudi Arabia° • Thailand • Tonga • United Arab Emirates (^) Commonwealth Realms: Antigua and Barbuda • Australia • Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Canada • Grenada • Jamaica • New Zealand • Papua New Guinea • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Saint Lucia • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines • Solomon Islands • Tuvalu • United Kingdom Other European monarchies: Belgium • Denmark • Liechtenstein* • Luxembourg • Monaco* • Netherlands • Norway • Spain • Sweden • Vatican City (Holy See)°^ ° absolute monarchy, * semi-constitutional monarchy, ^ electoral monarchy v • d • e Afro-Asiatic-speaking nations v • d • e Berber  Algeria  Egypt  Libya  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Niger  Tunisia v • d • e Chadic  Cameroon  Central African Republic  Chad  Niger  Nigeria v • d • e Cushitic Cushitic  Djibouti  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Kenya  Somalia Beja  Egypt  Eritrea  Sudan v • d • e Egyptian  |  Omotic        Egypt    |     Ethiopia v • d • e Semitic Arabic / Maltese  Algeria  Bahrain  Egypt  Iraq  Israel  Jordan  Kuwait  Lebanon  Libya  Malta  Mauritania  Morocco  Oman  Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Sudan1  Syria  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates  Western Sahara  Yemen Northwest Semitic2  Iraq  Israel  Syria South Semitic  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Oman  Yemen 1 excluding Southern Sudan.    2 Aramaic and Hebrew.