Morocco
Kingdom of Morocco or just Morocco (Berber: Tagldit n Murakuc, Arabic: المملكة المغربية) is a country in North Africa.[7]
Kingdom of Morocco | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Motto: | |
| Anthem: | |
_(Africa_centered).svg) Dark red: Internationally recognized territory of Morocco. Lighter striped red: Western Sahara, a non-decolonized territory claimed by Morocco as its Southern Provinces. | |
| Capital | Rabat |
| Official languages | |
| Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), | |
| Ethnic groups | 1% Other |
| Demonym(s) | Moroccan |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy[2] |
• King | Mohammed VI |
| Saadeddine Othmani | |
| Legislature | Parliament |
| House of Councillors | |
| House of Representatives | |
| Independence | |
• from France | March 2, 1956 |
• from Spain | April 7, 1956 |
| Area | |
• Total | Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1850: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).[f] or 710,850 km2 [f] (58th or 40th) |
• Water (%) | 0.056 (250 km2) |
| Population | |
• 2013 estimate | 32,878,400 (38th) |
• Density | Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1850: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). (122nd) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2013 estimate |
• Total | $181.9 billion[3] (56th) |
• Per capita | $5,537[3] (114th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2013 estimate |
• Total | $107.1 billion[3] (59th) |
• Per capita | $3,260[3] (117th) |
| Gini (2007) | 40.9[4] medium |
| HDI (2023) |  0.710high · 120th |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (GMT) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +212 |
| ISO 3166 code | MA |
| Internet TLD | .ma, المغرب. |
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Politics
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy. The political powers are shared between the king Muhammad VI (the sixth) and the Head of the Government. The King is the head of state (Person in charge of the country) and the most important person.
The people of Morocco vote for Members of Parliament to speak for them and to help make laws for them. The Council of Ministers defines what must be done. He makes all the important decisions. Today, the Head of Government is Abdelilah Benkirane.
Geography
Morocco is next to the countries of Algeria to its east and Mauritania to its south. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the north of Morocco, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Morocco has a diverse geography from fertile plains, to forests, cold mountains, dry lands, and deserts. Most people live in areas close to the coast, or in fertile farms. Morocco has an area of 446,550 km². Morocco also controls most of the Western Sahara which is 266.000 km² big.
The capital of Morocco is Rabat. About 1.2 million people live in Rabat. The biggest city in Morocco is however Casablanca, with nearly 4 million people living there. Both Rabat and Casablanca have large ports and industrial zones. The third biggest city is Marrakesh from which the word "Morocco" is made.
People and culture
The population of Morocco is about 34 million. People from Morocco are called Moroccans. Moroccans are Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African and European.
The official languages of Morocco are Arabic and Berber. French is also very used in companies, universities, and in some TV channels. Morocco was part of the French colonial empire for 44 years. Some people in the north (close to Spain) speak Spanish as well. Spain also occupied parts of Morocco before leaving them in 1956 and in 1975.
Most educated Moroccans do not speak English well, or do not know it at all. In the 21st century English is being taught to students in an increasing number of schools.
Most Moroccans follow Islam as their religion. There are very small numbers of Christians, Jews, and non-believers. Morocco is home to the oldest university in the world, the University of Karaouine.
Divisions
Morocco is divided into 12 regions.[8] The regions are divided into 62 prefectures and provinces.[9]
As of 2015 the regions are:
- 1. Tanger-Tetouan
- 2. Oriental
- 3. Fez-Meknes
- 4. Rabat-Sale-Kenitra
- 5. Beni Mellal-Khenifra
- 6. Casablanca-Settat
- 7. Marrakech-Safi
- 8. Draa-Tafilalet
- 9. Souss-Massa
- 10. Guelmim-Oued Noun
- 11. Laayoune-Sakia el Hamra
- 12. Dakhla-Oued ed Dahab
Provinces
Morocco is divided into 37 provinces and 2 wilayas : Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Benslimane, Boulemane, Casablanca, Chefchaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa of Sraghna, Errachidia, Essaouira, Fez, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Rommani, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat, Sale, Settat, Safi, Sidi Kacem, Tangier, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudant, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit. Three additional provinces of Dakhla (Oued ed Dahab), Boujdour, and Es-Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara.
Economy
Mining, agriculture, fishing, and tourism are the 4 main parts of Morocco's national economy. Also, Moroccans working in Europe (about 2 million) send billions of Euros of money home to their families every year.
Tourism is becoming very important too. Many Americans and Europens come to see the historical places of Morocco, live the Berber countryside life, or enjoy the warm sun and the long and clean beaches. Marrakesh is the most liked city by tourists.
The currency of Morocco is called the Dirham, its code is MAD.
Morocco Media
The national anthem of the Kingdom of Morocco, the "Cherifian Anthem", performed instrumentally by the United States Navy Band circa 2003.
Roman ruins of Volubilis
al-Qarawiyyin, founded in Fes in the 9th century, was a major spiritual, literary, and intellectual centre.
The Portuguese Empire was founded when Prince Henry the Navigator led the conquest of Ceuta, which began the Portuguese presence in Morocco, lasting from 1415 to 1769.
The remains of the Saadi sultan Ahmad al-Mansur's 16th century Badi' Palace
The Treaty of Wad Ras after the Hispano-Moroccan War (1859–1860) bankrupted Morocco's national treasury, forcing the Makhzen to take on a British loan
Tangier's population in 1956 included 40,000 Muslims, 31,000 Europeans and 15,000 Jews.
Map depicting the French conquest of Morocco from 1907 to 1934
_(qarawiyyin_crop).jpg)
Related pages
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Moroccan Constitution" (PDF). sgg.gov.ma. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ↑ "Constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco, I-1" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Morocco". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
- ↑ World Bank GINI index
- ↑ "Morocco Archived 2007-06-12 at the Wayback Machine." () CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on 13 October 2012. "French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy)"
- ↑ "La Francophonie dans le monde Archived 2012-12-24 at the Wayback Machine." () Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. p. 16. Retrieved on 15 October 2012.
- ↑ "Morocco country profile" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2011-07-12. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14121438. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ↑ Regions of Morocco, statoids.com
- ↑ Regions of Morocco, statoids.com