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MoroccoMorocco{{otheruses}} The '''Kingdom of Morocco''' is a country in northwest Africa. It has a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Algeria to the east, though the Algerian border is closed, Western Sahara #History|to the south and Mauritania, and the Atlantic Ocean to its north and west. Morocco claims ownership of Western Sahara and has administered most of the territory since 1975. The status of Western Sahara is disputed, pending a MINURSO|United Nations referendum. <!-- BEGIN INFOBOX --> {{Infobox_Country| native_name = المملكة المغربية<br>Al Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah | common_name = Morocco | image_flag = Morocco_flag_large.png | image_coat = Morarms22.PNG | image_map = LocationMorocco.png | national_motto = الله، الوطن، الملك<br>(God, Country, King)| national_anthem = Hymne Cherifien | official_languages = Arabic language|Arabic | capital = Rabat | latd=34|latm=02|latNS=N|longd=6|longm=51|longEW=W| largest_city = Casablanca | government_type= Constitutional Monarchy | leader_titles = King of Morocco|King<br>Prime Minister of Morocco|Prime Minister | leader_names = Mohammed VI of Morocco|Mohammed VI <br> Driss Jettou | area_rank = 56th | area_magnitude = 1_E10 | area=446,550 | percent_water = - | population_estimate = 31,689,267 | population_estimate_year = 2003 | population_estimate_rank = 36th | population_census=—| population_census_year=—| population_density = 481 | population_density_rank=123| GDP_PPP_year= 1999 | GDP_PPP = $108 billion | GDP_PPP_rank = 54th | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $4,444 | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 110th | sovereignty_type = Independence | established_events = From France | established_dates = March 2 1956 | currency = Dirham | currency_code = MAD | time_zone= Coordinated Universal Time|UTC | utc_offset= +0 | time_zone_DST= Coordinated Universal Time|UTC | utc_offset_DST= +0 | cctld= ma | calling_code = 212 | footnotes = }} <!-- END INFOBOX --> ==Name== The full Arabic language|Arabic name of the country translates to ''The Western Kingdom''. '''Al-Maghreb''' (meaning ''The West'') is commonly used in Arabic. The name '''Morocco''' in most other languages originates from the name of the former capital, Marrakech (meaning "Country of God" in the Berber language). ==History== ''Main article: History of Morocco'' Morocco became a France|French protectorate by the signing of the Treaty of Fez on March 30, 1912. It remained a Kingdom until it achieved independence in 1956. It then recovered Tangier, formerly an international city. The northern area of Morocco was under a Spain|Spanish protectorate concurrently. Morocco annexed Western Sahara in the 1970s, which had been a colony under the Spaniards since the 19th century. Previous to that it had been an area of Moroccan influence, but this annexation has not been recognized by any nation. Morocco was the first nation to recognize the fledging United States in 1777 and has the oldest non-broken friendship treaty with the country, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship, which has been in effect since 1783. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the American signatories. The United States legation (consulate) in Tangier, is the first property the U.S. owned abroad. It now houses the Tangier American Legation Museum. Morocco was granted Major Non-Nato Ally status in June 2004 and signed with the United States and the European Union free trade agreements. US-Moroccan relations are best described in the [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5431.htm background note of the US Dept. of State on Morocco, Oct. 2004]. ==Politics== ''Main article: Politics of Morocco'' The King of Morocco is an active leader, although decreasingly so. Political parties are legal and a plethora of them exist. ''See also: List of political parties in Morocco'' ==Provinces== Image:Mo-map.png|thumb|300px|This map of Morocco is from the United States' Central Intelligence Agency|CIA, and reflects the U.S. State Department|State Deparment's neutral policy toward sovereignty over Western Sahara. Morocco includes the territory in their own maps. ''Main article: Provinces of Morocco'' Morocco is divided into 37 provinces and 2 wilayas: {| !colspan=3| Provinces |- | *Agadir *Al Hoceima *Azilal *Beni Mellal *Ben Slimane *Boulemane *Chaouen *El Jadida (province)|El Jadida *El Kelaa des Sraghna *Er Rachidia | *Essaouira *Fes *Figuig *Guelmim *Ifrane *Kenitra *Khemisset *Khenifra *Khouribga | *Laayoune *Larache *Marrakech *Meknes *Nador *Ouarzazate *Oujda *Safi, Morocco|Safi *Settat | *Sidi Kacem *Tangier *Tan-Tan *Taounate *Taroudannt *Tata (Morocco)|Tata *Taza *Tetouan *Tiznit |- !colspan=3| Wilayas |- | *Casablanca | *Rabat-Sale | |} Three additional provinces, Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara, as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune, primarily fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara. As part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature, 16 new regions were created, although the full details and scope of the reorganization are limited. These 16 regions are: {| |- | *Casablanca *Chaouia-Ourdigha *Doukkala-Abda *Fes-Boulmane | *Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen *Guelmim-Es Smara *Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra *Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz | *Meknes-Tafilalet *Oriental, Morocco|Oriental *Oued Eddahab-Lagouira *Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer | *Souss-Massa-Draa *Tadla-Azilal *Tangier-Tetouan *Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate |} ==Geography== ''Main article: Geography of Morocco'' Algeria borders Morocco to the east and southeast. There are also four Spanish enclaves on the Mediterranean coast: Ceuta (or Sebta), Melilla Peñon Velez de la Gomera and Peñon de Alhucemas, as well as several islands including Isla Perejil|Perejil (status disputed) and Chafarinas. Off the Atlantic coast the Canary Islands belong to Spain, whereas Madeira to the north is Portugal|Portuguese.To the north, Morocco is bordered by and controls part of the Straits of Gibraltar, giving it power over the waterways in and out of the Mediterranean sea. Most of the South East portion of the country is in the Sahara Desert and as such is generally sparsely populated and unproductive economically. The High Atlas Mountains run down the backbone of the country, from the south west to the north east. Most of the population lives to the north of these mountains, while to the south is the desert. Morocco's capital city is Rabat, and its largest city is the modern port of Casablanca. Other cities include Agadir, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Oujda, Ouarzazat, Safi, Morocco|Safi, Tangier, Tiznit, Salè and Tan-Tan. * List of cities in Morocco ==Economy== ''Main article: Economy of Morocco'' 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 [http://www.moroccousafta.com/ftafulltext.htm Free Trade Agreement with Morocco], which, as soon as it goes into effect, will allow for 95% of the two-way trade of consumer and industrial products to be without tariffs. ==Demographics== ''Main article: Demographics of Morocco'' ==Culture== ''Main article: Culture of Morocco'' * Cuisine of Morocco * List of African writers (by country)#Morocco|List of writers from Morocco * Music of Morocco ==Miscellaneous topics== * Communications in Morocco * Transportation in Morocco * Military of Morocco * Foreign relations of Morocco * Grands Caids * Moroccan Wall * List of newspapers#Morocco Moroccan newspapers ==See also== * List of Spanish territories in Morocco * Morocco (1930 movie) ''Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2002 U.S. Department of State website.'' ==External links== * '''Directories''' ** [http://www.moroccolinks.com/ MoroccoLinks.com] – Moroccan Directory, with categorized links to Moroccan sites, updates, resources and more. ** [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Africa/Morocco/ Open Directory Project – ''Morocco''] ** [http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317916/us559898/us559899/us10065673/us559936/ LookSmart – ''Morocco''] ** [http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Morocco/ Yahoo! – ''Morocco''] * '''Other links''' ** [http://www.wafin.com Portal of Moroccans in the U.S.] ** [http://www.hec.ac.ma/Enseignement.html Higher education and professional training in Morocco (in French)] ** [http://french.about.com/library/travel/bl-ma-index.htm Moroccan Culture Series] – observations by an American woman living in Morocco ** [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5431.htm US Department of State Background Note on Morocco] ** [http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/morocco/intro/ The EU's relations with Morocco] ** [http://allafrica.com/morocco/ AllAfrica – ''Morocco''] news ** [http://www.legation.org The American Legation in Tangier] ** [http://www.moroccanamericantrade.com Moroccan American Trade Council] ** [http://www.moroccousafta.com/index_ang.htm Description of the Moroccan-American FTA and components] ** [http://www.moroccousafta.com/ftafulltext.htm Final text of the Moroccan-American FTA] ** [http://www.moroccanamericantrade.com/FTAsummEn.pdf Description of benefits of the Moroccan-American FTA] ** [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mo.html CIA World Factbook – ''Morocco''] ** [http://www.globaladrenaline.com/africa/morocco/ A good overview of Morocco] ** [http://www.marocvoyages.net/ Guest houses Guide of Morocco] ** [http://lexicorient.com/morocco/index.htm Lexicorient] a very complete guide to Morocco ** Map: [http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/morocco.pdf] (pdf); links to more: [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/map_sites/country_sites.html#morocco] ** [http://www.mincom.gov.ma/english/generalities/state_st/constitution.htm Moroccan Constitution] ** [http://www.yabiladi.com/ Moroccans on the world – Morrocan Portal] ** [http://www.morocco365.com/ Morocco365] Guide to Morocco ** [http://www.moroccousafta.com/index_ang.htm Moroccousafta] a site about the Morocco/US Free Trade Agrement ** [http://www.mincom.gov.ma/english/gallery/music/music.html Traditional Moroccan music] from Morocco's Ministry of Communication ** [http://www.ianandwendy.com/OtherTrips/SpainPortugalMorocco/Morocco/index.htm Pictures from a backpacker's trip through Morocco in 2000] ** [http://wikitravel.org/en/Morocco Wikitravel's version of Morocco] {{Africa}} Category:Morocco|* Category:Arab League af:Marokko ar:المغرب bg:Мароко ca:Marroc cs:Maroko da:Marokko de:Marokko et:Maroko es:Marruecos eo:Maroko fr:Maroc gd:Maroc gl:Marrocos - مغرب ko:모로코 id:Maroko io:Maroko it:Marocco he:מרוקו ks:मोराको la:Marocum lt:Marokas nl:Marokko nds:Marokko ja:モロッコ no:Marokko pl:Maroko pt:Marrocos ru:Марокко sa:मोराको sk:Maroko sl:Maroko fi:Marokko sv:Marocko wa:Marok zh:摩洛哥 First page | Prev | Next | Last page | This article on Morocco is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. 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