Conventional Long Form: |
Kingdom of Morocco
|
Conventional Short Form: |
Morocco |
Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara |
Capital City: |
Rabat |
Government Type: |
Constitutional Monarchy |
Population: |
30,645,305 (July 2001 est.) |
Area [sq.km]: |
446,550 (slightly larger than California) |
Currency: |
Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
Languages: |
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy |
National Holiday: |
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
Background: |
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. |