Portal:Morocco

Morocco — المغرب

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south, occupied by Morocco since 1975. Morocco also claims the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It has a population of approximately 37 million. Islam is both the official and predominant religion, while Arabic and Berber are the official languages. Additionally, French and the Moroccan dialect of Arabic are widely spoken. The culture of Morocco is a mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultures. Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca.

The region constituting Morocco has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era, more than 300,000 years ago. The Idrisid dynasty was established by Idris I in 788, and Morocco was subsequently ruled by a series of other independent dynasties, reaching its zenith as a regional power in the 11th and 12th centuries, under the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties, when it controlled most of the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb. Centuries of Arab migration to the Maghreb since the 7th century shifted the demographic scope of the region. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Morocco faced external threats to its sovereignty, with Portugal seizing some territory and the Ottoman Empire encroaching from the east. The Marinid and Saadi dynasties otherwise resisted foreign domination, and Morocco was the only North African nation to escape Ottoman dominion. The Alawi dynasty, which rules the country to this day, seized power in 1631, and over the next two centuries expanded diplomatic and commercial relations with the Western world. Morocco's strategic location near the mouth of the Mediterranean drew renewed European interest. In 1912, France and Spain divided the country into respective protectorates, reserving an international zone in Tangier. Following intermittent riots and revolts against colonial rule, in 1956, Morocco regained its independence and reunified.

Since independence, Morocco has remained relatively stable. It has the fifth-largest economy in Africa and wields significant influence in both Africa and the Arab world; it is considered a middle power in global affairs and holds membership in the Arab League, the Arab Maghreb Union, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union. Morocco is a unitary semi-constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The executive branch is led by the King of Morocco and the prime minister, while legislative power is vested in the two chambers of parliament: the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Judicial power rests with the Constitutional Court, which may review the validity of laws, elections, and referendums. The king holds vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military, foreign policy and religious affairs; he can issue dahirs, decrees which have the force of law, and he can also dissolve the parliament after consulting the prime minister and the president of the constitutional court.

Morocco claims ownership of the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara, which it has designated its Southern Provinces. In 1975, after Spain agreed to decolonise the territory and cede its control to Morocco and Mauritania, a guerrilla war broke out between those powers and some of the local inhabitants. In 1979, Mauritania relinquished its claim to the area, but the war continued to rage. In 1991, a ceasefire agreement was reached, but the issue of sovereignty remained unresolved. Today, Morocco occupies two-thirds of the territory, and efforts to resolve the dispute have thus far failed to break the political deadlock. (Full article...)

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Left to right, top to bottom: Footprints on the sand, Place Mechouar, Street, Monumental Arch, Laayoune Cathedral

Laayoune or El Aaiún (Arabic: العيون, al-ʕuyūn [alʕujuːn], Hassaniyya: [ˈləʕjuːn] ⓘ, lit. 'The Springs') is the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, with a population of 271,344 in 2023. The city is the de jure capital of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, though it is under de facto Moroccan administration as occupied territory. The modern city is thought to have been founded by the Spanish captain Antonio de Oro in 1938. From 1958, it became the administrative capital of the Spanish Sahara, administered by the Governor General of Spanish West Africa.

In 2023, Laayoune is the capital of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region administered by Morocco, it is still under the supervision of MINURSO, a UN mission.

The town is located south of the dry river of Saguia el-Hamra, where the old lower town constructed by Spanish colonists is located. The St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral was constructed during the Spanish period and is still active with a few Catholic missionaries. (Full article...)

General images -

The following are images from various Morocco-related articles on Wikipedia.

Categories

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Morocco
Morocco-related lists
Buildings and structures in Morocco
Culture of Morocco
Economy of Morocco
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Environment of Morocco
Geography of Morocco
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History of Morocco
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Moroccan history

  • Ancient History:

Mousterian - Aterian - Iberomaurusian - Capsian - Mauretania - Mauretania Tingitana - Volubilis - Ancient Carthage

  • Medieval History:

Muslim conquest - Berber Revolt - Kingdom of Nekor - Barghawata Confederacy - Idrisid dynasty -Emirate of Sijilmasa - Maghrawa dynasty - Almoravid dynasty -Almohad dynasty - Marinid dynasty - Wattasid dynasty - Saadi dynasty

  • Modern History:

'Alawi dynasty - Ismail of Morocco - Abd el-Krim - Republic of the Rif - Franco-Moroccan War - Agadir Crisis - Treaty of Fez - Revolution of the King and the People - Green March - Casablanca attacks

Religions in Morocco

Arab states

Other countries

Wikiprojects

WikiProject Morocco

WikiProject Africa

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.
Location of the battle shown on a 1953 map.

The Battle of El Herri (also known as Elhri) was fought between France and the Berber Zaian Confederation on 13 November 1914. It took place at the small settlement of El Herri, near Khénifra in the French protectorate in Morocco. The battle was part of the Zaian War, in which the confederation of tribes sought to oppose continued French expansion into the interior of Morocco. Having captured the strategic town of Khénifra earlier in the year, the French, under General Hubert Lyautey, entered negotiations with Mouha ou Hammou Zayani, who led the Zaian. Lyautey thought that peace could be achieved and ordered Lieutenant-Colonel René Laverdure, who commanded the garrison in Khénifra, not to launch any offensives.

Laverdure became frustrated with the lack of action and, on 13 November, led almost his entire garrison in an attack on the Zaian encampment at El Herri. The attack initially went well, with his artillery and cavalry clearing the tribesmen from the camp, looting the Zaian tents and capturing two of Hammou's wives. However, the French encountered a significant Zaian force during its withdrawal to Khénifra. This force engaged the French with harassing fire, forcing them to move only under the cover of their artillery. Laverdure then ordered his wounded back to Khénifra with a guard of a company of infantry, which were joined by large numbers of other troops who broke ranks to join the column. Whilst making a river crossing, Laverdure's rear guard and artillery were overrun and annihilated. Laverdure's remaining troops then formed a square and fought a desperate last stand against several thousand tribesmen before they were also overrun and killed. (Full article...)

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Moroccan cities

Rank City Population
(2014 census)[1][2] 		Region
1 Casablanca[a] 3,359,818 Casablanca-Settat
2 Fez[b] 1,112,072 Fès-Meknès
3 Tangier[c] 947,952 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
4 Marrakesh[d] 928,850 Marrakesh-Safi
5 Salé[e] 890,403 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
6 Meknes[f] 632,079 Fès-Meknès
7 Rabat[g] 577,827 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
8 Oujda 494,252 Oriental
9 Kenitra 431,282 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
10 Agadir 421,844 Souss-Massa
11 Tetouan 380,787 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
12 Temara 313,510 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
13 Safi 308,508 Marrakesh-Safi
14 Mohammedia 208,612 Casablanca-Settat
15 Khouribga 196,196 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
16 El Jadida 194,934 Casablanca-Settat
17 Beni Mellal 192,676 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
18 Aït Melloul 171,847 Souss-Massa
19 Nador 161,726 Oriental
20 Dar Bouazza 151,373 Casablanca-Settat
21 Taza 148,456 Fès-Meknès
22 Settat 142,250 Casablanca-Settat
23 Berrechid 136,634 Casablanca-Settat
24 Khemisset 131,542 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
25 Inezgane 130,333 Souss-Massa
26 Ksar El Kebir 126,617 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
27 Larache 125,008 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
28 Guelmim 118,318 Guelmim-Oued Noun
29 Khenifra 117,510 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
30 Berkane 109,237 Oriental
31 Taourirt 103,398 Oriental
32 Bouskoura 103,026 Casablanca-Settat
33 Fquih Ben Salah 102,019 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
34 Dcheira El Jihadia 100,336 Souss-Massa
35 Oued Zem 95,267 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
36 El Kelaa Des Sraghna 95,224 Marrakesh-Safi
37 Sidi Slimane 92,989 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
38 Errachidia 92,374 Drâa-Tafilalet
39 Guercif 90,880 Oriental
40 Oulad Teima 89,387 Souss-Massa
41 Ben Guerir 88,626 Marrakesh-Safi
42 Tifelt 86,709 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
43 Lqliaa 83,235 Souss-Massa
44 Taroudant 80,149 Souss-Massa
45 Sefrou 79,887 Fès-Meknès
46 Essaouira 77,966 Marrakesh-Safi
47 Fnideq 77,436 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
48 Sidi Kacem 75,672 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
49 Tiznit 74,699 Souss-Massa
50 Tan-Tan 73,209 Guelmim-Es Semara
51 Ouarzazate 71,067 Drâa-Tafilalet
52 Souk El Arbaa 69,265 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
53 Youssoufia 67,628 Marrakesh-Safi
54 Lahraouyine 64,821 Casablanca-Settat
55 Martil 64,355 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
56 Ain Harrouda 62,420 Casablanca-Settat
57 Suq as-Sabt Awlad an-Nama 60,076 Béni Mellal-Khénifra
58 Skhirat 59,775 Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
59 Ouazzane 59,606 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
60 Benslimane 57,101 Casablanca-Settat
61 Al Hoceima 56,716 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
62 Beni Ansar 56,582 Oriental
63 M'diq 56,227 Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
64 Sidi Bennour 55,815 Casablanca-Settat
65 Midelt 55,304 Drâa-Tafilalet
66 Azrou 54,350 Fès-Meknès
67 Drargua[h] 50,946 Souss-Massa


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Sources

  1. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Casablanca as 3,359,818,[1] which corresponds to the population of Casablanca Prefecture.[2]
  2. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Fez as 1,112,072,[1] which corresponds to the combined population of those parts of Fez Prefecture not within the cercle of Fez Banlieue ("suburbs").[2]
  3. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Tangier as 947,952,[1] which corresponds to the combined population of the four arrondissements of Bni Makada, Charf-Mghogha, Charf-Souani and Tanger-Médina.[2]
  4. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Marrakesh as 928,850,[1] which corresponds to the combined population of the municipality of Méchouar-Kasba and the five arrondissements of Annakhil, Gueliz, Marrakech-Médina, Ménara and Sidi Youssef Ben Ali.[2]
  5. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Salé as 890,403,[1] which corresponds to the combined population of the five arrondissements of Bab Lamrissa, Bettana, Hssaine, Layayda and Tabriquet.[2]
  6. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Meknes as 632,079,[1] which corresponds to the combined population of the municipalities of Meknes, Al Machouar – Stinia, Toulal and Ouislane.[2]
  7. ^ In the 2014 census, the High Commission for Planning gave the legal population of Rabat as 577,827,[1] which corresponds to the population of Rabat Prefecture.[2]
  8. ^ The population figure refers only to the urban centre (HCP geographic code 09.001.05.09.3) of the rural commune of Drargua.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Note de présentation des premiers résultats du Recensement Général de la Population et de l'Habitat 2014" (in French). High Commission for Planning. 20 March 2015. p. 8. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014" (in Arabic and French). High Commission for Planning. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
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