The Kingdom of Morocco has long been a crossroads between Eastern and Western cultures. It is the only African country to have a coastline on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Rabat is the capital. Casablanca is the largest city, chief seaport, and commercial and industrial center. Geography - The rugged Atlas Mountains surround a valley in Morocco.
Morocco is located at the western end of North Africa. It is bounded by Algeria to the east and southeast, Western Sahara to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Spain lies to the north, across the Strait of Gibraltar. The Western Sahara is a disputed region that Morocco has occupied since the 1970s. Morocco has an area of 177,117 square miles (458,730 square kilometers), not including Western Sahara. The landscape is dominated by two chains of rugged mountains. The Atlas Mountains divide Morocco roughly into eastern and western halves. The Rif Mountains run along the Mediterranean coast in the north. These two chains contain the highest mountains in North Africa. Mount Toubkal, in the Atlas Mountains, is Morocco's highest peak. It reaches a height of 13,665 feet (4,165 meters). Rocky plateaus make up nearly half of the country's land area. The southern and southeastern edges of Morocco lie within the Sahara, the world's largest desert. Morocco's mountains capture a significant amount of rain and snow. The country has the greatest network of streams in North Africa. The major rivers include the Moulouya, the Sebou, and the Oum er Rbia. Plants and animalsExtensive forests are found in the humid areas of the mountains. Oak grows on the lower slopes, and fir and cedar are found at higher elevations. In the lowlands, much of the original vegetation has been destroyed by overgrazing of cattle or by burning or cutting for firewood. A thick growth of scrub bushes and grasses now covers much of the land. A vast forest of cork oak extends east of Rabat. Many large animals in Morocco have disappeared because of hunting. With the protection of the government, the Barbary ape now thrives in the Atlas Mountains. Morocco is more rich in birds. Large birds that pass through the country include storks, flamingos, pelicans, and cattle egrets. People and cultureThe people of Morocco are mostly of Arab and Berber origin. Most of the people live in the plains and coastal areas in the northwest. The official language is Arabic, though French and Spanish also are widely spoken. The Berber language has been preserved in the towns of the Atlas Mountains. Islam is the state religion. Moroccan culture is a rich blend of Berber, Arab-Islamic, Spanish, and African influences. Since Morocco became independent in 1956, the arts have flourished. Literature, painting, sculpture, popular music, amateur theater, and filmmaking have expanded. Economy - Date palms and cultivated fields lie outside the village of Tinrhir, on the slopes of the Atlas …
About half of the workforce is engaged in agriculture, mining, fishing, and forestry. The main cereal crops are wheat, barley, and corn. Sugarcane, sugar beets, citrus fruits, vegetables, and olives also are major crops. The Atlantic Ocean provides rich fishing grounds. The economy of Morocco is largely dependent on the export of raw materials. Morocco is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of phosphates, which are used to make fertilizers and many other products. Coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, and manganese also are mined. The cloth and clothing industries have expanded, especially in producing clothes for sale in Europe. HistoryEarly historyAncient Morocco lay on an important trade route from Phoenicia (now Lebanon and Syria) to Spain. Traders began arriving in North Africa more than 2,000 years ago. Morocco's early inhabitants included roaming Berber tribes. The Roman Empire controlled the region in the 4th century AD. Arab armies arrived in 692. Many people converted to Islam, including the Berbers. From the 11th to 13th centuries, Islamic Berber kingdoms ruled Morocco, along with much of Spain and North Africa. Morocco flourished as a center of learning. Arab tribes began to settle in towns on the lowland plains. By the end of the 17th century, Morocco was established as a strong and independent Islamic kingdom. European controlEuropean interest in Morocco increased after 1830, when France invaded neighboring Algeria. In 1912 Morocco became a protectorate, or dependent state, of France. Spain was granted control over parts of northern and southern Morocco. The Moroccan king, Muhammad V, kept his position as ruler. France gradually extended its control over Morocco. However, the Berbers in the Atlas Mountains resisted the French until 1934. In 1944, during World War II, the people began to call for Moroccan independence. Morocco became independent from both France and Spain in 1956. Muhammad V was head of state. IndependenceIn the early 1960s, Muhammad's son Hassan II became king. A new constitution established a parliament. However, the king disbanded the parliament from 1965–70. Since 1974 Morocco has claimed as its territory Western Sahara, which is rich in phosphate deposits. The territory had been under Spanish control for a long time, but Spain wanted to give it its independence. King Hassan II sent 350,000 unarmed Moroccans to take control of the territory. Spain withdrew in 1976, and Morocco took over the northern part of Western Sahara. In 1979 it gained control of the southern sector. A Saharan rebel group named Polisario fought Morocco over the takeover of Western Sahara. A peace agreement between the Moroccan government and Polisario took effect in 1991. However, many foreign countries supported Polisario and independence for Western Sahara. Morocco's right to the territory remained disputed. The government of Morocco had a history of human rights abuses. King Hassan II introduced political and social reforms in the 1990s. He directed the release of more than 1,000 political prisoners, some of whom had been held for nearly 25 years. King Hassan died in 1999, and his son became king as Muhammad VI. Population (2001 estimate, not including Western Sahara), 28,898,600. |