Kingdom of Morocco
Population: 33.8 million
Mostly Berbers,
& then Arabs
Location: Maghreb region of North Africa
Dark green: Internationally recognized territory of Morocco.
Lighter green: Western Sahara, a territory claimed and mostly controlled by Morocco as its Southern Provinces
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Assembly of Representatives of Morocco and the Assembly of Councillors.
The king presides over the Council of Ministers; appoints the Prime Minister following legislative elections, and on recommendations from the latter, appoints the members of the government.
Culture
Language
Classical Arabic and Tamazight are official language of Morocco.
Classical Arabic rather than a mother tongue, and is used in a limited and formal socio-economic and cultural range of activities (like newspapers and official documents), in competition with French.
The most common spoken languages of Morocco are Tamazight and Moroccan Arabic.
Architecture
Dar, the name given to one of the most common types of domestic structures in Morocco, is a home found in a medina, or walled urban area of a city. Most Moroccan homes traditionally adhere to the Dar al-Islam, a series of tenets on Islamic domestic life.
Economy
Relatively Liberal Economy
- Since 1993, the country has followed a policy of privatisation.
- 5th African economy by GDP
- The major resources of the Moroccan economy are agriculture, phosphate minerals, and tourism.
Tourism
Tourism in Morocco is well developed, with a strong tourist industry focused on the country's coast, culture, and history.
Tourist receipts in 2007 totalled US$7,55 billion.
Suitable for Business?!
Tax Haven
Tangier had a brief but colorful existence as a tax haven in the period between the end of effective control by the Spanish in 1945 until it was formally reunited with Morocco in 1956.
Foreign Language
According to the 2004 census, 2.19 million Moroccans spoke a foreign language other than French.
French is obligatory, among educated youth and professionals.