Morocco is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb , north Africa , with coasts on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea.
It is separated from the European continent by the Strait of Gibraltar . It borders with Algeria to the east (the border with Algeria is closed since 1994 ), by the South Western Sahara (disputed territory) and by the North Spain, its main trading partner with which it shares both sea and land borders (Ceuta, Melilla and the Peñon de Vélez de La Gomera). There are also other Spanish enclaves on the coast of the Mediterranean (Rock of Al Hoceima and Chafarinas Islands ). Morocco is attributed to its territory of Western Sahara , a former Spanish colony, occupied in 1975 by Moroccan population, following the Madrid Accords and subsequent waiver of rights and obligations spanish – although at present, the Organization of the United Nations does not confer any right on the territory, territory still under Spanish sovereignty not to be decolonized self
It is the only African country that is not currently a member of the African Union (AU ). In 1984 the Assembly of the Organization for African Unity (OAU), instance predecessor of the AU and the which Morocco was a founding member, accepted as a member to the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).7 As response, Morocco withdrew from the organization. Is a member of the Arab League , Arab Maghreb Union, la Francophonie, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Union for the Mediterranean , the European Broadcasting Union , the Group of 77 and the north-south Center . It is also an important ally non-NATO of the United States .
Culture
Morocco is a country with an ethnically diverse and a rich historical and cultural heritage . Through the years, has been home to several human groups from the east (Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews and Arabs ), the south (SSA) and north ( romans, barbarians , andalusanos, moors and Jews). All of these civilizations have had an impact on the social structure of Morocco, where various forms of beliefs, from paganism, Judaism until the christians and Islam.
Since independence there has been a flowering in the arts Moroccans, especially in painting, sculpture , popular music, theater and film. In addition, throughout the country celebrate different festivals of art and music, especially during the summer. Each region possesses cultural particularities that provide you with your identity, and that at the same time, contribute to the historical-cultural heritage of the nation. For this reason, the Moroccan government has among its priorities the protection, conservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of Morocco.
Languages
The official languages of Morocco are:
At the national level: the classical Arabic and Berber .
The non-official languages of Morocco are:
Moroccan arabic, all the varieties of Arabic dialect spoken in Morocco.
Berber languages (tarifit, Tamazight and tachelhit) that are used daily in the mountainous regions of Morocco.
French is the language of the trade; higher education is taught in French.
Spanish: Regions of the Rif , Yebala Tarfaya and due to that in the past formed the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco.
In the Western Sahara , administered by Morocco, Spanish and Arabic traditional in the area (hassaniya), are widely used and are official for the SADR.
Classical Arabic is the language of the legislation although the laws are also translated into French and sometimes the espanol.22
The language spoken by the majority population is Moroccan arabic, little by little influenced by the so-called cultured language. There is de facto a diglossic and even a triglosia, motivated because the vast majority of the population understands and speaks French. The king of Morocco when you want a speech reach out to the entire world is forced to use for the Arab world, the classical Arabic, and for the rest of the world, the French.
The berberofonas areas, in its three dialects of the Berber languages (tarifit, Tamazight and tachelhit) can use their language daily.
In the cities of Tetouan and Nador the knowledge and use of Spanish is high ; also in the Saharawi population of the former Spanish Sahara; in most of the population of Larache, Tangier, Al Hoceima and Sidi Ifni is usual. There are groups of Spanish speakers in cities such as Rabat , Agadir, Kenitra, Casablanca, cup, Fez, Marrakech, Meknes and Uxda. Currently, there are six centers of the Instituto Cervantes, being one of the highest concentrations in a single country in the institution responsible for the dissemination of the Spanish language in the world. The Spanish speaking population in Morocco amounted to approximately 360,000 people in 2006.22
The Moroccan media (press, radio, television) are available in Arabic , French and Spanish . In much of the area north of the country can be tuned without problems the radio stations and the Spanish television channels .