Country Overview
Population: 36,738,229
Population Growth Rate: 1.2% (2021)
Religious Groups Breakdown: Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni, <0.1% Shia), other 1% (includes Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i); note - Jewish about 3,000-3,500 (2020)
Youth Unemployment: 22.2%
UNDP HDI: 0.686 (121/189)
Life Expectancy (Male Life Expectancy & Female Life Expectancy): 73.68 (M: 71.98, F: 75.46)
Literacy Rate (Male Literacy Rate & Female Literacy Rate): 73.8% (M: 83.3%, F: 64.6%)
Primary School Completion Rate: 100% (2019)
Median Age: 29.1
Capital: Rabat
Largest City: Fes
Nationality: Moroccan
Currency: Moroccan Dirham
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy); (note - the proportion of Berber speakers is disputed) (note: Berber is the more widely known term but many consider it to be perorative; Imazighen is the preferred term)
Agriculture: Wheat, sugar beet, milk, potatoes, olives, tangerines/mandarins, tomatoes, oranges, barley, onions
Industries: Automotive parts, phosphate mining and processing, aerospace, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, energy, tourism
Geography
Morocco is a country located in northwestern Africa. Morocco is situated on the Atlantic Ocean on its west coast and the Mediterranean Sea on its northern coast, along the southern edge of the Strait of Gibraltar. Morocco shares its eastern border with Algeria and, though it has been closed since 1994, the border’s frontier is one of the longest closed borders in the world measuring at around 1,600 km. Located to Morocco’s south is the disputed Western Sahara territory. Morocco has a total land area of 446,550 square kilometers (172,413 square miles), an area slightly larger than the state of California.
Morocco has a Mediterranean climate that becomes hotter further inland nearing the Sahara Desert. Winters along the coast are generally mild with temperatures along the coast ranging from 46°F to 63°F, though lows can reach below 32°F in the interior mountain areas. Summers are mostly mild, with temperatures along the coast ranging from 64°F to 82°F and can reach up to 95°F in the interior. Much of the country is mountainous along the coast, and further inland there are plateaus and mountain valleys which gradually become the Sahara Desert. Due to the extremes of mountainous land and desert, only about 16.8% of Morocco’s land is arable (2021 est).
Climate Change
Morocco currently faces several environmental problems. Overgrazing, soil erosion, and unsustainable farming techniques have contributed to the process of desertification which threatens to eliminate much of Morocco’s arable land. The country is also affected by windstorms. According to the CIA World Factbook, “In the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility.”
Northeastern Morocco is also the site of many hazardous naturally-occurring earthquakes and rockslides. The CIA World Factbook reports that, “Landslides [result] from both precipitation events, as well as earthquakes. The landslide of April 1982 affected over 12,216 people.”
The country has also been subject to periodic droughts and flash floods. Drinking water has also been limited by pollution from improperly-managed sewage and oil spills along the coast. As of 2022, 75% of Moroccans have reliable access to drinking water according to the World Bank, with this figure steadily increasing throughout the past decade and nearly all Moroccans living in urban areas having access to potable water. The World Bank also reports in a separate article, however, that natural disasters associated with water have become more frequent in recent years with the onset of climate change. While Morocco’s rainy season is set to extend from October through April the past decade has seen flooding of a greater intensity and frequency..Coastal areas where 65% of the population and 90% of industry are located are also at great risk due to rising sea levels and unpredictable floods. Drought frequency and intensity — particularly in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco, namely the Oum er Rbia watershed — has increased in the past decades. Fire incidents have also been increasing in frequency, causing estimated losses in forest products of about US $1.8 million.
In response to these environmental issues, the National Office of Electricity and Potable Water (ONEP) has conducted several feasibility studies to select the best equipment to be used to treat incoming water and prevent further contamination. This office has also been looking into seawater desalination facilities to complement this effort. In 2010, Morocco also announced the implementation of a National Charter for Environmental and Sustainable Development, the first African nation to do so. The charter outlined a blueprint to convert at least half of Morocco’s energy production to sustainable sources by 2030. Morocco has ratified the Paris Climate Agreement, and in November 2016 Morocco hosted the COP22 climate change conference to elaborate on the agreement in Marrakech.
Morocco has received recognition over the past several years for its progressive stance on sustainable and green energy. In July 2016, the kingdom banned the use of plastic bags; a few months later Africa’s first bike-share was launched in Morocco. The country has also invested heavily in solar energy and a “cloud fishing” initiative in an arid region of the country allows residents to harvest fog as a source of water. However, the government has received criticism for expropriating land in the Atlas Mountains for mining purposes. Thus, despite the positive attention Morocco has received for its proactive response to climate change, citizens have voiced opposition to what they feel is exploitation of local natural resources. How these different interests will balance out remains to be seen. Thus far, the country has pledged to convert 50% of its electrical grid to renewable sources by 2030 and hopes to be 100% converted by 2050 (more on this under the Economy section). These fall within Morocco’s National Water Plan 2050 and Morocco Vision 2050.
History
Ancient Morocco
Morocco’s location on the Mediterranean Sea has made it critically important throughout history. The seafaring Phoenicians expanded their influence to the contemporary country’s location by the 12th century BCE and trade networks to the western end of the Mediterranean. This development brought the indigenous Amazigh (translates to “the free people,” commonly referred to as Berber, which is still one of the national languages of Morocco) population of Morocco into greater contact with the larger Mediterranean cultural network. The Phoenicians established a few small outposts at Chellah, Lixus and Mogador across modern-day Morocco. By the 5th century BCE, the Carthaginian Empire, centered in modern day Tunisia, had taken control of the coastal regions of much of North Africa including Morocco. Following the fall of the Carthaginian Empire, the Romans annexed the territory in 40 CE and maintained nominal control over the coast until 429, when it was lost to the Germanic Vandal tribe.
The Introduction of Islam to Morocco
The conquest of the region by the Arabs in the 7th century led by Uqba ibn Nafi, a general serving under the Umayyads of Damascus, began the conversion of the Amazigh people to Islam. The various Islamic empires appointed governors for its conquered territories throughout the Middle East, and the Amazigh population in Morocco faced disproportionately high taxes and tribute demands as a result. The people grew increasingly frustrated with this treatment and launched a revolt in 740 CE that successfully expelled the Arab leaders but subsequently caused the region to unravel into a series of small, independent Amazigh states. Prior to the Arab conquest, the Amazigh tribes enjoyed a degree of autonomy, but as Arab governors replaced local leadership, the Amazigh’s self-governance diminished.
In the 900s, the Shia Fatimid dynasty rose to power in North Africa and successfully invaded Morocco, but quickly abandoned its hold on the western end of the Mediterranean to establish a new capital in Cairo, Egypt. The Fatimids trades their lineage to Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, and claimed descent from her. The Fatimids extended their influence ruling over what is today Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. However, in the 970s, due to internal strife, economic challenges, and external pressures, their rule began to weaken and eventually end. The Amazigh once again regained control of the land and established strong dynasties including the Almoravids, Almohads, Marinids and Wattasids, that commanded the area until the 1550s.
Morocco, the Ottomans, & the French
Unlike most countries in the Middle East, Morocco never came under the direct control of the Ottoman Turks. The Moroccans and Ottomans jointly expelled a Portuguese occupying force in 1578 at the Battle of Ksar El-Kebir (or the “Battle of the Three Kings”), and Ahmad al-Mansur became the Sultan of the Arab Saadi dynasty which had established its dominance in 1549. Ahmad al-Mansur brought unprecedented prosperity to the region, but his dynasty was divided among his sons following his death in 1603. In 1669, Moulay al-Rashid overthrew the last Saadi ruler in Morocco and united the country by founding the Arab Alaouite dynasty, which remains the current dynasty of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In the mid-1800s, Morocco became increasingly influenced by European powers, specifically the French and Spanish. Neighboring Algeria became an official province of France in 1848, and small-scale battles with Spain in 1859 further weakened the ability of Morocco to resist European encroachment.
Moroccan Independence
In the early 1900s, France attempted to establish protectorate status with Morocco, while Germany sought to increase its economic interests in the region and Spain its soft power. Germany and France engaged in a discussion over the status of Morocco, and the result was the Algeciras Conference of 1906 (more information in the Resources section below). The conference of various European powers—France, Germany, Spain, and also the US—allowed for joint control over Morocco between France and Spain. The Treaty of Fez in 1912 further established the country as a protectorate of France, and gave the Spanish control over much of the northern coastline along the Strait of Gibraltar.
During the colonial period, Morocco (known at that time as the Cherifien empire) was divided from 1895 to 1912 by colonial powers into several zones administered by France (center) and Spain (north and south) while the city of Tangier was declared as an international zone administered by 12 powers. Morocco’s complex decolonization process was gradual and saw several negotiation processes with various colonial powers to regain its territorial integrity. In 1956, Morocco achieved independence from France and recuperated Tangier. That same year, Morocco launched negotiations with Spain, which led to its withdrawal from the northern part of the Kingdom. Subsequently, Morocco negotiated the withdrawal of Spain from its remaining enclaves and territories in the south: Tarfaya in 1958 (Cintra Agreement), Sidi Ifni in 1969 (Fez Agreement) and the Saqia al Hamra and Oued Eddahab regions, known more as Western Sahara, in 1975, by virtue of the Madrid Agreements.
History Resources
Government
The Monarchy
Morocco is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, wherein the monarch holds honorific governmental powers and governance is primarily carried out by a democratically elected parliament. Constitutional reforms in 2011 significantly limited the scope of the king’s power and enlarged that of the prime minister, transitioning Morocco from a more traditional monarchy to a hybrid government with significantly more democratic input. The king appoints the prime minister from the party that won the most seats in parliament, is formally the commander of the Moroccan armed forces, and is a religious leader as the Commander of the Faithful. The current king of Morocco is King Mohammad VI, who has been in power since July 23, 1999.
Government Structure
The prime minister is the head of government, and answers to a bicameral parliament and an independent judiciary. The lower house of parliament, the House of Representatives, is elected directly for five year terms, the majority through multi-member constituency party lists, and the remainder through national lists that contain only women. While many analysts cite the significant increase in demand for women’s legislators that this system creates, it alone still does not allow women full, equal inclusion into politics. In 2014, however, King Mohammad VI appointed the first female–identifying governor Zineb El Adaoui who governed the province of Kinetra, and later in 2021 went on to be appointed as president of the Court of Auditors. The upper house,the House of Councilors, comprised of 120 members, is elected to six year terms through a variety of methods: 72 members are directly elected to represent different regions, 20 are elected by an electoral college in each region comprised of a variety of professionals in different fields, 8 are elected by an electoral college in each region comprised of professionals in the most prominent field in that region, and 20 are elected nationally by an electoral college made up of employees.
Current Prime Minister
Aziz Akhannouch is the 17th Prime Minister of Morocco, appointed by King Mohammad VI. Akhannouch was born in Tafraout in 1961 and raised in Casablanca. He comes from the Amazigh tribe. He is also the CEO of Akwa Group, a Moroccan conglomerate that is active in the oil and gas sector. His political career has been marked by several controversies, including accusations of corruption and having strained relationships with the press. During his time as PM, his administration has faced inflation and continued suppression of opinions that differ from his. His election as PM was also controversial as there have been claims of fraud and buying votes. His journey in politics also includes services as the president of the Souss-Massa-Draa regional council from 2003 to 2007.
Government Resources
International & Regional Issues
Moroccan Relations within the Western Sahara and Algeria
Morocco is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, wherein the monarch holds honorific governmental powers and governance is primarily carried out by a democratically elected parliament. Constitutional reforms in 2011 significantly limited the scope of the king’s power and enlarged that of the prime minister, transitioning Morocco from a more traditional monarchy to a hybrid government with significantly more democratic input. The king appoints the prime minister from the party that won the most seats in parliament, is formally the commander of the Moroccan armed forces, and is a religious leader as the Commander of the Faithful. The current king of Morocco is King Mohammad VI, who has been in power since July 23, 1999.
Morocco currently claims and administers the Western Sahara as part of its territory. The population of people currently living in the Sahara aside from Moroccan settlers is known as Sahrawis. These are Hassaniya-speaking tribes of mixed Arab-Amazigh descent, or continuations of the tribal groupings of Hassaniya-speaking Moorish tribes extending south into Mauritania and north into Morocco as well as east into Algeria. The Sahrawis are traditionally nomadic bedouins, and can be found in all surrounding countries.
Some Sahrawis reject Morocco’s claim to the territory; the population that maintains this belief is led by a group called the Polisario Front. The Polisario Front, who define themselves as a liberation movement fighting for sovereignty, aims to get independence and complete sovereignty for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
The conflict has resulted in a significant refugee population, specifically in the southern Algerian city of Tindouf where most of the 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in state-run refugee camps. While the conflict remains unarmed today, Brahim Ghali—who is regarded by the Polisario Front as the President of the Sahrawi Republic—declared an end to the previously-established, 29 year old UN ceasefire in November 2020, but physical fighting has largely halted since then.
The Western Sahara dispute with the Polisario Front, however, is believed by some to be a Morocco-Algeria issue with the Western Sahara acting as a proxy. After Spain announced their support of Morocco regarding the Western Sahara, for example, Algeria suspended a cooperation treaty with Spain. Historically, Algeria closed its border with Morocco following the outbreak of the Algerian civil war in 1994 and the border has since remained closed. Nevertheless, Morocco and Algeria have maintained diplomatic relations since resolving some of their issues over the status of the Western Sahara in 1988.
Internationally, the recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory has increased. In December 2020, the United States became the first country to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. In exchange, Morocco normalized relations with Israel as established in the Abraham Accords. The US then went on to open its first Moroccan embassy in the Western Sahara.
Furthermore, in October 2021, various Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan publicly declared their support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Yemen, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, and also stated their stance in support for Morocco, hoping this will aid the need to find a “political and realistic solution.”
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Another recent regional development is Morocco’s membership in the African Union and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States). In January 2017, Morocco was allowed to rejoin the African Union after a 33-year absence. King Mohammed VI, however, was not at the 2017 summit because Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been invited (prior to Morocco’s recognition of Israel in 2020). The provisional membership is being stymied by disapproval from member state Nigeria, the strongest economic player in ECOWAS, who see Morocco as a threat to their influence. Subsequently in June, the West African regional group ECOWAS in principle approved Morocco’s membership application despite the country being in North Africa. Some ECOWAS leaders meeting in Liberia said the implications of its membership still needed to be considered before Morocco could formally join. Morocco seeks to benefit from trade partnerships with other African states through membership in these regional blocs. In 2022, while Morocco hasn’t yet been fully integrated into ECOWAS, the bloc has expressed its support for the country’s full accession. Instead, some leaders in ECOWAS have expressed that Morocco can maintain an economic “agreement in principle.”
Covid-19
As of July 29, 2022, there have been 1,259,420 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 16,226 deaths in Morocco that have been reported to the WHO. As of 18 July 2022, a total of 54,924,940 vaccine doses have been administered. In the Western Sahara specifically, 766 infections and 2 deaths have been reported as of July 15, 2022, though exact case counts are more difficult to obtain for this region.
International & Regional Issues Resources
Economy
Morocco’s economy has been steadily improving since the turn of the millennium, and King Mohammed VI inherited a fairly stable economy. Over the past few years (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023) the GDP real growth rate has been -7.2, 8, 1.3, 3.2, respectively. In the years prior to 2019, Morocco’s GDP had undergone steady growth at variable rates since 1997. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 had a significantly negative impact on the economies of Morocco and the rest of Northern Africa, broadly (UNDP, French). In 2021, however, Morocco saw a monumental increase in GDP, which sources such as the World Bank attribute to “exceptional cereal crop after two consecutive years of drought, solid exports and remittances, supportive macroeconomic policies, and significant progress on COVID-19 vaccinations.”
A driver behind the broader trend of Moroccan economic growth began in 2014 when subsidies on gasoline and industrial fuel were removed. In the same time period, Morocco launched the “Industrial Acceleration Plan” (IPA) which ensured that over 300,000 new industry jobs would be created by 2020. Since its establishment, 120,000 jobs have been created, while 307,000 are engaged, totaling 427,000 posts. These figures transcend Rabat’s initial benchmark.
The most critical challenges facing Morocco include a lack of transparency, corruption, high unemployment and illiteracy rates, and a difficult regional environment. Unemployment in Morocco is 9.99% overall (2022 est.), but 27.2% for young people between the ages of 15 and 24. The figure is not quite as staggering as in neighboring countries, which faced much harsher demonstrations in 2011 during the Arab Spring, but it still remains a big problem for Morocco’s economy. Following the Arab Spring, Rabat pursued wide-scale economic and social reform to tackle the overwhelming unemployment and poverty rates. This has contributed to a decrease in the number of poor people, from 8.9% of the population in 2007 to 4.2% in 2014. In 2020, the national poverty rate was about 4.8%. Morocco also faced pressure from the population of the Jerada province (Northeastern Morocco) attributable to the continued economic and social marginalization of the Rif region. The government, in response, proposed an economic plan to tackle Jerada’s shortcomings. Structural reform is still needed in areas such as education, governance, and justice in order to reduce unemployment.
To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the United States in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the EU in 2008. Due to low energy reserves, Morocco has scaled up green initiative and growth programs to combat the detrimental environmental effects of hydrocarbon imports. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable more than 52% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2030. Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane built the first solar-energy site in Africa to generate electricity using photovoltaics. In 2013 King Mohammed VI launched a huge and impressive project to construct the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant. According to the World Bank, the planned Noor Complex Solar Power Plant is expected to reduce Morocco’s fossil fuel dependence by two and a half million tons of oil and to supply electricity to 1.1 million Moroccans.
Tourism is one of the country’s primary industries. In fact, tourism has increased rapidly from 2,602,000 tourism arrivals in 1995 to 9,299,000 in 2010, making it the 24th largest tourist market in the world and the second largest among the Arab countries, after Egypt. The country made over US $2 billion in tourism revenue in the month of May 2022 alone, which amounted to 2.3 million tourists as well as a 53% recovery rate from 2019 pre-pandemic levels. In 2014, Rabat published Vision 2020 with the ambitious goal of making Morocco one of the world’s top 20 tourist destinations, as well as a model of sustainable development. Morocco integrated green initiatives into the tourism sector by launching ecotourism in the Atlas Mountains (ecolodges and desert resorts). The country is projected to have had around 8,000,000 visitors by the end of 2022.
Economy Resources
Society
Population
Throughout history, different ethnic groups have inhabited Morocco. These include the indigenous Amazigh population (popularly referred to as Berbers), Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Spaniards, Turks, Phoenicians, Jews and the French. Nearly the entirety of the population (99%) is a mix of both Arab and indigenous ethnic groups. Morocco’s estimated population is 36,738,229 as of 2022, and is growing at a rate of about 1.2% as of 2021. Arabic and Tamazight (the Amazigh language) are the official languages of Morocco; French is often used in business, government, and diplomatic settings. English is also a popular language in schools and among the youth.
Once home to some 300,000 Jews, the largest population in the Arab world for the past over 3,000 years, Morocco is increasingly taking a careful reexamination at its long history with Judaism and is opposing the wholesale rejection of Judaism, Hebrew, Jewish people, and even Israel that is often common in other Arab countries. This includes renewed efforts to safeguard Jewish history and culture in Morocco. For example, Rabat has begun to fund projects to renovate Jewish neighborhoods and religious sites as well as restore Jewish cemeteries. As of 2020, the country is home to between 3,000 and 3,500 Jewish Moroccans.
Education
Despite reforms in education in 2004, such as the National Literacy and Non-formal Education Strategy, the quality of education in Morocco needs improvements, according to the Human Development Index (HDI). Morocco is ranked at 120/189 The Moroccan government has been working with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to improve its educational system.
Education in Morocco is divided into primary and secondary stages. Primary school is free and compulsory for nine years from the ages of 7 to 15. The compulsory requirement is often not enforceable in the remote areas of the Atlas Mountains, but the primary school completion rate has risen to 100% in 2022 from 79% in 2005 and 47% in 1991. Secondary school is also free, but not compulsory, and lasts for an additional three years following primary school. Higher education, also known as the tertiary level, can be pursued at any of Morocco’s 14 public universities and many other private universities, vocational schools, and technical schools. Among the most distinguished universities are the Mohammed V University in Rabat, the American-style university Al-Akhawayn in Ifrane, and the University of Al Karaouine (or Al-Qarawiyyin) in Fez, considered by UNESCO to be the oldest continuously operating, degree-granting university in the world (founded in 859 CE).
Healthcare
Healthcare in Morocco suffers from dated practices and equipment, as well as limited accessibility. In more remote areas in the Atlas Mountains, access to medical facilities is extremely poor. For every 10,000 inhabitants, there are 7.2 doctors which is lower than the WHO standard being 15.3 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants. Nearly a third of Moroccans also have little or no access to proper sanitation, putting them at risk of illnesses such as gastrointestinal infections, typhoid, malaria, and trachoma. Tuberculosis also remained widespread until recent years, with 26,000 cases reported in 2015 by the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2020, these numbers increased to 98 reported cases per 100,000 citizens. The Moroccan Ministry of Health is working with the WHO to implement a universal healthcare system, as currently only about half of the population can afford either private or public insurance.
Society Resources
LGBTQ+
Article 489 of the Moroccan penal code explicitly outlaws “lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex.” Punishments for breaking this law range from imprisonment of six months to three years and a fine of 200 to 1,000 dirhams. Likewise, the country has no protections for discrimination against members of the LGBT+ community. While citizens have been jailed for charges of homosexuality, it has also jailed people who have committed homophobic beatings.Adoption, IVF, and surrogacy for same sex couples is also illegal and punishable in Morocco.
Though homosexuality is officially illegal in Morocco, first-hand accounts from those visiting the country tell a different story. One self-identifying gay man who frequented the country reported that, “the law is not imposed frequently.” He explained that “homosexuality is an accepted part of Moroccan culture and has been for centuries” with most citizens content with travelers' respect for Moroccan culture and not adhering to extreme Islamism. It should be noted, though, that the imposition of the law for travelers differs from that applied to citizens.
LGBT+ Resources
Religion
The Moroccan constitution proclaims Islam as the state religion and it is practiced by 99% of Moroccans. Almost all Muslims in Morocco follow the Sunni branch of Islam (fewer than 0.1% of Moroccans identify as Shia Muslims) and King Mohammed VI claims to be a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammad. About 1% of the population practices Christianity, which expanded first under Roman rule and again during Spanish and French colonization. Between 3,000 and 3,500 Jewish Moroccans also comprise this 1%, along with a small population of Baha'i people. Moroccans are free to practice any religion they choose, although it is illegal for Muslims to renounce Islam or for anyone to proselytize religions other than Islam.
Religion Resources
Culture
Art
Morocco has a rich history of artistic expression. Colorful artistic patterns adorn the walls of mosques and shops throughout the country and often utilize repetitions of simple shapes and designs to form complex mosaics. One such design is known as zillij. Zillij is an Islamic tile artwork that was designed to inspire meditation while adhering to Islamic restrictions on visual depictions of representational art. Artists chisel a single colored tile into a precise shape and then replicate this process hundreds of times to create intricate patterns and tessellations.
Carpet weaving is also a prominent traditional craft in Morocco and an important source of income for some families. Traditional Amazigh carpets are often woven together from camel hair or sheep wool, and use saffron, mint, pomegranate and other natural dyes to add vibrant colors to the yarn. Designs depict daily life but may also feature local tribal motifs. The process of selecting a carpet and negotiating its price with the carpet sellers is an art form in and of itself.
The country is also home to several museums which feature displays of historical relics and artwork from leading Moroccan artists. The Museum of Antiquities, located in Tangier, once served as the kitchen for the Sultan’s palace and today houses numerous artifacts from the time of the Romans. One such artifact is a model of a Carthaginian tomb in one of the museum’s main rooms. The Marrakech Museum also features architecture and mosaics from all periods of Moroccan history. These exhibits occupy the Dar Menebhi Palace, which was built in the 19th century and was converted into a museum in 1997. The interior walls of the palace are lavishly decorated with mosaics and works of Islamic calligraphy and the site is known as the “Jewel of Marrakech.”
Confirming Morocco’s reputation as a source of creativity and artistic production, the city of Asilah, on the northwest coast, invites Moroccan and international artists to decorate its white walls each year with bright and elaborate murals. The annual festival attracts visitors from around the world and has gained significant interest in contemporary arts media and communities.
Art Resources
Food
Moroccan cuisine is quite different from Levantine Middle Eastern food like hummus, falafel, or shawarma. A large variety of spices from the Mediterranean region are used such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and coriander in Moroccan dishes. Couscous is a traditional Moroccan Berber dish featuring tiny balls of pasta served with stewed meat, vegetables and a flavorful broth. Chicken, lamb, and seafood dishes featuring kabobs are also popular. In Morocco, these are referred to as kefta or brochettes; sausages are also common.
The Moroccan national dish is called tagine, named for the large clay pot in which it is cooked. The dish is a spiced stew which includes vegetables and beef, lamb, or chicken. A common tagine is one made with preserved lemons and green olives. Moroccan flat bread (khobz) is served with almost every meal and often is used to scoop food in place of utensils. Morocco is also known for its pastries but in homes, families generally eat fresh fruits, like citrus and melons, for dessert.
Moroccan mint tea is the most ubiquitous beverage throughout the country. Using Chinese gunpowder tea, fresh spearmint, and copious amounts of sugar, the drink is boiled several times to maximize the flavors.
Food Resources
Literature & Film
Beginning in the 1940s, Paul Bowles and other Beat artists like William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg were drawn to the country for its heterogeneous and underground culture. These writers brought attention to the country through their literary works and collaborations with Moroccan artists. The port city of Tangier was a particularly popular destination. During the 1950s and 60s Morocco became a literary sanctuary. Many native Moroccans also bloomed during this time, including Driss El Khori, Mohamed Choukri, and Driss Chraibi. Authors such as Mohamed Zefzaf and Abdellah Laroui are noted for writing in Arabic. Driss Chraibi made a massive impact on the Moroccan public with his French novel “Le Passe Simple,” or “The Past Tense,” which was published in 1954 and condemned patriarchal society.
Literature & Film Resources
Clothing
The standard article of clothing in Morocco for both men and women is known as the djellaba. Men wear this loose-fitting robe in muted colors of brown, gray, and green. The djellaba has long sleeves and a hood. Men may be seen wearing the small red cap known as a tarboosh, or fez, on special occasions but more often adorn the kufi skull cap. Brimless hats are common in the region as they are less likely to interfere with the bowing associated with daily prayers than brimmed hats.
Women often wear their own version of the djellaba. These are typically more colorful and decorative than their male counterparts, and sometimes feature silk thread and gold embroidery. Women also occasionally wear a haik, a cloak of fine white cloth worn around the head and body. The haik is often found in rural areas away from the metropolitan lifestyle of the city. Other types of modest clothing such as kaftans, long skirts and tunics are common as is Western attire. Veiling is a personal or family matter in which the state is not involved. People living in rural areas tend to dress more conservatively than in cities where Western styles are not unusual.
Clothing Resources
Music
Moroccans generate several diverse musical styles which highlight the country’s historical complexity. The Berber musical style is community oriented and is performed in open air village squares. This music features flutes and drums and is usually played at large ceremonies such as weddings or festivals. Another traditional style of music is milhun, a type of classical poetry that is sung and typically associated with traders and artisans. The lyrics feature popular folk poems or Islamic verses. This music is traditionally accompanied by an orchestra which utilizes the stringed oud, different varieties of flutes, and several types of cymbals.
A popular musical style which mixes rural and urban folk music is known as chaabi. Chaabi music is often seen in communities along the Atlantic coast, and is sometimes performed during private and public celebrations. This music features both a male and female lead singer with a violin and backup vocal accompaniment. Today, this style has incorporated modern musical technology by adding keyboards and electric guitars.
Gnaoua (Gnawa) music is unique to Morocco though its popularity has spread to surrounding countries and the Diaspora. Heavily influenced by African traditions and instruments, the mystical style was developed among former sub-Saharan African slave communities in Morocco. Consisting of ancient African Islamic spiritual songs, the genre is characterized by its use of repetition and castanets. Groups are led by masters, known as “maâlems”, and consist of several members who clap, dance, and accompany their leader vocally and instrumentally. Gnawa musicians can often be identified by their dress, typically appearing in matching djellaba and ornate caps with tassels.
The style is very popular among Moroccans and what was once a spiritual experience has become more profane. The tradition is highlighted each summer in the southern coastal town of Essaouira at the Gnaoua World Music Festival. In this celebration of musical fusion, the Gnaoua masters invite players of jazz, pop, rock and contemporary world music to explore new avenues of collaboration. The festival attracts up to 500,000 visitors every year over four days. Le Festival des Musiques Sacrées du Monde (World Sacred Music Festival) is a week-long annual event featuring international spiritual, religious and folk music in the ancient city of Fes. The festival began in 1994 and continues to this day.
Music Resources
Sites & Places of Interest
Morocco is home to many popular sites which highlight the diverse history and geography of the region. These vary from religious sites to natural landscapes and architectural wonders. Mausoleums of venerated religious and national leaders are common destinations in Morocco. One such site is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, completed in 1971, in the capital city of Rabat. This is the final resting place for King Mohammed V and his sons. It features ornate marble carvings of Islamic calligraphy and zillij tile mosaics. The mausoleum was constructed on the site of an unfinished mosque and some relics, like the unfinished Hassan minaret, still adorn the scenery around the mausoleum.
One of the most exquisite displays of natural beauty is the Menara Gardens just west of Marrakech. Located on the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, these gardens were designed and built in the 12th century during the rule of the Almohads. The orchards of the garden feature olive, cypress, and fruit trees and the site holds a large reservoir at its center for irrigation. Morocco is also home to many prominent mosques, including the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. Completed in 1993, this mosque is the largest mosque in Morocco and it is the 7th largest in the world, and features the tallest minaret which stands at 210 meters (689 ft). The building and surrounding courtyard can accommodate up to 105,000 worshippers, and much of the structure extends into the Atlantic Ocean.
Morocco also holds an important site in the early history of the United States as Morocco was the first country to recognize the newly independent American colonies in 1777. In 1821, Sultan Moulay Suleiman of Morocco gave the country its first diplomatic property in Tangier, which became America’s first public property in another country. The building stood as the American consulate until 1956 and was converted into a library and education center that houses the Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies. The institute serves as a museum and a cultural center with artifacts from the long history of U.S.-Moroccan relations.
For centuries, due to its unique location, the country was formed by the mixture of African tribes from the other side of the Sahara Desert, Islamic traditions from Arab neighbors, and European colonizers. Today, different design elements can be seen in the buildings throughout Morocco but the strongest influence in the country’s architecture (both in the past and the present) is Islam.
In addition to the Islamic influence, Hispano-Moorish architecture (a type of architecture characteristic of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula) also took roots in Morocco during the Almoravid dynasty. Today, a combination of these two particular styles can be found in most buildings throughout the country. These include elaborate geometric patterns, ornamental Islamic calligraphy of Quranic verses, and colorful zellij (a ceramic-tile mosaic). Open courtyards with lavish gardens can also be found at the center of most buildings: these were constructed as places of privacy and relaxation.What sets Morocco’s architecture apart is not only its exceptional blend of different design elements but also the unique features of each of its traditional buildings. Mosques, riads, souks, ramparts, kasbahs, palaces and medersas are all different types of buildings found throughout Morocco: they have different purposes and very different architectural designs.
Sites & Places of Interest Resources
Sports
Popular Moroccan sports include soccer, skiing, and golf. Morocco also boasts some of the best hiking in the world. Many hiking trips navigate the grand peaks of the Atlas Mountains, while others explore the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert along the eastern border. Some expeditions combine both hiking and skiing for a unique outdoor adventure.
Morocco’s diverse topography also contributes to its distinct wildlife with birdwatching being a popular activity.The country also features several prominent golf courses near Marrakech and along the Atlantic coastline. Some of these courses like the Al Maaden and Samanah courses feature beautiful views of the Atlas Mountains.
Morocco has been successful in several Olympic competitions. The country has competed in almost every summer Olympics since 1960 and has won a total of twenty-two medals. Moroccans have excelled in particular in track and field; distance runner Hicham el Gherrouj is the current holder of the 1500 meters, mile and outdoor 2000 meters world records, as well as a double Olympic gold medalist. Morocco has also sent athletes to several winter Olympic competitions in 1984, 1988, 1992, 2010, and 2014, but has not won an Olympic medal in those games. The Moroccan national football (soccer in the U.S.) team is known as the “Lions of the Atlas.” Morocco’s team has competed four times in the FIFA World Cup. Their best performance was in 1986 when the team advanced to the second round. The Lions of the Atlas have also won the Africa Cup once in 1976 and the Arab Nations Cup in 2012. Marrakech hosted the 2014 Club World Cup.
Sports Resources
Latest News & Commentary on Morocco
- Middle East Policy Council
- Scholarly essays, commentary and forums on the Kingdom of Morocco
- The New York Times
Moroccan News Outlets