Line #25 UsefulNotes/Morocco


1	[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Morocco-map_3786.gif]]
2	[[caption-width-right:330:Shown without UsefulNotes/WesternSahara, just to be safe. Just don't [[BerserkButton show it to anyone in Morocco]]. ]]
3	Morocco ('''Arabic:''' المغرب‎ al-Maġrib; '''Berber:''' ⵍⵎⴰⵖⵔⵉⴱ; '''French:''' Maroc), also known as the '''Kingdom of Morocco''' ('''Arabic:''' المملكة المغربية Al-Mamlakah al-Maġribiyah; '''Berber:''' ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ Tagldit N Lmġrib) is a constitutional monarchy (increasingly liberal at that) in North UsefulNotes/{{Africa}}.
4
5	It became independent in 1956 from France. Before that period, the issue of its being in the French sphere of influence annoyed Germany massively, resulting in the Moroccan Crises of 1905 and 1911.
6
7	It currently rules the disputed territory of [[UsefulNotes/ThatDryPatchOfLandUnrecognized Western Sahara]], where a fragile ceasefire holds sway. (PS: Try to avoid showing a Moroccan any map that doesn't show Western Sahara as an integral part of Morocco; [[BerserkButton they get rather worked up about that.]])
8
9	There have been a couple of terrorist attacks in Morocco, targeting symbolic buildings and killing mostly Moroccans and a few Spaniards, which justified the Moroccan version of the PATRIOT act and allowed the regime to arrest every and any body they want. This has proven so advantageous to it, that the idea that it was actually orchestrated by them is very widespread. It speaks volumes of the jadedness of Moroccans concerning the Palace that they believe it might be true and they still don't care.
10
11	Perhaps the reason for this is the 38-year reign of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_II_of_Morocco Hassan II]], who ran [[HellholePrison the world's certifiably worst]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazmamart political prison]] and whose SecretPolice put pretty much every other Middle Eastern leaders to shame (particularly during the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Years_of_Lead_(Morocco) Years of Lead]]). He was nevertheless well-liked by most Moroccans; his son, Mohammed VI, is pretty much ''loved'', being actually kinda interested in reform (although he doesn't go quite far enough for some) and attempted to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equity_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(Morocco) atone for some of his father's harsher policies]].
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13	Despite its French legacy, Morocco might fairly be called the Britain of the Arab world: Morocco doesn't seem to like sudden change. Not for nothing is the current (Alaouite) dynasty the longest-lasting (400 years!) royal family of a sovereign state outside of Europe and Japan. This tendency was seen most recently during the Arab Spring, where Morocco ''did'' see protests--and much as the bobbies didn't (or rather couldn't, as they weren't given firearms) fire on the British protesters in 1848, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm the Moroccan police kept well away from the protesters in 2011. As a result, the Moroccan protest movement didn't get enough momentum to become a full-on uprising or revolution]], and in July 2011, the Moroccan people approved constitutional reforms that put the system of government within shouting distance of democracy (although the king's powers remain extensive). The subsequent elections in November 2011 and October 2016 gave a plurality to the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD,[[note]]French acronym of ''Parti de la justice et du développement''[[/note]] modeled on the [[UsefulNotes/{{Turkey}} Turkish]] party of the same name); by the terms of the constitutional amendments, the government was initially headed by Abdelilah Benkirane of the PJD, and then by Saadeddine Othmani of the same party. The King himself has recognized the trend in his country, and has said he does not expect that his son will ever exercise any real power. In 2021, a multitude of controversies[[labelnote:*]]Notably passing a law legalizing therapeutic use of cannabis, and countersigning a Trump administration-brokered agreement on normalization of relations with UsefulNotes/{{Israel}}[[/labelnote]] led to the PJD losing face with the electorate, with that year's elections resulting in the party losing around 90% of its seats -- to the advantage of more liberal (and arguably monarchist) parties, including the pro-business National Rally of Independents (RNI) led by billionaire Aziz Akhannouch, and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), who then agreed to form a coalition government.
14
15	It is a member of the Arab League, has strong ties with UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion and is a major US ally, in spite of its population, being the first nation to recognize the United States. However, it was for a long time also the only country in Africa that was not part of the African Union, due to the AU recognising the independence of Western Sahara. There may also be a cultural subtext to this: Moroccans steadfastly refuse to think of themselves as "African" -- visit Fes, Marrakesh, or Rabat and ask what continent you're in, and they'll [[BerserkButton adamantly reply]] "extremely Southern Europe." However, in 2017, the kingdom joined the AU.
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17	Although associated in many Westerners' minds with "desert," Morocco's real defining geographical characteristic is "mountains." The Atlas Mountains trap humid air from the Atlantic, creating a fairly large area in the northern part of the country dominated by green fields and rolling hills, good for farming and especially for raising livestock (for this reason, meat is rather cheaper in Morocco than it is in many other Arabic-speaking countries: because much of Morocco's farmland is marginal at best for crops but excellent for raising sheep and goats, the Moroccan diet features a good deal more meat than that of its Arab neighbors). It doesn't start to get really arid until around the line between Marrakesh and Essaouira in the south--about where the mountains start to peter out.
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19	Cities in Morocco:
20	* The capital is '''Rabat''' (Arabic: الرباط, ''Al-Ribāṭ'')[[note]]Fun fact: it literally means "The Fortress"[[/note]] a city of broad avenues, nice architecture, and not very much else these days; people live there and have their (often government-related) day jobs there, but there isn't much in the way of shopping or exciting culture. The heart of Rabat is actually its twin city '''Salé''' (Arabic: سلا‎ ''Sala''), where many government workers live and which is a bit more interesting. The twin cities do have an interesting history, however; the area was originally settled by Phoenicians, and in the 18th century, Rabat and Salé were famous as a {{pirate}}-run republican city-state.
21	* The largest city and commercial capital is '''Casablanca''' (Arabic: الدار البيضاء, ''al-Dār al-Baiḍā[='=]'',[[note]]Which translates to "The White House," the meaning of the name in Spanish[[/note]] although this use is restricted to relatively formal circumstances in Morocco). Casablanca is famous, of course for ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', and indeed it was something of a CityOfSpies during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Today, it's famous for playing host to a gigantic mosque and having pretty much everything. Most major Moroccan companies are based in Casablanca, and pretty much any trip to the country must go to this city. A foreigner going to Morocco is likely to come through Casablanca's gigantic Mohammed V Airport, and Casa (as locals call it) is more or less the center of the nation's transit network.
22	* One of the most famous cities in Morocco is '''Marrakesh''' (Arabic: مراكش, ''Marrākush''), which has a very well-marketed Old City and a booming tourist industry as a result. Expect any scene in Marrakesh to involve at least one person being accosted by a street performer and his trained monkey.
23	* '''Fez''' (Arabic: فاس, ''Fās''; also written ''Fès'', as that's how it's done in French) is Morocco's cultural and religious capital, featuring not one but ''two'' Old Cities, the Al-Karaouine University (an Islamic institution of higher learning founded in 859, making it one of the world's oldest universities), and a great number of mosques and institutions of religious learning besides. And yes, the hats are originally from here, too; the iconic red color comes from the historical practice of dying them with local berries, and fezzes made in Fez tend to be lower and wider than the ones made famous by the Turks.
24	* '''Tangier''' (Arabic: طنجة‎, ''Ṭanja(h)'') was a TruceZone for a very long time, making it yet another CityOfSpies. Being on the southern side of the Strait of Gibraltar, it has a strong Spanish influence (they even call sandwiches ''bocadillos''--try them, they're good). Also has the strongest maritime tradition, thanks to its strategic location; also famous for its seafood (its fish tagines are famous across the country, and if you're going to have a seafood dish in Morocco, Tangier is the place to do it).
25	* '''Ifrane''' (Arabic: إفران/يفرن ''Ifrān'') is in the Atlas Mountains, and was built by the French. It has been called "Morocco's Little Switzerland" due to its architecture, imported European plants, and its cold temperatures with snowy winters; the town is a ski resort. (Fun fact: the coldest temperature in Africa was reported in Ifrane at -24.3 C/-11.7 F.) It also plays host to Al Akhawayn University, a [[UsefulNotes/SaudiArabia Saudi-funded]] American-style university that positions itself as a kind of Moroccan Oxford or Harvard.
26	* '''Meknes''' (Arabic: مكناس‎ ''Maknās''; often written "Meknès" because that's how it's done in French) is the fifth-largest city (when you count Rabat and Sale together), and has a bit of history to it, as it was the capital of the country before being moved to Marrakesh and then Rabat. As a result, it has a large number of very old royal buildings. It is also very close to the very attractive ruins of the [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Roman]] colony of Volubilis and the pretty--and living--town of Moulay Idriss, the oldest Muslim settlement in Morocco.
27	* '''Chefchaouen''' (locally known as "Chaouen"; Arabic: شفشاون, ''Shafshāwin'') is famous for the beauty of the Rif Mountains and its pretty buildings decked out in white and blue, but foreigners are more attracted to the ''ridiculous'' amount of cannabis grown in the surrounding countryside. This region grows an appreciable fraction of the hashish in Europe. While recreational cannabis usage remains technically illegal, the government largely tolerates it.[[note]]In 2021, cannabis was legalized for medical, cosmetic, and industrial purposes.[[/note]]
28	* '''Essaouira''' (Arabic: الصويرة, ''as-Ṣawīra'') is notable as the original home of the Moroccan Navy, although foreigners are more attracted to the musical festivals, the surfing (it has some truly fantastic waves for surfing), the fact that Music/JimiHendrix liked to vacation there, and the impossibly good and cheap hashish (oh, Europeans...).
29	* '''Agadir''' (Arabic: اگادير, ''Āgādīr'') is primarily notable as Morocco's attempt to recreate UsefulNotes/{{Monaco}} and UsefulNotes/{{Dubai}} all in one. It has a reputation for attracting Eurotrash who can't afford either of those two, but still want to have a debauched time in a place with nice weather. Locals tend not to approve.
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31	Other locations:
32	* Cinephiles are well-advised to visit Ouarzazate, where numerous films involving desert or big mountains were shot. In fact, so much movies pretending to be set in the Middle-East were filmed there that CaliforniaDoubling could easily be renamed "Morocco Doubling".
33	* People wanting the "desert" experience, or who think deserts are beautiful, may want to go to Merzouga. The town and various hotels/camps have become a bit of a tourist trap, but the location near Erg Chebbi--a very large Sahara erg (i.e. huge sand dune region) with very pretty reddish sand--makes it worthwhile.
34	* The middle altitudes of the mountains have some interesting coniferous forests that are absolutely wonderful for hiking and camping. They resemble nothing if not the redwood forests of the American Pacific Northwest--but with ''monkeys'' (specifically, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_macaque Barbary macaques]]).
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36
37	'''In media:'''
38	* MoroccanMedia
39	* Myth/ArabMythology
40	* ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''
41	* ''Series/{{Alias}}'' had an episode partly set in Rabat.
42	* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' featured Ziva David as an undercover nightclub singer in Rabat, before a bomb went off. She only suffered minor injuries.
43	* In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2: Yuri's Revenge'', Premier Romanov's plane is shot down over Morocco and the Premier takes refuge in the city, finding it surprisingly pleasant by the time the Commander reaches him.
44	* Part of ''Film/TheBourneUltimatum'' takes place in Tangier.
45	* Film/JamesBond went to Tangier on two occasions, in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' and, more briefly, in ''Film/{{Spectre}}''.
46	* Creator/MarleneDietrich's first American movie was simply called, well, ''Film/{{Morocco}}''.
47	* Two episodes of the old shoujo anime ''Anime/HanaNoKoLunlun'' happen in Morocco, where she helps a Moroccan boy and his grandfather to return to their old village.
48	* The 1956 version of ''Film/TheManWhoKnewTooMuch'' takes place in Marrakesh, before the action moves on to London.
49	* John Milius's 1975 film ''Film/TheWindAndTheLion'' is mostly set in Morocco, drawing [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory loosely]] on a diplomatic incident in 1904.
50	* ''March or Die'' provides a heavily fictionalized depiction of the Rif War of 1921-1926.
51	* ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'' has the main character (Zoë) live in Casablanca.
52	* Became a playable civilization under Ahmad al-Mansur in ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} V'''s ''Brave New World'' expansion. They're a good civilization to play if your goal is to get filthy rich.
53	* Creator/WilliamSBurroughs spent a lot of time in Morocco. This also inspired the Moroccan setting in ''Film/NakedLunch''.
54	* Music/BrianJones (Music/{{The Rolling Stones\|Band}}) recorded an album full with music by the Moroccan folk group The Master Musicians Of Jajouka: ''Music/BrianJonesPresentsThePipesOfPanAtJajouka'' (1971).
55	* ''Film/{{Patton}}'' opens in Morocco, with Patton being awarded by the Moroccan monarch in the aftermath of Operation Torch.
56	* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', the Klatchian emirate of Ymitury is expressly a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Morocco.
57	* The third level in ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' takes place in Marrakesh. Agent 47 has two targets: a Swedish banker who stole seven billion dollars from the Moroccan people and is hiding from the angry mob in the Swedish consulate, and a general who plans to use the unrest to stage a coup.
58	* ''VideoGame/RainbowSixSiege'' features Morocco as the main focus of its [=Y3S4=] DLC lineup, including a new map that set in a Moroccan old fortress and two new operators from the country's CTU, Nomad and Kaid.
59	* French-Moroccan comedian Creator/JamelDebbouze created the ''Marrakech du rire'' stand-up comedy festival in 2011. It is held in the eponymous city every year.
60	* Morocco is the only primarily-Muslim country, and the only country not in Europe, East Asia, or North America, to have a national pavilion at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Epcot]]. Hassan II sent Moroccan artisans to help design and build the pavilion, and it is the only Epcot pavilion actively sponsored by the host country's government.
61	* ''Series/BirdsOfAFeather'': The tenth Christmas Special [[Recap/BirdsOfAFeatherCS10TheresAGirlInMySouk There's A Girl In My Souk]] is set in Morocco as the girls attempt to locate Tracey's son, Travis.
62	----
63	[[AC: The Moroccan flag]]
64	https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morocco_flag_9320.png
65	->The red field symbolizes courage and strength, as well as the personal color of the Alaouite Dynasty, the current ruling family of Morocco, which claims direct descent from Muhammad through his daughter Fatima; the five-pointed green star is an Islamic interpretation of the Seal of Suleiman (King Solomon from Literature/TheBible).
66	----
67	[[AC:The Moroccan national anthem]]
68	->منبت الأحرار
69	->مشرق الأنوار
70	->منتدى السؤدد وحماه
71	->دمت منتداه وحماه
72	->عشت في الأوطان
73	->للعلى عنوان
74	->ملء كل جنان
75	->ذكرى كل لسان
76	->بالروح
77	->بالجسد
78	->هب فتاك
79	->لبى نداك
80	->في فمي وفي دمي
81	->هواك ثار نور ونار
82	->إخوتي هيا
83	->للعلى سعيا
84	->نشهد الدنيا
85	->أنا هنا نحيا
86	->بشعار
87	->الله الوطن الملك
88	[[note]]
89	->manbita l-ʾaḥrār
90	->mašriqa l-ʾanwār
91	->muntadā s-suʾdadi wa-ḥimāh
92	->dumta muntadāh wa-ḥimāh
93	->ʿišta fi l-ʾawṭān
94	->li-l-ʿulā ʿunwān
95	->milʾa kulli ǧanān
96	->ḏikrā kulli lisān
97	->bi-r-rūḥi,
98	->bi-l-jasadi
99	->habba fatāk,
100	->labbā nidāk
101	->fī famī wa-fī damī
102	->hawāka ṯāra nūr wa-nār
103	->ʾiḫwatī hayyā
104	->li-l-ʿulā saʿyā
105	->nušhidi d-dunyā
106	->ʾannā hunā naḥyā
107	->bi-šiʿār
108	->allāh, al-waṭan, al-malik.
109	[[/note]]
110
111
112	--
113
114	->ⴰⵙⴰⵖⵎⴰⵢ ⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ
115	->ⴰⴳⵎⵓⴹ ⵏ ⵉⴼⴰⵡⵏ
116	->ⴰⵙⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡ ⵏ ⵜⵉⵎⵎⵓⵖⵔⴰ ⴷ ⵡⴰⵎⵓⵔ ⵏⵏⵙ
117	->ⴰ ⵜⵇⵇⵉⵎⴷ ⴷ ⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡ ⴷ ⴰⵎⵓⵔ ⵏⵏⵙ
118	->ⵜⴷⴷⵔⴷ ⴷⵉ ⵜⵎⵓⵔⴰ
119	->ⴷ ⵉⵣⵡⵍ ⵉ ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵢⴰ
120	->ⴷ ⴰⴽⵜⵜⵓⵔ ⵏ ⵡⵓⵍⴰⵡⵏ
121	->ⴷ ⴰⴱⴷⴷⵓⵔ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵍⵙⴰⵡⵏ
122	->ⵙ ⵉⵎⴰⵏ ⵏⵏⵙ
123	->ⵙ ⵜⴰⴼⴽⴽⴰ ⵏⵏⵙ
124	->ⵢⵏⴽⵔ ⵡⴰⵔⵔⴰⵡ ⵏⵏⴽ
125	->ⵢⵙⵙⵉⴷⵎⵔ ⴰⵡⴰⵍ ⵏⵏⴽ
126	->ⴷⴳ ⵉⵎⵉ ⵉⵏⵓ ⴷ ⵉⴷⴰⵎⵎⵏ
127	->ⵜⴰⵢⵔⵉ ⵏⵏⴽ ⵜⵏⴽⵔ ⵙ ⵡⴰⴼⴰⵡ ⴷ ⵡⴰⴼⴰ
128	->ⴰⵢⵜⵎⴰ ⵉⵏⵓ ⴷ ⵉⵙⵜⵎⴰ
129	->ⵓⵢⵓⵔⵜ ⵖⵔ ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵢⴰ
130	->ⴰⴷ ⵏⵙⵙⴽⵏ ⵉ ⵓⵎⴰⴹⴰⵍ ⴰ
131	->ⵉⵙ ⵏⴽⵏⵉ ⵏⵜⵜⴷⴷⵔ ⴷⴰ
132	->ⵙ ⵜⴰⵥⵓⴳⴰⵢⵜ
133	->ⴰⴽⵓⵛ, ⴰⵎⵓⵔ, ⴰⴳⵍⵍⵉⴷ
134	[[note]]
135	->asaɣmay n imaziɣn
136	->agmuḍ n ifawn
137	->asagraw n timmuɣra d wamur nns
138	->a tqqimd d agraw d amur nns
139	->tddrd di tmura
140	->d izwl i tanaya
141	->d akttur n wulawn
142	->d abddur n yilsawn
143	->s iman nns
144	->s tafkka nns
145	->ynkr warraw nnk
146	->yssidmr awal nnk
147	->dg imi inu d idammn
148	->tayri nnk tnkr s wafaw d wafa
149	->aytma inu d istma
150	->uyurt ɣr tanaya
151	->ad nsskn i umaḍal a
152	->is nkni nttddr da
153	->s taẓugayt
154	->akuš, amur, agllid
155	[[/note]]
156
157	--
158
159	->Root of the free,
160	->Rising place of the Lights,
161	->Forum of glory and its protector,
162	->May you perpetuate as its forum and its protector.
163	->May you live among the homelands
164	->As an address for grandeur
165	->Filling every heart
166	->conveyed by every tongue.
167	->With the spirit,
168	->With the body,
169	->Your son has come
170	->To answer your call.
171	->In my mouth and in my blood,
172	->Your love stirred up as light and fire.
173	->Let’s go brothers!
174	->Heading for grandeur,
175	->Making the world witness
176	->That we here perpetually live
177	->With the motto:
178	->Allah, homeland, king.
179	----
180	[[AC:Government]]
181	* Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
182	** King: Mohammed VI
183	** Prime Minister: Aziz Akhannouch
184	----
185	[[AC:Miscellaneous]]
186	* '''Capital:''' Rabat
187	* '''Largest city:''' Casablanca
188	* '''Population:''' 37,112,080
189	* '''Area:''' 710,850 km² (274,460 sq mi) (including Western Sahara) or 446,550 km² (172,410 sq mi) (excluding Western Sahara) (39th or 57th)
190	* '''Currency:''' Moroccan dirham (DH) (MAD)
191	* '''ISO-3166-1 Code:''' MA
192	* '''Country calling code:''' 212
193	* '''Highest point:''' Jbel Toubkal (4165 m/13,665 ft) (37th)

Context UsefulNotes / Morocco