Country Profile · No. 34

Morocco

Capital / Admin Capital

Rabat (political capital) / Casablanca (largest economic city)Population: ~37.8MIndependence: 1956 (March 2, ending French and Spanish protectorates)

First Monarch/Leader

King Mohammed V of Morocco (Reigned 1957–1961 as King following independence)Current Monarch: King Mohammed VI of Morocco (Reigned since July 1999)Prime Minister: Aziz Akhannouch (Serving since September 2021)

Geography & Borders

Algeria, Western Sahara, Spain (maritime borders and North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla), Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea. Features the towering Atlas Mountains and Atlantic/Mediterranean coastlines.

Demographics & Language

Islam (Sunni, ~99%). Official: Arabic language, Berber languages (Amazigh). Widely spoken: Moroccan Arabic (Darija), French language. Major groups: Arab-Berber (~99+%).

Economy & GDP

Automotive manufacturing, aerospace, phosphate mining (holds world's largest reserves), agriculture, tourism, textiles.

Global Diaspora

1. France (~1.5M), 2. Spain (~800k), 3. Italy (~500k), 4. United States (~100k–120k) (alongside ~1M of Moroccan Jewish descent globally). U.S. Hubs (States / Cities): New York (New York City), California (Los Angeles), Texas (Houston), Washington D.C.

Major Conflicts

Rif War (1920–1926, Berber rebellion against Spanish and French colonial rule), Ifni War (1957– 1958), Western Sahara War (1975–1991).

3 Must-See Sites

1. Marrakech Medina and Jemaa el-Fnaa square (Vibrant, bustling historic walled imperial city famous for open-air markets and snake charmers), 2. Chefchaouen (The Blue City) (Picturesque mountain town nestled in the Rif Mountains, renowned for its striking blue-washed buildings), 3. Hassan II Mosque (Casablanca) (Architectural masterpiece featuring the world's second-tallest minaret towering over the Atlantic Ocean).

Quick Facts

The first country in the world to officially recognize the independence of the United States in 1777; home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, founded in 859 AD and recognized by UNESCO as the oldest continuously operating university in the world.