Morocco , [ d ] officially the Kingdom of Morocco , [ e ] is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east , and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south. Islam is both the official and predominant religion, while Arabic and Berber are the official languages.
Additionally, French and the Moroccan dialect of Arabic are widely spoken. Its capital is Rabat , while its largest city is Casablanca. The region constituting Morocco has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era over , years ago. The Idrisid dynasty was established by Idris I in and Morocco was subsequently ruled by a series of other independent dynasties, reaching its zenith as a regional power in the 11th and 12th centuries, under the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties, when it controlled most of the Iberian peninsula and the Maghreb.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Morocco faced external threats to its sovereignty, with Portugal seizing some territory and the Ottoman Empire encroaching from the east. The Marinid and Saadi dynasties otherwise resisted foreign domination, and Morocco was the only North African nation to escape Ottoman dominion. The 'Alawi dynasty , which rules the country to this day, seized power in , and over the next two centuries expanded diplomatic and commercial relations with the Western world.
Morocco's strategic location near the mouth of the Mediterranean drew renewed European interest; in , France and Spain divided the country into respective protectorates , reserving an international zone in Tangier. Following intermittent riots and revolts against colonial rule, in , Morocco regained its independence and reunified. Since independence, Morocco has remained relatively stable. It has the fifth-largest economy in Africa and wields significant influence in both Africa and the Arab world ; it is considered a middle power in global affairs and holds membership in the Arab League , the Arab Maghreb Union , the Union for the Mediterranean , and the African Union.
The executive branch is led by the King of Morocco and the prime minister , while legislative power is vested in the two chambers of parliament: the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Judicial power rests with the Constitutional Court, which may review the validity of laws, elections, and referendums. Morocco claims ownership of the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara , which it has designated its Southern Provinces.
