Morocco

Geography

Situated in the western point of Africa, Morocco Mehdi BEN BARKA's homeland is lined by the Mediterranean Sea in the North, the Atlantic Ocean on the West, Algeria in the East and Sahara in the South.

Of a 458730 km surface ², with its 3446 km of coasts, his covered with snow summits and his hot desert, it is an earth of contrasts. We find the highlight "the djebel Toubkal of the High Atlas: 4165 m"and the vastest plains of North Africa there. Extremely the North if the chain of Rif raises.

By coming down southward succeed him three chains of the Atlas. The Big South is the domain of Moroccan Sahara. Most of the streams are oueds the floods of which it is necessary to control. Forests occupy about 20 % of the country.

In the North, the climate is Mediterranean. In mountains, he is more continental, with strong seasonal swings. In the South of mountains, the climate is subtropical dry, and Saharan in Southern Morocco.

Population

The Berbers, who are most formerly settled on the Moroccan territory, represent 30 % of the population. The remaining 70 % are of Arabic origin.

The Sunni Islam is the official religion of Morocco. 90 % of the population concentrates in " useful Morocco ", in northwest of the line drawn by mountains. All the important cities are situated in this zone.

The rate of urbanization reaches 55 %. Casablanca, the most important city of Morocco, is the economic lung. Rabat, the capital, is the seat of the political power. Fes establishes the intellectual and religious capital. Marrakesh is a big tourist center and establish the commercial crossroads of the Moroccan South.

History

The Berbers are doubtless installed in the region since 2000 BC Phéniciens implants small colonies from the XIIth century BC They Carthage in 814 BC, which becomes Roman in 146 BC

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, at the end of the IIIth century, the region is invaded by the Vandals, then goes back under the Byzantine dominion. With the arrival of the Arabs at the end of the VIIth century begin the Islamization of the population.

From the XIth century, the Berber dynasties dominate the country. In the XVth century, the Portuguese takes Ceuta and Tangier, then the Spaniards settle down to Melilla. In the XIXth century, the pressure of the European colonial powers makes stronger, but the sultans succeed in maintaining a relative independence.

France eventually imposes a treaty of protectorate in 1912. Rif and region of Ifni, in the South, cross the same year under the Spanish control. In 1944, a nationalist movement, Istiqlal, demands the independence of Morocco.

Accused of having supported him, Mohamed Ben Youssef "future king Mohamed V" is exiled in 1953. His triumphant return in November, 1955 engages the process of the independence, which eventually grants in 1956.

His death, in 1961, his son Hassan II succeeds him. Died in July, 1999, Hassan was replaced by his son, Mohammed VI, Young person, reformist, informed, the new commander of the believers will have to renew the structures of the chérifien state while modernizing his economy.