MOROCCO

The two official languages are Modern Standard Arabic and Tamazight. The spoken Arabic dialect is Moroccan Arabic, commonly referred to as Darija [i] and is part of the Maghrebi dialect group. Darija has a strong presence in Moroccan television, entertainment, and cinema. Becoming an official language in 2011 [ii], Tamazight, composed of related languages spoken by the indigenous people of North Africa—the Amazighs—is spoken by one-third of the population. Moroccan Arabic is heavily influenced by Tamazight. Due to its history as a French protectorate, French is often the language of business, government, and diplomacy, and widely spoken locally. Spanish is also commonly spoken.

Social life for Moroccans is focused on home life with weekends spent with family enjoying the country’s many beaches and mountains. Big cities such as Casablanca [iii] provide a variety of entertainment from cinemas and restaurants to various markets. A wedding ceremony is one of the most celebrated events in the country, as it is a large, full community event comprising loved ones, food, music, and dancing. Historically, couscous has been a staple food [iv] in the Moroccan diet. Mint tea, commonly known as atay, is regarded as the national beverage. Morocco is also the second-largest wine exporter [v] in Africa after South Africa.

Approximately 99% [vi] of the population in Morocco identifies as Muslim, a majority being Sunni. Islam is the official religion with Judaism referred to as a native religion. The constitution allows for freedom of religion; however, the criminal code prohibits proselytization to Muslims. Previously referred to as the destination for the Jewish diaspora, due to emigration to Israel, the number has greatly diminished to a few thousand [vii] in Morocco. Christianity has had a long history [viii] in Morocco, but after the arrival of Islam, it ceased to have a significant presence in the country. The Baha’i faith community comprises a few hundred people [ix].

Morocco is ruled by the Alaouite Royal Family as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The legislature is divided into two sections. The Chamber of Counsellors, the upper house, has 120 seats [x] each appointed by an electoral college of local unions, professional organizations, and labor unions, and serves 6-year terms. The House of Representatives, the lower house, has 395 seats [xi]. 60 of those seats are reserved for women and 30 are reserved for those under the age of 40 to promote gender equality and youth empowerment. The constitution prohibits [xii] a one-party system, requiring its political parties to work together to form coalition governments.

Morocco’s economy is positioned as a center for business in Africa. Historically relying on the export of raw materials, its economy has taken several measures to increase investment in modern sectors, particularly tourism and telecommunications. The modern sector accounts for about two-thirds [xiii] of Morocco’s GDP. Its main exports [xiv] include agricultural produce, consumer goods (including textiles), and fertilizers (including phosphates). Its largest trading partner is the EU. The national currency is the Dirham, currently valued at 0.10 USD to MAD. Unemployment is currently around 10.2% [xv]. Despite this, Morocco has had a stable economy characterized by steady growth and gradually decreasing unemployment rates.

Gaining its independence as the Kingdom of Morocco in 1956, Morocco was born from a protectorate status from France. The Alaouite Dynasty, the current Royal Family, dates to the 17th century. In 1850, Spain occupied northern Morocco. In 1912, France imposed a protectorate over the region [xvi]. After a prolonged independence struggle with France, the city of Tangier and most of Spain’s land possessions were turned over to the new country. Sultan Mohammed V, the current King’s grandfather, organized the new state, and assumed the role as the monarchy’s first King in 1957. It is now home to approximately 35 million people.

Predominantly coastal, Morocco is one of only three nations [xvii] (along with Spain and France) to border both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Due to its large access to water, it is home to over two dozen ports, with its largest in Casablanca [xviii] in the northwestern corner. Most of the country’s fertile land and population is found in regions bordered by the High Rif mountains in the North and the Atlas Mountains [xix] that separate the western coastal region from the Sahara Desert. Morocco shares land borders with Algeria to the east and southwest and the Western Sahara to the south.