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Kingdom of Morocco
  • المملكة المغربية  (Arabic)
    al-Mamlakat al-Maġribiyah
  • ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ  (Berber)
    Tagldit N Lmaġrib
Motto: 
الله، الوطن، الملك  (Arabic)
Allāh, al-Waṭan, al-Malik
ⴰⴽⵓⵛ, ⴰⵎⵓⵔ, ⴰⴳⵍⵍⵉⴷ  (Tamazight)
Akuc, Amur, Agllid
"God, Homeland, King"
Anthem: 
النشيد الوطني المغربي  (Arabic)
Cherifian Anthem
Dark red: Internationally recognized territory of Morocco. Lighter striped red: Western Sahara, a non-decolonized territory claimed by Morocco as its Southern Provinces.
Dark red: Internationally recognized territory of Morocco.
Lighter striped red: Western Sahara, a non-decolonized territory claimed by Morocco as its Southern Provinces.
CapitalRabat
Largest cityCasablanca
Official languages
Native languages[c]
Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit),
Ethnic groups
1% Other
Demonym(s)Moroccan
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy[2]
• King
Mohammed VI
Saadeddine Othmani
LegislatureParliament
• Upper house
House of Councillors
• Lower house
House of Representatives
Independence
• from France
March 2, 1956
• from Spain
April 7, 1956
Area
• Total
446,550 km2 (172,410 sq mi)[f] or 710,850 km2 [f]  (58th or 40th)
• Water (%)
0.056 (250 km2)
Population
• 2013 estimate
32,878,400 (38th)
• Density
73.1/km2 (189.3/sq mi) (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 (2013)Increase 0.591
medium · 130th
CurrencyMoroccan dirham (MAD)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+1 (GMT)
Driving sideright
Calling code+212
ISO 3166 codeMA
Internet TLD.ma, المغرب.
  1. ^ French is also used in official government documents and by the business community, although it has no official status.[5]
  2. ^ 13.5% fluent, 19.5% partially fluent.[6]
  3. ^ See Languages of Morocco.
  4. ^ Primarily Riffian, Shilha and Central Tamazight.
  5. ^ Primarily Darija and Hassaniya.
  6. ^ The area 446,550 km2 (172,410 sq mi) excludes all disputed territories, while 710,850 km2 (274,460 sq mi) includes the Moroccan-administered parts of Western Sahara (claimed as the Sahrawi Republic by the Polisario Front).

Kingdom of Morocco or just Morocco (Berber: Tagldit n Murakuc, Arabic: المملكة المغربية) is a country in North Africa.

Politics

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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

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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

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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

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Morocco is divided into 12 regions,.[7] The regions are divided into 62 prefectures and provinces.[8]

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

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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

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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.

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Notes and references

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Morocco.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Moroccan Constitution" (PDF). sgg.gov.ma. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  2. ↑ "Constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco, I-1" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Morocco". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  4. ↑ World Bank GINI index
  5. ↑ "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)"
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ Regions of Morocco, statoids.com
  8. ↑ Regions of Morocco, statoids.com
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