Morocco Algeria

Author: Compiled by the Press
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-08-01
Features: Morocco is one of the oldest countries in Africa. The earliest inhabitants were the Berbers. From the 15th century BC, it was dominated by the Phoenicians. From the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, it was ruled by the Roman Empire, and in the 6th century, it was occupied by the Byzantine Empire. In the 7th century, Arabs entered. In 788, the first Arab Empire in Moroccan history was established. Subsequently, after several dynastic changes, the Almoravid dynasty established by the Berbers was the most prosperous. The current Alaouite dynasty was established in 1660, and King Hassan II is the 21st ruler of the dynasty. Since the 15th century, Western powers have successively invaded. In October 1904, France and Spain signed an agreement to divide their spheres of influence in Morocco. On March 30, 1912, it became a "protectorate" of France, and on November 27 of the same year, France signed the Treaty of Madrid with Spain, designating the narrow northern region and the southern Ifni area as Spanish protectorates. In February 1921, a large-scale peasant uprising broke out in the Rif region in northern Morocco, and in 1924, after the establishment of the "Rif Tribal Federal Republic," it was brutally suppressed by French and Spanish joint forces. In 1947, Sultan Muhammad V of Morocco demanded independence and changed the protectorate system. In August 1953, France deposed Muhammad V and installed Muhammad al-Arifi as the Sultan. In November 1955, France was forced to agree to Muhammad V's restoration. On March 2, 1956, France recognized Morocco's independence, and on April 7 of the same year, Spain also recognized Morocco's independence and relinquished its protectorates in Morocco. On August 14, 1957, Morocco officially adopted the name "Kingdom of Morocco," and the Sultan was renamed King. In February 1961, Muhammad V passed away, and in March, his son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, succeeded to the throne as King Hassan II. After suppressing two coups in 1971 and 1972, King Hassan II, through multiple dialogues and consultations with various parties, established a parliament (Chamber of Representatives) and government composed of major political parties in 1977. In recent years, Morocco's domestic politics have been relatively stable. On July 23, 1999, King Hassan II passed away due to illness, and his eldest son, Sidi Muhammad, succeeded to the throne as King Muhammad VI.
Politics: The constitution stipulates that Morocco is an Islamic monarchy with a hereditary monarchy. During the king's minority, a regency committee exercises the king's powers except for constitutional amendments, with the president of the Supreme Court as its chair. The king is the head of state, religious leader, and supreme commander of the armed forces. The king holds supreme decision-making power, has the authority to appoint the prime minister and cabinet ministers and lead the cabinet, can dissolve the government at his own initiative or based on government resignations, and has the power to promulgate laws passed by the parliament, dissolve the parliament, and declare a state of emergency. The parliament consists of two chambers: the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate. All members of the Chamber of Representatives are directly elected, with a total of 325 members and a five-year term. Members of the Senate are elected by local administrative bodies, industry associations, and salary-earning classes, with a principal term of nine years and one-third re-elected every three years.
Economy: Agriculture and livestock farming are important pillars of Morocco's economy. Major crops include barley, wheat, corn, fruits, and vegetables. Among these, citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables are exported in large quantities to Europe and Arab countries, earning the country a significant amount of foreign exchange. Morocco has a coastline of over 1,700 kilometers and extremely rich fishing resources, making it the largest fish-producing country in Africa, with sardine exports ranking first in the world. Morocco is known as the "Kingdom of Phosphates," with reserves of 110 billion tons, accounting for 75% of the world's total reserves. The annual extraction volume currently reaches 25 million tons, with exports ranking first in the world. Phosphate product exports are a major source of foreign exchange for the country. Morocco is also rich in deposits of manganese, aluminum, zinc, iron, copper, lead, petroleum, anthracite, and oil shale. Industry is underdeveloped, with major industrial sectors including agricultural food processing, chemical and pharmaceuticals, textiles and leather, mining, and mechanical and metallurgical industries. Handicrafts hold an important position in the national economy, with main products including carpets, leather goods, metal products, ceramics, and wooden furniture. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of the GDP and 30% of export revenue. The agricultural population makes up 57% of the national population. Major export products include food, mineral products, clothing, and leather goods; major import products include grains, sugar, dairy products, tea, edible oils, machinery and equipment, electronic products, and semi-finished products. Morocco is an ancient civilization with a developed tourism industry, ranking first in Africa and second in foreign exchange earnings after remittances, accounting for 13% of the country's foreign exchange revenue. Major tourist destinations include Rabat, Marrakech, Casablanca, Fez, Agadir, and Tangier. In the capital Rabat, there are the Udaya Castle, built by Romans from the 1st to the 5th century AD, and the famous ruins of the Hassan Mosque. There is also the world-renowned Arab city of Fez, Marrakech. The ancient capital of Fez is the founding capital of Morocco's first dynasty. The old royal palaces and the Medina in the city are considered miracles of the Arab world and have been listed by UNESCO as "World Cultural Heritage." The Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, with a history of over 1,100 years, is also located in Fez. Unlike other mosques, this magnificent mosque is also a renowned university—the Al-Qarawiyyin University. This Islamic higher education institution has a history that predates Oxford University in the UK by several centuries, making it one of the oldest universities in the world. It houses precious African ancient books—rare books, fine books, and manuscripts. Additionally, remnants reflecting Morocco's achievements in art, architecture, literature, and science from various historical periods are scattered throughout the country.