From ancient culture to progressive monarchy

The area that is now Morocco was originally occupied by the Berber tribes. It came under Phoenician rule between 10th-3rd centuries BC and then became a Roman colony in the 1st Century AD. From the 11th Century AD, the region was united under the Almoravids, who ruled an empire that include Morocco, Spain and Algeria.

It may come as a surprise that Morocco was the first nation, in 1777, to recognize the newly formed United States as an independent nation. Today, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship remains as the United States oldest non-broken friendship treaty. To date America is the largest foreign investor in Morocco.

In 1912 Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates only becoming fully independent from France in 1956.

Modern Morocco

In 1957 the Sultan became King Muhammad V and soon embarked on a foreign policy of “positive neutrality”. After the king's death his son Hassan II ascended the throne. He soon enacted a new constitution that established a two house parliament. King Hassan died in 1999 and was succeeded by his son Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed, as Muhammad VI.

Did you know? "It is the most lovely spot in the whole world." So said Winston S. Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt about Marrakech in 1943.