Morocco

Morocco  or Mu akuc, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the ṛṛ Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterized by a rugged mountainous interior and large portions of desert. It is one of only three countries to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. The Arabic name al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah meaning "The Western Kingdom") and Al-Maghrib meaning "The West") are commonly used as alternate names.

Morocco has a population of over 33.8 million and an area of 446,550 km2 (172,410 sq mi). Its political capital is Rabat, although the largest city is Casablanca; other major cities include Marrakesh,Tangier, Tetouan, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, andNador. A historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by its neighbours. Its distinct culture is a blend of Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African, and European influences. Morocco claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Saharaas its Southern Provinces. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, leading to a guerrilla war with indigenous forces until a cease-fire in 1991. Peace processes have thus far failed to break the political deadlock

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The King of Morocco holds vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military, foreign policy and religious affairs.Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Assembly of Representatives and the Assembly of Councillors. The king can issue decrees called dahirs which have the force of law. He can also dissolve the parliament after consulting the Prime Minister and the president of the Constitutional court.

LANGUAGESMorocco's official languages are Arabic and Berber.The country's distinctive group of Moroccan Arabic dialects is referred to as Darija. Approximately 89.8% of the whole population can communicate to some degree in Moroccan Arabic. The Berber language is spoken in three dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhit and Central Atlas Tamazight).In 2008, Frédéric Deroche estimated that there were 12 million Berber speakers, making up about 40% of the population.The 2004 population census reported that 28.1% of the population spoke Berber.

French is widely used in governmental institutions, media, mid-size and large companies, international commerce with French-speaking countries, and often in international diplomacy. French is taught as an obligatory language at all schools. In 2010, there were 10,366,000 French-speakers in Morocco, or about 32% of the population.

ECONOMYMorocco's economy is considered a relatively liberal economy governed by the law of supply and demand. Since 1993, the country has followed a policy of privatization of certain economic sectors which used to be in the hands of the government.[57] Morocco has become a major player in the African economic affairs,and is the 5th African economy by GDP (PPP). Morocco was ranked the 1st African country by the Economist Intelligence Unit' quality-of-life index, ahead of South Africa. Government reforms and steady yearly growth in the region of 4–5% from 2000 to 2007, including 4.9% year-on-year growth in 2003–2007 helped the Moroccan economy to become much more robust compared to a few years ago. The industries that recorded the highest growth are tourism, telecoms, information technology, and textile.

TOURISMTourism is one of the most important sectors in Moroccan economy, it is well developed with a strong tourist industry focused on the country's coast, culture, and history. Morocco attracted more than 10 million tourists in 2013. Tourism is the second largest foreign exchange earner in Morocco after the phosphate industry. The Moroccan government is heavily investing in tourism development, in 2010 the government launched its Vision 2020 which plans to make Morocco one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world and to double the annual number of international arrivals to 20 million by 2020..

Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech

Ouzoud Falls.

Moroccan cuisineMoroccan cuisine is influenced by Morocco's interactions and exchanges with other cultures and nations over the centuries.[1] Moroccan cuisine is typically a mix of Mediterranean,Arabic, Andalusian and Berber cuisine. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fes, Meknes,Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.

Salads

Salads include both raw and cooked vegetables, served either hot or cold.Cold salads include zaalouk, anaubergine and tomato mixture, and taktouka (a mixture of tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and spices) characteristic of the cities of Taza and Fes, in the Atlas.

Beverages• The most popular drink is green tea with mint.

Traditionally, making good mint tea in Morocco is considered an art form and the drinking of it with friends and family is often a daily tradition. The pouring technique is as crucial as the quality of the tea itself. Moroccan tea pots have long, curved pouring spouts and this allows the tea to be poured evenly into tiny glasses from a height. For the best taste, glasses are filled in two stages. The Moroccans traditionally like tea with bubbles, so while pouring they hold the teapot high above the glasses. Finally, the tea is accompanied with hard sugar cones or lumps.

Morroccan clothing• Djellaba:is a Moroccan traditional long ofmiddle-eastern

 origin, loose-fitting unisex outer robe with full sleeves worn in the Maghreb region of North Africa and in Arabic-speaking countries along the Mediterranean.

• Traditionally, djellabas are made of wool in different shapes and colours, although nowadays lightweight cotton djellabas have become popular. Among the Berbers, or Imazighen, such as Imilchil in the Atlas Mountains, traditionally the colour of a djellaba indicates the marital status (single or married) of the bearer—a dark brown djellaba indicating bachelorhood Traditionally, djellabas reached down to the ground but lightweight djellabas are somewhat slimmer and shorter. Men often wear a light-coloured djellaba sometimes along with a traditional arab red fez hat and soft yellow babouche slippers (balgha, Arabic) for religious celebrations and weddings.

• FES:

The fez (Turkish: fes, plural fezzes or fezes[1]), as well as its equivalent, the tarboosh (Arabic: طربوش / Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [tˤɑɾˈbuːʃ], ALA-LC: ṭarbūsh), is a felt hat of two types: either in the shape of a truncated conemade of red felt, or a short cylinder made of kilim fabric, both usually with a tassel attached to the top. The tarboosh and the modern fez, which is similar, owe much of their development and popularity to the Ottoman era.

• TAKCHITA: The takchita (alternate spellings: taqchita, tackshita, tackchita) is a Moroccan traditional women's garment that, like the Moroccan caftan, is worn for celebrations, particularly weddings. It is composed of two pieces, a dress as a first layer, often of fine but not ornately decorated fabric, and a more elaborate second layer or over-dress that often buttons up the front using the traditional sfifa and akaad closures. The upper layer is often richly adorned with embroidery, beading or sequins.

• Modern interpretations of traditional Moroccan clothing, particularly the takchita, caftan and jellaba are exhibited at the annual Caftan fashion show in Morocco and hosted by the Moroccan fashion magazine Femmes du Maroc.

Morroccan clothing• 1-Takchita:

• 2-Djellaba;

Morroccan culture• Marriage in morocco;

• Moroccan Marriage• Introduction• In Morocco the marriage celebration includes several well organized

ceremonies that can last from 3 days to a week, depending on the family and region of Morocco. These festivities are always the ideal opportunity to bring Moroccan families together and show the richness of Moroccan customs and traditions through clothing, art, music or cuisine which is represented via a cocktail of delicious dishes. 

•  • Moroccan women still attend in the traditional ways.  The wedding dress is

usually a caftan, a sort of long robe made of silk, satin, chiffon, silk or other rich fabrics, and covered with a jacket.  The dress is often open on the bottom and may have embroidery or sequined details, and may be retained by a wide belt at the waist that adds a stunning touch to the moment. 

• Pre-Marriage Customs• The future bride and groom start formalities for the marriage about a year prior

to the celebrations. Sometimes it is a simple agreement signed in the presence of witnesses and Adoul but generally an act of formal marriage commitment is established in the presence of the family members of the couple. The husband is required to give gifts to his bride. Some gifts may be symbolic, such as sugar, which represents a happy life, or milk for purity or basic gifts which could include dates, water, orange flower and henna. They also include the engagement ring and the alliance. Gifts vary depending on the region of Morocco, and could range from jewelry and bolts of fabric, to caftans, shoes, handbags or perfume.  These gifts are typically arranged in very large flat silver colored container and covered with a conical lid which is similar to the form of a big Tagin

• Two days before the wedding, customs require the bride to go to traditional Moroccan Hamam, sauna with her girl friends and relatives.  It is considered as an act of purification, and accompanied by beautiful traditional songs performed by her friends.

• Morrocan Wedding Day;On the day of the wedding the ceremony begins with song and dance, the tradition of

Islam demands the ceremony begin by reading Koranic verses and songs in praise of the prophet. Next the guests gather in a large room.  The couple follow and the bride, dressed in a white caftan with matching jewelry, heads to a large chair "the Amariya” along with her groom.  Four strong men carry the Amaria around the wedding room, so every guest gets to see and wish the couple happiness and good luck.  After a few minutes of touring the large guest room, accompanied by music from a live traditional band, the couple is descended from Amariya to sit in two comfortable chairs strategically centered in the room, where wedding guests get to have their pictures taken with the couple.

•  • Throughout the ceremony, the bride changes outfits, adorning a selection superb

caftons justifying the reputation of Moroccan marriages. The bride can wear as many as seven different outfits, with the last wardrobe change, in general, a magnificent white wedding dress. 

Body gestures in morocco…

Morroccan gestures• Moroccan Customs, Courtesies, Gestures and Body

Language; • 1-) Don't show the bottoms of your shoes or feet - it's offensive. Keep your feet flat on the

floor. Be prepared to take your shoes off before entering buildings.

• 2-) Don't act like everything is "bigger and better" in the US - avoid making comparisons of the two countries. Your host may offer you coffee, tea or fruit juice (not alcohol). Make two or three vague refusals before accepting, as flatly refusing is a criticism of the host's hospitality.

• 3-) Eat and hold cups and glasses with your right hand. The left hand Is considered unclean. Remember that during "Ramadan" fasting occurs from sunrise to sunset

• 4-) Good friends, male and female, kiss cheeks but only with the same sex.

• 5-) Good topics of discussion are history, sports and culture. Bad topics of discussion are Mid-East tensions or religious zeal.

• Gift-Giving Gestures; • 1-) Choose appropriate gifts. If you are meeting someone for the first time, wait until after

that first encounter to present the gift. Your contact needs time to get to know you first.

• 2-) Avoid gifts in the colors of pink, violet or yellow because these are colors associated with death. Depending upon how Westernized the recipient is, he may not open a gift in the presence of the giver. This is traditional, so do not take offense.

• 3-) Don't bring food or beverages to someone's home -- it implies criticism of the host.

• 4-) Do give books or small items -- especially those made in the United States -- to your host's children. Please turn items over to double check tags to determine where ANY gift is made before giving it. For example you wouldn't want to give an Arab a gift made in Israel.

• 5-) A thoughtful gift to a Moslem is a personalized engraved compass. This allows them to find Mecca no matter where they are.

Media in morocco…

Media in morocco• The first newspaper to appear in Morocco was El Eco de

Tetuán founded in 1860 in Spanish. Such publications were not generally available in Moroccan cities until 1908. The government of Morocco owns many key media outlets, including Moroccan radio and television, and the Moroccan press agency, Maghreb Arab Press. Moroccans have access to approximately 2,000 domestic and foreign publications. Many of the major dailies and weeklies can now be accessed on their own Web sites. Morocco has 27 AM radio stations, 25 FM radio stations, 6 shortwave stations, and 11 television stations including the channels of the public SNRT and the private 2M TV and Mèdi 1 TV.

• Maghreb Arabe Press; • The agency was founded on 31 May 1959 by Mehdi Bennouna in Rabat.It was

nationalized in 1973.• The director is Mohammed Khabbachi, and headquartered in Rabat. The agency

has official international services in four languages: Arabic,English, French, and Spanish. In 1960, the agency launched the African bulletin. It launched the Middle East service as well as the English service on 14 October 1975.

• Abdeljalil Fenjiro served as the director of the agency for more than twenty years until 16 November 1999 when Mohammed Yassine Mansouri replaced him in the post.

• In addition to providing news, the agency cofounded a national charter for the improvement of women’s images in the media with the ministry of social development and family and solidarity and the ministry of communication and culture in 2005.

• 2M TV;• 2M TV is a Moroccan television service. It was established by the royal-

owned conglomerate, ONA, before being partly sold to the Moroccan state. Today 20.7% of 2M is owned by Mohammed VI's holding company SNI.[1]

 While approximately 60% is controlled by the Moroccan state.• It is based in Casablanca. It is available free of charge locally on digital signal

 with coverage over all Morocco and on satellite television via Globecast, Nilesat and Arabsat.

• 2M offers services in Arabic, French, and Berber.

• Content;• 2M challenged taboos by debating controversial issues and established a

reputation for itself as a symbol of freedom of speech in Morocco. The channel regularly broadcasts news, films, sports and music. It is now a government-controlled public TV station and has close under-the-table ties with influential parts of the Moroccan political power structure (the Makhzen). 2M has been used by the government as an indirect means to attack independent newspapers such as Le Journal.

• 2M has two different channels, a local analog channel and a satellite channel whose name is (since 2007) 2M Monde (an imitation of the name "TV5 Monde"), which means 2M World. Both local and satellite/world versions of 2M have the same shows but are aired at different times. 2M Monde does not broadcast Hollywood movies and American TV shows because it only buys their broadcasting rights for within Morocco.

2m tv

• Medi 1 TV Medi 1 TV is a state-owned broadcasting channel in Morocco. It was

launched in December 2006 as a news channel but has since shifted to more general programming in French and Arabic, and currently diffuses a large a number of entertainment programs such as Turkish soap operas and confession tabloid talk shows.

• History;• Medi 1 TV was founded in December 2006 as Medi 1 Sat, as an expansion of

Franco-Moroccan radio Medi 1. The Channel was first designed as a pan-Maghreb news channel with a heavy involvement from the French Ministry of Foreign affairs. However with founding ofFrance 24 the French withdrew from the channel in 2009 and it was taken over by CDG, the state-owned Moroccan pension funds who currently controls more than 80% of Medi1 TV.[1]

• In 2010, due to financial difficulties Medi 1 Sat was redesigned as Medi 1 TV with a more general programming focused on entertainment to attract more viewership and appeal to advertisers.Until then available only on satellite, it started broadcasting on UHF on 30 October 2010.Despite this editorial shift, the company is still turning a net loss every year.

Medi 1 tv

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