Morocco
Moroccans are predominantly Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed
Arab-Berber ancestry. The Arabs brought Islam, along with Arabic
language and culture, to the region from the Arabian Peninsula
during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Today, there remains
a Jewish community of approximately 5,000, and a largely expatriate
Christian population of 5,000, who enjoy religious freedom and full
civil rights. Morocco is also home to a 300-500-person Baha'i
community which, in recent years, has been able to worship free from
government interference.
Arabic is Morocco's official language, but French is widely taught
and serves as the primary language of commerce and government.
Moroccan colloquial Arabic is composed of a unique combination of
Arabic, Berber and French dialects. Along with Arabic, about 10
million Moroccans, predominantly in rural areas, also speak one of
the three Moroccan Berber dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhit, and
Tamazight). Spanish is also used in the northern part of the
country. English is rapidly becoming the foreign language of choice
among educated youth and is offered in all public schools from the
fourth year on.
Most people live west of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates
the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the center of
commerce and industry and the leading port; Rabat is the seat of
government; Tangier is the gateway to Spain and also a major port;
"Arab" Fes is the cultural and religious center; and "Berber"
Marrakech is a major tourist center.
Education in Morocco is free and compulsory through primary school
(age 15). Nevertheless, many children--particularly girls in rural
areas--do not attend school. The country's literacy rate reveals
sharp gaps in education, both in terms of gender and location; while
country-wide literacy rates are estimated at 39% among women and 64%
among men, the female literacy rate in rural areas is only 10%.
Morocco is home to 14 public universities. Mohammed V University in
Rabat is one of the country's most famous schools, with faculties of
law, sciences, liberal arts, and medicine. Karaouine University, in
Fes, is a longstanding center for Islamic studies and is the oldest
university in the Maghreb. Morocco has one private, English language
university, Al-Akhawayn, in Ifrane, founded in 1993 by King Hassan
II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. The curriculum is based on an
American model. |
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Morocco's strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with
the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area. Romans,
Visigoths, Vandals and Byzantine Greeks ruled successively. Arab
forces began occupying Morocco in the seventh century A.D., bringing
their civilization and Islam. The Alaouite dynasty, which has ruled
Morocco since 1649, claims descent from the Prophet Muhammad.
Morocco's location and resources led to early competition among
European powers in Africa, beginning with successful Portuguese
efforts to control the Atlantic coast in the 15th century. France
showed a strong interest in Morocco as early as 1830. Following
recognition by the United Kingdom in 1904 of France's "sphere of
influence" in Morocco, the Algeciras Conference (1906) formalized
France's "special position" and entrusted policing of Morocco to
France and Spain jointly. The Treaty of Fes (1912) made Morocco a
protectorate of France. By the same treaty, Spain assumed the role
of protecting power over the northern and southern (Saharan) zones.
Nationalist political parties, which took shape under the French
protectorate, began a strong campaign for independence after World
War II. Declarations such as the Atlantic Charter (a joint
U.S.-British statement set forth, among other things, the right of
all people to choose the form of government under which they live),
served as a base for the independence movement. A manifesto of the
Istiqlal (Independence) Party in 1944 was one of the earliest public
demands for independence. That party subsequently provided most of
the leadership for the nationalist movement and remains a dominant
political force.
In 1953, France exiled the highly respected Sultan Mohammed V and
replaced him with the unpopular Mohammed Ben Aarafa. Ben Aarafa's
reign was widely perceived as illegitimate, and sparked active
opposition to French rule. France allowed Mohammed V to return in
1955, and by 1956, Morocco had regained its independence.
In the year 2006, Moroccans celebrated their 50th year of
independence from France. After gaining independence on March 2,
1956, Morocco regained control over certain Spanish-ruled areas
through agreements with Spain in 1956 and 1958. The
internationalized city of Tangier was reintegrated with the signing
of the Tangier Protocol on October 29, 1956. The Spanish enclave of
Ifni in the south became part of Morocco in 1969. Spain, however,
retains control over the small coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla
in the north.
During the 1990s, King Hassan made great strides toward economic and
political liberalization. King Hassan died on July 23, 1999, and was
succeeded by his son, Mohammed VI, who pledged to continue these
reforms. Under Mohammed VI, the Moroccan Government has undertaken a
number of economic, political, and social reforms, including the
2003 Moudawana, a reform of the family status code, and the 2006
Equity and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated allegations
of human rights abuse from 1956 to 1999. |
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