Weather
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior.
Terrain
Northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains.
Currency
Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Languages
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
Religion
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Ethnic groups
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%
History
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.
|
