Morocco: Country Profile

Morocco was the first British colony recognized by the United States as a sovereign nation after their battle for independence from Britain. In 1786, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship was signed. The treaty is still recognized today, making it the oldest non-broken friendship treaty for the United States. During the 1950s and 1960s Morocco was seen as a haven for artists and famous American writers like the playwright Tennessee Williams and the poet William S. Burroughs who was inspired by its unique culture.

As a result of several waves of migration and years of colonialism, modern Morocco is a mix of different ethnicities. Today Berber, Jewish, Arabic, French and Spanish cultural influences are felt throughout the country. This diverse heritage is reflected in the national cuisine and varied architectural style of its cities.

Moroccan cuisine is world famous. If you are invited to join a Moroccan family for lunch - the most important meal - it will often consist of couscous, vegetables, and meat. The food is served on one large platter that the whole family gathers around using their hands to eat. Because family is such an integral part of Moroccan life, many family members leave work to gather for lunch at home.

The geography of Morocco is breathtaking. Morocco is the only country in Africa to have a coastline along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Though you might imagine that a country in the Sahara Desert has only one temperature, the higher altitudes around Morocco contain snow capped mountains.

The people of Morocco are well known for their production of beautiful arts and crafts. Morocco is famous for its pottery and ornamental ceramic tiles, which are made possible by its rich mineral deposits. Morocco is also famous for its hand woven rugs with colorful geometric patterns reflecting the Islamic culture.

Though Morocco has a lot to be proud of, it still struggles with problems of poverty and unemployment, which are largely tied to the high illiteracy rate. However, the King of Morocco has recently made efforts to improve the situation by building more schools and promoting adult education centers. The reoccurrence of droughts has also made life difficult for Moroccan farmers and an increasing shortage of water has impacted all of Morocco’s citizens.