Kingdom of Morocco

Morocco provides unrivaled tourist experiences through famous cities like Cassablanca, Tangier, and Marrakesh. Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and is a very popular tourist attraction. It is also a famous backdrop for classic movies from Hollywood. The city is a modern metropolis on the Atlantic, at the western end of Islamic North Africa. Visit Casablanca for an unforgettable and unique vacation.

If you need to be spoilt, nothing beats the La Mamounia hotel in Marrakech. The hotel has a magnificent spa laid out in marble and mosaic. Here you could indulge yourself in any of its three hammams, six outdoor massage areas, a pool and nine treatment rooms. This Moorish styled Marrakech hotel also has three restaurants, five bars and a colonial-style tearoom. Apart from luxury rooms the hotel also has a fleet of vehicles available for daytrips into the Atlas Mountains.

History of Morocco

Flag of Morocco

Rule in Morocco began in 788 by successive Moorish dynasties, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. The Alaouite dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, established a sultanate in Morocco beginning in the 17th century.

In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year.

Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of King. Morocco 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, which first met in 1997. Under King MOHAMMED VI - who in 1999 succeeded his father to the throne - human rights have improved. Morocco enjoys a moderately free press, but the government occasionally takes action against journalists who report on three broad subjects considered to be taboo: the monarchy, Islam, and the status of Western Sahara. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.

Some of the information on this page was sourced from the Central Intelligence Agency