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| Kingdom of Morocco المملكة المغربية ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
 Occupied territory of SADR in light green | |
| Capital | Rabat |
| Largest city | Casablanca |
| Official languages | Arabic Tamazight |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary monarchy |
• Monarch | Mohammed bin Hassan |
• Prime Minister | Aziz Akhannouch |
| Area | |
• Total | 446,300 km² |
| Population | |
• 2022 estimate | 37,984,655 |
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in northwest Africa bordering Algeria, as well as Mauritania through its occupation of Western Sahara. It receives 91% of its weapons from the United States and is a major non-NATO ally of the US.[1] In 2020, with US backing, it recognized Israel despite major opposition from the Moroccan population.[2]
History
European rule
Following centuries of European penetration and invasion, the French established a protectorate over Morocco on 30 March 1912 with the Spanish establishing their own protectorate over the parts of Morocco they controlled soon after.[3] Morocco was divided into 3 zones: A French zone covering 80% of the land and 90% of the population, a Spanish zone with small sections of territory in north and south, and "an international zone" in Tangier. The Moroccan Caliph retained only formal authority whilst the Moroccan people reacted with a general uprising beginning in Fes in April 1912 that was forcibly suppressed by the French.[4]
Following the October Revolution, the national liberation movement in Morocco experienced an upsurge. In July 1921 this led to the Rif tribes in the Spanish zone, led by Abd al-Karim, defeating the Spanish, driving them out of the Rif Zone, and establishing the independent Republic of the Rif. By 1924 the Spanish colonialists only controlled a few settlements but then France, fearing the movement spreading to its own colony, entered the war and along with the Spanish, crushed the Rif Republic in 1926, with France putting down several other rebellions over the next few years.[4]
Independence
After years of struggle, on March 2, 1956, France was forced to abolish the protectorate of Morocco and recognise its independence, with Spain doing the same on April 7, 1956. On October 29, 1956, the international status of Tangier was ended with the territory also becoming part of Morocco on January 1, 1957.[4]
Occupation of Western Sahara
Morocco invaded Western Sahara in the 1970s after its independence from Spain. In 1981, Morocco began construction of a 1,600-mile border wall. The UN brokered a ceasefire in 1991 between the two countries. In 2020, after meeting with US commanders Moroccan forces invaded the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and broke the ceasefire. Moroccan settlers are occupying 80% of the SADR's territory and make up two-thirds of the population.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dan Cohen (2021-02-24). "The Empire's Hidden Hand: How the US Established, Sustains, and Benefits from Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara" MintPress News. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
- ↑ Razmy Baroud (2023-01-02). "The Price of Betraying Palestine: Morocco Challenges Normalization with Israel" MintPress News. Archived from the original on 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
- ↑ N. S. Lutskaia, G. N. Utkin (1979). The Great Soviet Encyclopedia: 'Morocco, the Kingdom of; The beginning of bourgeois relations and the formation of a national market'.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 N. S. Lutskaia, G. N. Utkin (1979). The Great Soviet Encyclopedia: 'Morocco, the Kingdom of; French and Spanish rule'.