History of Morocco

Strategically located at the entry to the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco has hosted various settlers and intruders over the centuries. The history began with the Phoenicians, then the Romans, and later, the Visigoths, much later the Vandals, and even the Byzantine Empire. Way back in the 7th century, the Arabs conquered Morocco and introduced Islamic religion and Arab culture which still stand today. Later in the 15th century, Portugal attempted to control Morocco's Atlantic coast. As if those were not enough, in 1830, France began to show some interest in Morocco and in 1912, Morocco became a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fez. After World War II, the talk of independence began to trend in Morocco. A rebellion followed just after France exiled Sultan Mohammed V and installed Mohammed Ben Aarafa. Mohammed V returned in 1955, and  Morocco got independence a year after in 1956. The country’s major ethnic groups are Berbers, Haratin, Sahrawi, and Gnawa, while the two official languages are Standard Arabic and Tamazight. A large majority of Moroccans are Muslims, and Sunni Muslims in particular, who belong to the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence. Some other Moroccans practice Christianity, Judaism, and Bahaism. The word, “Morocco,” is derived from the name of the ancient city of Marrakesh, which used to be the capital under the Almoravid dynasty and the Almohad Caliphate. “Marrakesh” means “Land of God”. Rabat, the country`s capital, is one of Morocco`s four imperial cities and is located on the Atlantic coast, right at the mouth of the Wadi Bou Regreg, opposite the city of Salé.Morocco runs a parliamentary constitutional monarchy in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Mohammed VI is the King of Morocco. He belongs to the Alaouite dynasty and came to the throne in 1999 upon the death of his father, King Hassan II. The last election in Morocco was in 2016, and the main struggle was between the ruling Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) and opposition Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM). The PJD won more votes, clinching 125 out of the 395 seats. Morocco fought the Spanish Civil War that lasted from the 17th of July, 1936 to the 1st of April, 1939. There was also a three-week war between Morocco and Algeria before the Organization of African Unity called for a formal cease-fire on the 20th of February, 1964.