Morocco

Official Sites of Morocco



Front of the parliament building in Morocco's capital Rabat.
Image: Pedro


Political system
Morocco is ruled in a framework of an Islamic parliamentary constitutional hereditary monarchy. Chief of state is the king. The king is both, the political and spiritual leader, the "Commander of the Faithful;" he presides over the Council of Ministers and appoints various members of government.
As a result of pressure for reforms triggered by the Arab Spring in 2010, the king signed a new constitution that expanded the powers of parliament and the prime minister but left the king with broad powers over all branches of government.
The king has the power to dissolve the parliament, arrange new elections and rule by decree.

Head of government is the prime minister. The parliament of Morocco is the bicameral legislature located in Rabat. The two chambers are the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors (upper house). The power of the parliament is very limited but has been reinforced somewhat by reforms of the constitution in 1992.


Government
Note: External links will open in a new browser window.


Premier Ministre
Official website of the Moroccan Prime Ministry (in French, Arabic and Amazigh)

La Chambre des Representants - Parlement du Maroc
The Parliament of Morocco (in Arabic and English).

Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - Kingdom of Morocco
Official Morocco information site by the Ministry of Culture and Communication (in Arabic and French).

Maroc.ma
The national portal of Morocco (in French, Arabic, Spanish, English and Amazigh)

Moroccan Sahara
Moroccan Sahara is the part of Western Sahara occupied by Morocco. The Moroccan government refers to Western Sahara only as "Moroccan Sahara."

Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres et de la Cooperation
Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco.


Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN
Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations in Geneva.
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the US
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Washington D.C.
Embassies & Consulates
Directory of Diplomatic Missions and Consulates in Morocco and abroad.


Statistics
Haut-commissariat au Plan
Offers information about Morocco's statistical figures (in French only).

Morocco in Figures
Morocco key statistical data.

Weather
Maroc meteo
Morocco's national meteorological service.  
 

Maps from Morocco



Map of Morocco (click map to enlarge)
Image: © nationsonline.org

Maps

Map of Morocco
Political Map of Morocco.
Administrative Map of Morocco
Map of Morocco showing regions and préfectures of Morocco with capital cities.

Google Earth Morocco
Searchable map/satellite view of Morocco.
Google Earth Rabat
Searchable map/satellite view of Morocco's capital city.
Google Earth Casablanca
Searchable map/satellite view of Morocco's largest city.
Google Earth Marrakesh
Searchable map/satellite view of Morocco's former imperial capital city.
Google Earth Tangier
Searchable map/satellite view of the port city of Tangier.

Map of Northern Africa and the Middle East
Political Map of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East.
Political Map of Africa
The 54 countries of Africa.
Map of Africa
A Relief Map of Africa.

 

News of Morocco

Online News from Morocco

According to BBC, the broadcast media are either dominated by the state or reflect the official line. However, the private press has succeeded in breaking taboos over some sensitive topics, including allegations of high-level corruption.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders notes "a slow but steady decline in media freedom in Morocco/Western Sahara. In Morocco, the kingdom’s authorities use political and economic pressure to deter local independent media outlets from covering highly sensitive subjects."


Morocco News

Moroccan News in French:
Al Bayane
National and international news.
Aujourd'hui Le Maroc
Morocco related and international news.
Challenge
Weekly economic news magazine.
Le Matin
Moroccan daily newspaper published in French; it is considered the quasi-official newspaper of the Royal Palace.
Maroc Hebdo International
Maroc Hebdo International is a Moroccan political weekly based in Casablanca (in French).
Yabiladi
Yabiladi is a Moroccan portal site for Moroccans worldwide; it offers a range of services, forums, chats, news, ads, dating and radio. (in French, English and Arabic).

Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP)
MAP is Morocco's official news agency (in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish)
Morocco World News
News from the Middle East and North Africa regions (in English).

Al Alam
Moroccan daily newspaper (in Arabic).
Assabah
Daily Moroccan newspaper (in Arabic).
Al Ahdath Al Maghribia
A Moroccan daily newspaper (in Arabic).


TV
2M
2M is a Moroccan free-to-air television network (in Arabic and French).

SNRT News
News channel of the Broadcasting and Television National Company, the public broadcaster of Morocco.

Tamazight TV
Tamazight TV is a public television station that aims to promote and preserve Amazigh culture in Morocco and the North African region.
 

Arts & Culture of Morocco



Elaborate tile work in the courtyard of the Al-Attarine Madrasa in Fez, Morocco's third-largest city. The door in the back is the entrance to the prayer hall.
Image: Henrik Berger Jørgensen

Arts & Culture

Morocco's rich culture is a mixture of Arab, Berber, European and African influences.


Museums

Fondation Nationale des Musees
The website of the Moroccan National Museum Foundation provides information on the country's major museums.

Musée de l'histoire et des civilisations
The museum in Rabat is dedicated to human history and culture.

Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
The museum presents modern and contemporary Moroccan and international art. MMVI is the first large-scale modern art museum in Morocco.

Musée du Judaïsme Marocain
The Musée du Judaïsme in Casablanca is the only museum dedicated to Judaism in the Arab world; it represents culture, art, and the connection between Muslims and Jews.

La Maison de la Photographie de Marrakech
The Maison de la Photographie is a cultural venue in Marrakech that exhibits photographs taken in Morocco between 1879 and 1960.


Visuall Arts
L'Atelier 21
L'Atelier 21 represents modern and contemporary art from Moroccan artists.

Comptoir des mines galerie
Comptoir des Mines Gallery is a modern art space created in Marrakech in 2016.

David Bloch Gallery
The David Bloch Gallery in Marrakech represents urban art with 20 different established and international young artists.



Film
Moroccan Cinematographic Center
The CCM (Centre Cinématographique Marocain) was established by the Royal Decree on 9 January 1944, which makes it one of the world's oldest public establishments.

Marrakech International Film Festival
The Marrakech International Film Festival was created in 2001 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to promote arts and the film industry in Morocco.

Marrakech Film Commission
Official website of the Film Commission in Marrakech.

Ouarzazate Film Commission
Official website of the Film Commission in Marrakech.


Fun facts:
Most of us know the movie classics "Casablanca" with Ingrid Bergman or "Morocco" with Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper. Against the backdrop of a "picturesque" Morocco, these films have shaped the country's image in the Western world. However, neither film was shot in Morocco, as Casablanca was shot almost entirely at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, and Sternberg's Morocco was shot in Southern California.



Theatre
Théâtre national Mohammed-V
The Théâtre National Mohammed-V is the largest theater in Morocco and the first theater built after the regaining of independence of the country. It was established in 1962; it is located in the center of the capital Rabat, near the Medina and Avenue Mohammed-V.


Music
Essaouira Gnaoua and World Music Festival
The Gnawa and World Music Festival of Essaouira is a yearly event for Gnawa and Jazz music.

Festival de Fès des musiques sacrées du monde
Fez Festival of the World Sacred Music.

The Master Musicians of Jajouka
The musicians of Jajouka are the keepers of one of the oldest and most unique surviving musical traditions.

Music of Morocco
Wikipedia article about traditional and modern music from Morocco.


Parade of musicians at the Essaouira Gnawa and World Music Festival.
Image: ZikZak
 

Business & Economy of Morocco

The new financial city tower in Casablanca is over 120 meters high and was designed by the architects of the Morphosis Group, who also designed the Hanking Center Tower in Shenzhen. The work on the new tower began in 2015 and ended in 2019.
Image: DrunkPyromaniac


Economy of Morocco
Morocco's economy is based on the export of raw materials, such as agricultural products, cement, fertilizers, leather and textiles. With a share of nearly 8% of the GDP, the tourism sector is a very important economic sector.

The country's business model is considered to be a reasonably liberal economy driven by supply and demand. Since 1993, Morocco has begun to privatize previously state-owned sectors of the economy.


Bank Al-Maghrib
The Central Bank of Morocco was founded in 1959.

Casablanca Stock Exchange
The Casablanca Stock Exchange was established in 1929; it is the third largest stock exchange in Africa.

Attijariwafa Bank
The leading bank in Morocco is part of King Mohammed VI's holding company SNI. (in French)

BMCE Bank Group
A large commercial bank in Morocco (in French).

Ministry of Economy and Finance
Morocco's Ministry of Economy and Finance is a business gateway to the Kingdom of Morocco.

American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco
AmCham Morocco is a non-profit, non-government organization that represents American and Moroccan businesses and individuals.


Major companies in Morocco

Akwa Group
Akwa is a Moroccan conglomerate primarily engaged in the oil and gas industry.

Compagnie de Transports au Maroc
CTM is a transport company in Morocco. It was established in November 1919 and is the oldest Moroccan public transport company.

Les Domaines Agricoles
The holding company of King Mohammed VI is the largest agricultural enterprise in Morocco.

Marjane
Marjane is a Moroccan hypermarket chain. It is wholly owned by SNI, the holding company of King Mohammed VI.

Maroc Telecom
Maroc Telecom is the largest telecommunications company in Morocco.

OCP Group
The official website of the state-owned phosphate rock miner and phosphate fertilizer producer.

Société Automobiles Ménara
Moroccan automobile manufacturer.


Transportation

Airlines
Royal Air Maroc (RAM)
The Moroccan Airline.
Air Arabia Maroc
Moroccan low-cost airline.

Ports
Port de Tanger Ville
Official website of the port of Tangier.

Railroad  
ONCF
The Moroccan Railroad, home to Morocco's future high-speed train.



An ONCF Alstom RGV2N2 high-speed trainset at the Casa Voyageurs train station in Casablanca. Al-Boraq is a 323 km long (201 mi) high-speed rail service between Casablanca and Tangier, operated by ONCF. Al-Boraq is the first high-speed train in Africa.
Image: Jake Lyell - IMF
 

Tourism in Morocco



The natural stone arches jutting out into the sea are the landmarks of Morocco's famous Legzira Beach. The tourist attraction in the province of Sidi Ifni is located 12 km north of the provincial capital Sidi Ifni and about 150 km south of Agadir.
Image: Michel G

Destination Morocco - Travel and Tour Guides

Discover Morocco (just the highlights):
Cities: Agadir (the port city on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean has a Timitar music festival), Casablanca (Hassan II Mosque, largest mosque in Morocco); Essaouira (port city and resort); Fes (the country’s cultural capital, the Medina of Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site); Ifrane (city with an Alpine climate);
Marrakesh (old center of Marrakech, Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace, Majorelle Garden, Menara gardens, Jemaa el-Fnaa square); Meknès (Bou Inania Madrasa);
Rabat (Kasbah of the Udayas, a 12th-century kasbah, Chellah, an ancient capital and a fortified Muslim necropolis), Hassan Tower (minaret), Rabat Archaeological Museum;
Tangier (medina of Tangier, Dar el Makhzen palace), and Tétouan.


Atlas Mountains (Mountain range across northwestern Africa with Toubkal, the highest peak in Morocco); Rif (mountainous region); Ouzoud Falls (spectacular waterfall), Todgha Gorge (canyon in the High Atlas), Souss-Massa National Park (national park on the Atlantic coast), Dadès Gorges (scenic route), Oukaïmeden (Moroccan style ski resort in the Atlas mountains)

Find accommodation, hotels, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, biking, hiking, climbing, cruising, diving, tours and much more.


Country Guides
Office National Marocain du Tourisme
Official tourism information.

Infotourismemaroc
Country Guide Marocco.

Wikivoyage: Morocco
Travel guide to Morocco with its regions, cities and attractions.


City Guides
Ville de Casablanca
The official website of the city of Casablanca.

Ville Marrakech
The official website of the city of Marrakech.




Dar Dbagh (house of tanning); leather tanneries are popular tourist attractions in Morocco. The Chouara is one of the oldest and largest tanneries in Fez, located near the Saffarin Madrasa in Fes el Bali, the oldest medina quarter of the city.
Image: fr.zil
 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites



Sunset in Volubilis. The archaeological site of a partly excavated Berber city in Morocco is situated about 30 km north of the city of Meknes. The city was an urban center of tribal Berber kingdoms (3rd century BCE – 40 CE) and the Mauritanian capital (CE 25 to 40); it was annexed by the Romans in CE 40 and became an influential center of power in the Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana, an important outpost of the Roman Empire.
Volubilis displays some of the best-preserved monuments from Roman antiquity in this part of North Africa. In 1997, the Archaeological Site of Volubilis was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: إيان
 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco
There are nine cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco. In addition, thirteen sites are included in the UNESCO Tentative List, an inventory of those properties which each state party intends to consider for nomination. (see the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco).

The following links lead to a detailed description of the respective World Heritage Site at UNESCO.


Medina of Marrakesh
Marrakesh was founded in 1070-1072 by the Almoravids. The city remained the political, economic and cultural center for a long time, and its influence was felt throughout the Western Islamic world, from North Africa to Andalusia.
Marrakech has a number of impressive monuments such as the Kutubiyya Mosque, which is the city's landmark with its 77-meter-high minaret, the Kasbah with its fortress walls, battlements, monumental doors and gardens. Other architectural treasures of Marrakech are the Bandiâ Palace, the Madrasa Ben Youssef, the Saadian tombs, several large residences and Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square of Marrakech.


Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
The fortress of Mazagan - now part of the city of El Jadida - is located about 100 km southwest of Casablanca. Built in the early 16th century as a fortified colony on the Atlantic coast, it was one of the first Portuguese settlements in Africa on the route to India. In 1769 Mazagan was taken over by the Moroccans. The remaining Portuguese buildings are the water tank (cistern) and the Ascension Church, built in the Manueline style of late Gothic architecture. The city is a fine example of the exchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures, reflected in its architecture, technology and urban planning.


Medina of Tétouan
Tetouan was of particular importance during the Islamic period, from the 8th century, as the main crossroads between Morocco and Andalusia. After the reconquest, the city was rebuilt by Andalusian refugees who had returned to Morocco after being expelled by the Spanish. This is evident in the architecture and art, which show strong Andalusian influences. The Medina of Tétouan is one of the smallest medinas in Morocco, but undoubtedly the most complete, as most of the buildings have remained untouched by outside influences.



The Portuguese Cistern, an ancient underground reservoir located in the Portuguese city of El Jadida (Mazagan). The historical monument was built by the Portuguese in 1514.
Image: Mathew Koshy
 

Education in Morocco



Courtyard in the University of al-Qarawīyīn in Fez. Al-Qarawiyyin was founded as a mosque in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the daughter of Abdullah al-Fihri, a wealthy merchant who settled in Fez. Al-Qarawiyyin is considered one of the oldest universities in the world.
Image: Abdel Hassouni



Bibliotheque Nationale du Royaume du Maroc
The official website of the National Libary in Morocco.


Al Akhawayn University
The university in the city of Ifrane was founded in 1994.

Université Hassan II
The University of Hassan II is a public university in Casablanca (in French).

Université Mohammed I
Mohammed First University, in the City of Oujda.

Université Mohammed V
Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingénieurs, founded in 1959 in Agdal-Rabat.
 
Université Internationale de Casablanca
Universite INT de Casablanca was founded in 2010, Casablanca.

 

Environment & Nature



Volcanic rock formations in the Tislit Gorges in Taliouine in southern Morocco's Taroudant Province.
Image: Nawfal Kharbach


Environmental Organizations

Environment Department
The official website of the Environment Department Morocco.

Département des Eaux et Forêts
Official website of the Commissariat of Water and Forest and the Fight against Desertification (in Arabic and French).

Fondation Mohammed VI pour la Protection de l'Environnement
Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment.

Ministery of Energy, Mines, and Environment
Official Website of the Ministery of Energy, Mines, and Environment.

Office National de l'Eau Potable
The national office of drinking water (in French).

High Atlas Foundation
An organization whose aim is to establish community-based projects in Morocco.

National Charter for Environment and Sustainable Development
National Charter for Environment and Sustainable Development is a model that promotes the achievement of sustainability, taking into account the requirement for environmental protection.


National Parks

Toubkal National Park
Toubkal National Park was founded in 1942 as Morocco's first national park. The 380 km² reserve in the mountains of the High Atlas was created to protect the natural resources of the region, especially the biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Nationalpark Souss Massa
The Souss-Massa National Park (Parc National de Souss-Massa) is a 33,800-hectare national park on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, founded in 1991. It is located between Agadir in the north and Sidi Ifni in the south.



Goats on an argan tree are not particularly uncommon in Morocco. This phenomenon can be observed in late spring when the goats are after the small yellow fruits of the tree. The goats have become a tourist attraction, due to which some farmers keep the goats on the trees all year round to profit from the tourists' photos.
Image: mana5280
 

Morocco History



The Gate of Shehal, a painting by Edwin Lord Weeks. The original gate is located in the fortification wall of the medieval Muslim necropolis Chellah near Rabat.
Painting: Edwin Lord Weeks (1849 – 1903)


BBC Morocco profile - Timeline
A chronology of key events.

Dynastic History of Morocco
Moroccan National Tourist Office articles about the dynasties that have shaped Morocco's history.

History of Morocco - Discover an Ancient Land
Major events in Moroccan history.

Rif War
Causes, Facts and a Summary by the Encyclopædia Britannica.

History of Morocco
Wikipedia entry for Morocco's history.



The Gate of Chellah was once one of the entrances to an ancient city where a series of empires have left their marks. The settlement in the delta of the Bou Regreg was a Phoenician trading center and became a Roman port and later a center for Christianized Berbers until Muslim Arabs arrived in the 7th century. It was made a sacred necropolis, or chellah, by the Marinid Berber Sultanate in the 13th century. The walled Chellah complex is located between the urban areas of Rabat and Salé.
Image: Carlos ZGZ
 

Indigenous People of Morocco



Moroccan Haratin women with facial tattooing at the 1970 National Folklore Festival in Marrakech, Morocco.
Image: Drs. F.M. (Frits) Cowan - Tropenmuseum Amsterdam



The Indigenous peoples of Morocco

Berbers or Imazighen is a collective term for the indigenous ethnic groups of the North African countries of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
Smaller Berber populations are also found on the Canary Islands, in Mauritania, northern Mali, and northern Niger.
Berber speak the Berber languages Tamazight, which belongs to the Afroasiatic language family.

Morocco's Berber dialects are divided into three linguistic regions: Tarifit/Rifian in the north and northeast of the Rif Mountains, Central Atlas Tamazight in the Middle Atlas, and Tashelhit or Shilha in the High and Anti-Atlas. In addition, Moroccan Tamazight has been the standard and official language since the 2011 constitution.
The name Berber probably derives from the Greek word βάρβαρος bárbaros, possibly mediated by Latin (barbarus) or Arabic (al-barbar, plural barābira).
Today, many Berbers refer to themselves as Amazigh (Imazighen) "free people" to reflect their mother tongue ethnic group designation, and reject the foreign designation "Berber," which is understood as pejorative.


Imazighen Links

Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture
The official website of the Royal Insititute of Amazigh Culture. IRCAM's mission is to advise His Majesty on measures to safeguard and promote the Amazigh language and culture in all its forms and expressions.

World Amazigh Congress
The World Amazigh Congress (CMA) is an NGO bringing together Amazigh (Berber) associations from the countries of Tamazgha, the Indigenous land of the Imazighen, and Amazigh diasporas.

Amazighworld.org
Amazigh community website offers history, culture, politics, opinions and news.

Amazigh Cultural Association in America (ACAA)
The ACAA is a non-profit organization established to promote the Amazigh (Berber) language and culture.

Berber languages
Wikipedia article about the Amazigh languages.

The Imazighen of North Africa
About the Indigenous land of Imazighen.


Imazigh News

Amazigh world news
Morocco's National Amazigh News Website.

Amadal Amazigh
Monthly newspaper in Arabic.

Tamazight TV
National Indigenous Television.

Additional Information

Selected country profiles of Morocco published by international organizations.


Amnesty International: Morocco and Western Sahara
Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights.

BBC Country Profile: Morocco
Country profiles by the British public service broadcaster.

BTI Transformation Index Morocco
Morocco Country Report 2020 by Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Freedom House: Morocco
The U.S. government-funded non-profit organization whose goal is to promote liberal democracies worldwide.

GlobalEDGE: Morocco
Morocco ranking by the Global business knowledge portal.

The Heritage Foundation: Morocco
Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank.

Human Rights Watch: Morocco/Western Sahara
HRW conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

OEC: Morocco
The Observatory of Economic Complexity provides the latest international trade data.

Reporters Without Borders: Morocco / Western Sahara
RSF (Reporters sans frontières) is an international NGO that defends and promotes media freedom.

Wikipedia: Morocco
Wikipedia's Morocco page in many languages.

World Bank Data: Morocco
World Development Indicators database.

The CIA World Factbook -- Morocco
CIA World Factbook Morocco Page.