Morocco

Full name of country: Kingdom of Morocco

Region: Africa

Official language: Arabic, Tamazight

Population: 37,387,585 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Moroccan(s) (noun), Moroccan (adjective)

Land area: 446,300 sq km

Water area: 250 sq km

Capital: Rabat

National anthem: "Hymne Cherifien" (Hymn of the Sharif), by Ali Squalli Houssaini/Leo Morgan

National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King Mohammed VI to the throne), July 30 (1999)

Population growth: 0.84% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC 0

Flag: The flag of Morocco consists of a red field, with a green pentacle, or five-pointed star, in the center. The star is known as the Seal of Solomon, and its five points represent the five pillars of Islam.

Motto: “God, Country, King”

Independence: March 2, 1956 (from France)

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on French law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts by Constitutional Court

Morocco is located on the northwest coast of Africa. It is a three-hour ferry ride from the south of Spain and a favorite tourist destination of Europeans. Throughout history, the country's native Berber population has been subject to conquest by Muslim Arabs, Christian Europeans, and others. Morocco gained its independence from France in 1956. While the Islamic influence is dominant, the country remains a melting pot of African, European, and Middle Eastern influences.

A moderately developed nation, Morocco relies on tourism, textiles, agriculture, and mining, although by the turn of the twenty-first century the monarchy was gradually allowing foreign investment in energy and manufacturing and striving to improve education.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Northwest Africa's native population is generally described as Berber. However, this native Muslim population merged with Islamic Arab immigrants beginning in the eighth century. There are also a small percentage of people of sub-Saharan African heritage living in Morocco. France and Spain colonized the nation in the early 1900s.

While Morocco has been independent since 1956, European ancestry (particularly French) is also common among the Berber-Arabs that make up 99 percent of the population. Arab descent is predominant, with typical estimates that the population is 60 percent or more predominately Arab and 35 percent predominately Berber. Approximately 75 percent of the population has some Berber ancestry.

Arab political dominance led to Morocco's acceptance of Arabic as an official language, but there are still numerous pockets of traditional Berber tribal languages left throughout the country. Tamazight is the most commonly spoken and also officially recognized. Other Berber dialects include Tarifit (Rifi) and Tachelhit. French is the most common European language but is largely confined to urban areas. Spanish is spoken along the northern coast to accommodate tourists from nearby Spain and Portugal.

Modern Morocco is an Islamic nation. Almost all citizens are Sunni Muslims. There is a tiny Christian minority, which was estimated as being less than 1 percent of the population in 2020. At one time there was a significant Jewish minority, but as Arab-Israeli tensions mounted after World War II, this population largely left the country. By 2020 there were a few thousand Jews in Morocco and a similar number of Shia Muslims.

Islamic extremism has been largely absent from Morocco as compared to neighboring Algeria. However, it was a region of concern following crimes attributed to a group called Salafia Jihadia during the 2002 elections and the March 2004 terrorist attack in Spain.

By 2023, 65.1 percent of Morocco's population lived in urban areas. The country's largest cities are along the Atlantic coastline; Casablanca is the largest, with a population of 3.89 million. It is the country's business center and primary seaport. Rabat, the capital and second largest city with a metropolitan population of 1.95 million, is the country's seat of government and a principal cultural center (2023 estimate). Other large cities include tourist favorite Marrakech (Marrakesh); Fès (Fez), an important religious and education center; and Tangier, a port city with close ties to Spain.

Indigenous People: The area that is now Morocco has been inhabited since approximately 8000 BCE. The Berbers were already living there when the Phoenicians settled the area in 1100 BCE. The region was controlled by the Romans until the end of the seventh century, when the Arab conquest began.

After years of Arabic domination of Moroccan culture, efforts were formalized in 2001 to promote and protect Berber (also known as Amazigh) heritage and language. King Mohammed created the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture, calling the country's Berber heritage a "national treasure." He added that Morocco should "strengthen the pillars of our ancestral identity."

Education: Education reform is a major challenge for Morocco. The adult literacy rate for the entire nation is relatively low, estimated at 75.9 percent for the total population in 2021.

Preprimary school lasts two years, and primary school is mandatory for six years. Secondary school is divided into upper and lower divisions, each lasting three years. There has been a significant discrepancy between attendance among boys and girls, particularly among high schoolers in rural areas. There has also been a large discrepancy between children of Arabic and Berber descent. Berber children are more likely to leave school at a young age due to the use of the Arabic language in almost all primary schools.

About 2.9 million young people in Morocco received a secondary education in 2020. Alternatives for higher education have expanded greatly since 1970, moving beyond the traditional religious institutions Al Qarawiyyin University in Fès and Mohammed V University in Rabat to include universities in Fès, Rabat, Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir, Ifrane, and Oujda.

Health Care: There are both state-sponsored and private health care systems in Morocco. For-profit clinics are common in cities. However, there were few physicians in the country, with just 0.73 doctors per thousand residents in 2017, and good health care is far more prevalent in urban areas than among the rural population. The country ranked 120 out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Food: Moroccan food features many elements of traditional Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. Meat, especially lamb, figures heavily in many recipes. Other common ingredients include olives, dates, almonds, and fruit. Strong spices such as saffron are used in most dishes.

Traditional dishes include tagine, which consists of meat (usually lamb or chicken) or fish cooked in a sauce; and couscous, a starch accompaniment of steamed ground wheat or semolina. Bastilla is a pie made with baked pigeon and eggs in a pastry wrap. Sweetened tea with mint is a common drink.

Arts & Entertainment: Moroccan architecture often shows European and Moorish influences. Western-style entertainment is sparse in this conservative Islamic nation. Movie theaters are common in large cities, but films are usually dubbed in French.

Traditional music is played with the rabab, ud, qanun, and percussion. Modern urban music is called rai, featuring both modern and traditional instrumentation.

There is a strong Moroccan literary tradition going back to fourteenth-century writer Ibn Battutah. Modern examples are usually French-influenced; some contemporary Moroccan authors whose work is typically published in the French language include Driss Chraïbi, Abdelkebir Khatibi, and Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Traditional Moroccan craft work includes jewelry, leatherworks, and pottery, in addition to famed Berber textiles and carpets. Archaeological collections can be found in museums in Rabat, Tétouan, and Larache.

Cultural festivals, such as the National Festival of Popular Art in Marrakech, are commonly held in the spring. Traditional Berber storytelling and music shows are commonplace.

Holidays: Public holidays in Morocco are a combination of national holidays and religious observances. National holidays include Islamic New Year (movable), the Presentation of Moroccan Independence Proclamation (January), Throne Day (July 30), the Revolution of the King and the People (August 20), Youth Day (August 21), Anniversary of the Green March (November 6), and Independence Day (November 18). The birthday of the current monarch is also celebrated as a national holiday.

Moroccans also observe all of the major Muslim holidays, including Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Morocco lies 13 kilometers (8 miles) south of Spain, across the Strait of Gibraltar. It is bordered by Algeria on the east and southeast, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and the Mediterranean Sea on the north. A large area called Western Sahara runs along the southern border. Although a group of native Sahrawis tribes people have sought independence for this region (under the banner of the Polisario Front) it remains under Moroccan control.

Morocco is easily divided into four regions: the highlands, the mountain ranges, a wide plains region, and lowlands that run into the Sahara Desert.

The Atlas Mountains’ Grand Atlas range includes Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa at 4,165 meters (13,665 feet) above sea level. The mountains run across the country from southwest to northeast. The highlands region, Er Rif, runs along the northern coastline with the Mediterranean. This area reaches an elevation of 2,440 meters (8,000 feet). Between the two elevated regions is the Taza Depression, a natural transportation corridor.

The remainder of the coastline to the west marks the beginning of the plains region. This area is the most hospitable to human development and is home to most of Morocco's large cities. To the southeast of the Atlas Mountains, a lower plains region eventually merges with the Sahara Desert.

Morocco's rivers flow into both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The two largest rivers are the Moulouya and the Sebou. They are mostly used for irrigation and hydroelectric power. As with most deserts, low-lying areas are susceptible to flash floods as water rushes over the sandy soil. In Morocco these areas are called wadis.

Natural Resources: Phosphates mined near Khouribga and Youssoufia are by far the country's leading exploitable resource. Other minerals found in Morocco include iron ore, manganese, lead, gold, zinc, cobalt, copper and zinc. Salt is also mined.

Morocco's 3,446-kilometer (2,141-mile) coastline also provides access to fertile fishing grounds. Protection of fishing grounds has resulted in significant limitations on access to Moroccan waters by boats based in the European Union.

Plants & Animals: Forests cover about 11.5 percent of Morocco's area; the most common trees are oak, found in mountainous areas. The southern plains are home to a large (28,000 hectares) forest of the native argan tree, Morocco's second most common tree species.

Morocco's mountainous areas are home to rabbits, squirrels and otters. Larger animals include the mouflon (a wild sheep) and fennec (a type of fox). The southern plains regions are home to more typically African animals such as gazelles, wild boars, panthers, baboons, and macacos (a type of monkey). Common birds include swifts, swallows, martins and storks.

Climate: In Rabat and Casablanca, the average January temperature is about 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit); the average July temperature is 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Morocco receives little rain: almost none in the summer months, and less than one week per month during the rainy season, between November and March.

Away from the moderate, subtropical coastal climate, the temperatures are more extreme. Mountain ranges are routinely capped in snow for most of the year. Marrakech features a more typical desert climate, with an average winter temperature of 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit), and blistering summer average of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

Morocco lies on an active seismic belt, though very strong earthquakes are rare in the region. In September 2023, however, a severe earthquake struck the country, resulting in extensive damage, especially near its epicenter in the remote villages located in Al Haouz province in the Atlas Mountains. The rugged terrain made rescue and recovery efforts difficult. More than 2,900 people died.

Economy

Morocco's economic growth has been hampered by its shortcomings in higher education. However, inflation has remained low and the economy has remained stable. The government continues to initiate programs aimed at fighting poverty, improving education, and strengthening industry, including privatization and incentives for oil and gas exploration.

In 202, the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$8,800, significantly lower than in highly industrialized nations.

Unemployment was estimated at 9.11 percent of the labor force in 2021, with significant regional variation. In 2013, approximately 4.8 percent of the population was living below the poverty line.

Industry: Phosphate production is one of Morocco's principal industries. The country is among the world's largest producers of phosphate, used in fertilizers. Most of the mining industry is state-owned, although efforts toward privatization are underway.

Traditional crafts industries, especially textiles and leatherwork, remain important to the economy. Other notable industries include automotive parts manufacturing, aerospace, energy, food processing, and construction. Significant exports include vehicles, electronic parts, chemicals, minerals, and apparel, among others.

Industry employed 22.8 percent of Moroccan workers in 2023, according to the United Nations (UN) World Statistics Pocketbook and constituted 29.5 percent of GDP in 2017. Spain, France, India, Brazil, and Italy consumed the great majority of Moroccan exports in 2021.

Agriculture: Morocco's principal agricultural exports include processed fish and shellfish, tomatoes, citrus, legumes, melons, and other fruits. Crops grown for domestic consumption include wheat, barley, and olives. Sheep and goats are also raised by Moroccan farmers.

According to the UN, agriculture employed 34.6 percent of the labor force in Morocco in 2023. As a whole, agriculture accounted for 12 percent of GDP in 2023.

Tourism: Services, led by tourism, accounted for 42.7 percent of jobs in Morocco in 2023. The government enacted a plan to increase the number of tourists, who mainly come from Europe; the year 2019 saw an estimated 13.1 million international tourist arrivals. This dropped to just 2.8 million arrivals following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, according to the World Bank. Numbers soon began to improve, however, and by 2022 the government reported an estimated 11 million international visitors traveled to Morocco. In addition to resorts in the large cities, smaller resort communities cater primarily to tourists. For example, Agadir is a favorite of German tourists.

Government

Although occupied by British and American forces during World War II, Morocco formally gained independence from France in 1956.

The government became a constitutional monarchy in 1962, with its first elections held in 1963. However, the monarch retains ultimate power; Moroccan law specifies that the monarch must be male. The king appoints a prime minister to head the legislature and a cabinet called the Council of Ministers. Beginning in 2016, he could also submit measures to popular referendums for a vote.

The constitution was revised three times between 1972 and 1996. The last revision created a popularly-elected bicameral legislature. The 395 members of the Chamber of Representatives are popularly elected to five-year terms. The 120 members of the Chamber of Advisers (Councilors) are elected to six-year terms either by vote of local political councils, or as representatives of business interests or labor unions. Another constitutional revision in 2011 is considered by some to have created a fully new constitution.

The local governments are further grouped into twelve administrative regions, which are headed by powerful governors called Wali that are appointed by the king.

The judiciary includes the Supreme Court in Rabat (with justices appointed by the king), Constitutional Court, courts of appeal, regional and local tribunals, and labor tribunals.

Twelve months of military service is required for all Moroccans at age nineteen.

Interesting Facts

• Morocco was the first nation to recognize the independence of the United States in 1777.
• Morocco claims the world's oldest university: Al Qarawiyin University in Fès, founded in 859.
• The famous American film Casablanca (1942), set in the Moroccan city, was largely shot in Florida. However, later Hollywood productions such as Alexander, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Kundun, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Mummy, Syriana, and American Sniper were all filmed in Morocco.
• Oukaïmeden, south of Marrakesh, is the highest ski resort in Africa.

Bibliography

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“2019 Report on International Religious Freedom: Morocco.” US Department of State, 2020, www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/morocco. Accessed 1 July 2022.‌