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Arab Culture & Civilization
Explore this exemplary library of articles and resources on Arab societies and culture. This site was originally created by the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE).
In many ways Morocco could be the envy of many other Middle Eastern states: its economy has stabilized over the past two decades as the government has worked to expand trade and diversify the economy; it has a democratic form of government (although the monarchy retains ultimate authority) and a relatively free press; and it has worked to reform human rights abuses.
However, serious challenges remain: poverty, unemployment (almost 20 percent in urban areas), a lack of education, and severe droughts in recent years have all acted to slow Morocco's economic development and lead to unrest, particularly among young people. (The median age in the country is 25.) One result of this discontent is that Morocco has become the main transit point for illegal immigration from Northern Africa into Europe. In recent years Morocco has signed a free trade agreement with the United States and an Association Agreement with Europe in an effort to boost exports and strengthen its economy.
Morocco, which borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, lies between Algeria and Western Sahara and is slightly larger than California, continues to claim and administer Western Sahara - although that claim is disputed.
Population: The population of Morocco, including Western Sahara, was estimated by the United Nations at 30,566,000 in 2003, which placed it as number 37 in population among the 193 nations of the world.
Education: Six years of compulsory primary education was made mandatory under law in 1962. Girls leave school at a younger age than boys and are a minority in secondary as well as primary schools. The language of instruction in primary schools is Arabic during the first two years, and both Arabic and French are used for the next three years. French is partly the language of instruction in secondary schools. The traditional religious schools are attended by only a small fraction of students. The government is committed to a unified public school system but has permitted private schools to continue because of the lack of alternative resources. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-EDUCATION.html
Health: Health conditions are relatively poor, but programs of mass education in child and parent hygiene, as well as government supervised health services in schools and colleges, have helped to raise standards. Campaigns have been conducted against malaria, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, and cancer. However, gastrointestinal infections, malaria, typhoid, trachoma, and tuberculosis remain widespread. The current health system is comprised of three sectors: a public sector consisting of both the Ministry of Public Health and the Health Services of the Royal Armed Forces, a semi-public sector, and a private sector. These together have been responsible for the dramatic reduction in mortality rate. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-HEALTH.html
Ethnic Groups: Arab-Berbers constitute 99.1% of the total population. Berbers, who comprise a little more than 33% of the population, are concentrated largely in the northern regions of the Rif, the middle plains of the Atlas, and the Sous Valley. Arabs, who constitute about 66% of the population, are distributed principally along the Atlantic coastal plain and in the cities. The Berbers and Arabs are closely intermingled, and bilingualism is common. Formerly the Jewish community played a significant role in the economic life of the country, but its numbers decreased from about 227,000 in 1948 to an estimated 10,000 in 1989. By 1998, Jews made up only 0.2% of the population. Other groups made up the remaining 0.7%, including French, Spanish, Italian, and Algerian nationals living in Morocco. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-ETHNIC-GROUPS.html
Religion: More than 99% of Moroccans are Sunni Muslims. The activity of other sects (chiefly Sufi) has diminished since independence. Islam was officially declared the state religion in 1961, but full religious freedom is accorded Christians and Jews. Most of the country's practicing Christians are part of the foreign community, with a majority of them affiliated with the Roman Catholic church. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-RELIGIONS.html
Population
The population of Morocco, including Western Sahara, was estimated by the United Nations at 30,566,000 in 2003, which placed it as number 37 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 5% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 32% of the population under 15 years of age. There were an equal number of males and females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is 1.62%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 36,496,000. The population density in 2002 was 66 per sq km (172 per sq mi); however, the population density is highest in the plains and coastal areas of northwestern Morocco. Most of the population lives in the fertile plains or near the Mediterranean coast.
It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 56% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, Rabat, had a population of 1,453,000 in that year. Other major cities are Marrakech, 1,517,000; Fès (Fez), 1,012,000; Meknès, 750,000; Tangier, 554,000; Oujda, 962,000; Tétouan, 856,000; Safi, 845,000; and Kénitra, 905,000. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was2.8%. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-POPULATION.html
This page on Morocco from the Al-Bab website provides several pages with information about Morocco. Pages include books, economy, history, internet, media, news, politics, and travel.
This website contains information on the different types of Moroccan music. Andalusian, Aissawa, Berber, Chaabi, Classical, Gnawa, Griha, Malhun, Ra’I, and modern styles of music are all discussed.
The International Film Festival of Marrakech website provides information on this year’s festival and past festivals. Check out past awards, films, and events as well.
This website contains information on museums in each city of Morocco. Some museums include Museum of Moroccan Arts, Forbes Museum, Archeological Museum, Natural Science Museum, and Postal Museum.
Arabic
