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First 'visitors': Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, and then Byzantine Greeks. Arabs invaded the Berber territory in the 7th century. In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad al-Mansur, repelled all invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s. In the classical period modern Morocco was known as Mauretania (Mauretania Tingitana.during the Roman Empire), although this should not be confused with the modern country of Mauritania.
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KINGDOM OF MOROCCO
AL MAMLAKAH AL MAGHRIBIYAH
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MAP
DETAILED MAP
MAP OF AFRICA
Capital:Rabat
Largest city: Casablanca
Ports: Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W
Area:446.550 km²
Border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km. Off the Atlantic coast the Canary Islands belong to Spain
Coastline: 1.835 km. Coastline on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea
Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
Lowest point: Sebkha Tah - 55 m
Highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4.165 m
Population: 33.241.259 (July 2005). Most people live west of the Atlas Mountains
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhiyt, and Tamazight), 20.000 Spanish speakers in the North. French often the (unofficial second) language of business, government, and diplomacy
Religions:Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Administrative divisions: Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Chefchaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khénifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Mohammedia, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tangier, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudant, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit
As part of a 1997 decentralization-regionalization law passed by the legislature, 16 new regions were created: Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
There are also four Spanish enclaves on the Mediterranean coast: Ceuta, Melilla, Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera and Peñón de Alhucemas, as well as several islands including Perejil and Chafarinas. Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara. Three additional provinces, Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara, as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune, primarily fall within Western Sahara.
Al Mamlakah al Maghrib?yah: the full Arabic name of the country means 'The Western Kingdom'.
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