Charlotte Richardson's List: Research Paper Notes - Morocco

• Originally inhabited by Berbers, Morocco became a province of the Roman Empire in the 1st cent. AD After successive invasions by barbarian tribes, Islam was brought by the Arabs in 685. An independent Moroccan kingdom was established in 788; its dissolution in the 10th cent. began a period of political anarchy. The country was finally united in the 11th cent. by the Almoravids, a Berber-Muslim dynasty, who established a kingdom reaching from Spain to Senegal. Unity was never complete, however, and conflict between Arabs and Berbers was incessant.

  • 1. Morocco was first inhabited by Berbers, a tribe that still lives in Morocco to this day. In the first century AD, Morocco became part of the Roman Empire.
    2. After many invasians by barbarian tribes, in 685 AD Islam was brought to the country by arabs.
    3. In 788 AD, Morocco became an independant kingdom, but because of the dissolution in the tenth century, a period of political anarchy went by.
    4. By the eleventh century, Morocco was finally united by a Berber-Muslim dynasty, the Almoravids. They established a kingdom that went from Spain to Senegal, and though the country was united, the unity was never complete because conflict kept occuring between the Arabs and Berbers.
• the strategic importance and economic potential of Morocco once again excited the European powers, sparking an intense, often violent, rivalry among France, Spain, and Germany. Finally, in 1912, most of Morocco became a French protectorate; a small area became a Spanish protectorate. Nationalist feelings began to surface in the 1930s, becoming more militant after World War II, and in 1956 Morocco gained its independence.

  • 5. The economic potential of Morocco interested people in Morocco, causing violence between France, Spain, and Germany. In 1912, almost all of Morocco became part of France, and another small part became a Spanish territory. The people of Morocco began to be more brutal after World War II, showing their real feelings about the two territories of the country. In 1956 Morocco gained its independance.

• Much imperial and trade influence has been filtered through her and blended into her culture. Unlike the herb-based cooking across the  sea to the north, Moroccan cooking is characterized by rich spices. Cumin, coriander, saffron, chiles, dried  ginger, cinnamon, and paprika are on the cook's  shelf, and in her mortar. 

  • 1. Unlike the countries across the Meditteranean who use mainly herbs to cook with, Moroccan cooking uses a variety of rich spices. There's cumin, coriander, saffron, chiles, dried ginger, cinnamon, and paprika.
• Ras el hanout (which means head of the shop) names a dried spice mixture that combines anywhere from 10 to 100 spices. Each vendor has his own secret recipe (hence the name), and no two are exactly alike. Couscous, granular semolina, is central to Morrocan cuisine and is often cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins.

  • 2. Each merchant or "Ras El Hanout," (The head of a shop) has their own special mixture of spices. The mixture can contain from 10-100 types of spices, and no two are exactly the same for each merchant.
    3. The thing most Moroccans cook with is Couscous, and granular semolina. Both foods are mainly cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins.
    4. One of the most popular meats in Morocco is lamb, which is often topped with raisin and onion sauces or apricot puree. Many Moroccans also eat a variety of other meat and fish.
• Savory foods are enhanced with fruits,  dried and fresh -- apricots, dates, figs, and raisins, to name a few. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture bring a unique face to many Moroccan chicken and pigeon dishes.

  • 6. Other things such as nuts also appear in various meals, like almonds, pine nuts, and pistachios.

  • 5. Most savory dishes of Morocco are usually enhanced with fruits, and for meat dishes (Mostly chicken and pigeon dishes) the Moroccans preserve lemons.
• Moroccan sweets are rich and  dense confections of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in filo dough, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings.

  • 7. The desserts in Morocco are often quite rich and dense. Cinnamon, almonds, and fruit (food perfumes) are often rolled into dough, soaked in honey, and put into putting.

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• Because of the varied historical influences on the people of Morocco, there is a large variety of languages spoken throughout the country.

  • 1. Because of so many cultural and historical influences on the country, many languages are spoken through out Morocco. Depending on different regions, people speak different languages between regions.
    2. In the more cultural areas, such as cities, a vast amount speak French, English, Arabic, and those who are part of the touring industry speak other foreign languages as well.
    3. In more rural areas like the villages in the High Atlas mountains, the people speak Arabic.
• There are several different forms of the various languages spoken in Morocco, as well as a few that are non-verbal. The following is a breakdown of the 11 listed languages that are or were spoken in Morocco:

  • *6. There are a lot of other types of languages spoken in Morocco, but because of large cultural influences there are any foreign languages spoken.

  • 4. In Morocco, there are 7 different varieties of languages spoken. The most common is Moroccan Arabic, which is the official language of Morocco. Most Moroccans can understand it, though it is somewhat different from other types of Arabic.
    5. The second most common language spoken is Hassaniyya Arabic, which is also called Moor, and it is mostly spoken by people in Southern Morocco.
    6. There is a

• Type of Government:-------------- Constitutional Monarchy

  • 2. Constitutional Monarchy - A constitutional monarchy is a form of a constitutional government, but the head of state is either elected or comes into power through heredity.

  • 1. The type of government that Morocco has is called a Constitutional Monarchy, which consists of a prime minister and a president.

• Capital goods    (industrial and semi-finished products) account for well more than half  of Morocco's imports, followed by food and beverages,     consumer goods    , and fuel. Morocco's export base is diversified, with phosphates  and phosphate byproducts being the largest contributor, accounting for  one-third of exports. Textiles and leather items come in second place,  followed by fish and fish products.

  • Morocco's main export/import partener is the European Union.

  • 1. Morocco mainly relies on imports, but it has helped the country maintain a steady trade balance.
    2. Capital goods, which are industrial and semi-finished products mostly make up Morocco's imports. Other imports include food and beverages, consumer goods, and fuels.
    3. Morocco's exports mainly consists of phosphates (used in soda consisting of carbonated water and syrup). Textiles and leather items also are a big part in the exports, as well as fish and fish products.

• Natural resources: Phosphates, fish, manganese, lead, silver, and copper.

  • Lead, Silver, and Copper - All metals, some of the natural resources of metal found in Morocco.

  • Manganese - A chemical, generally needed a small amount in foods in order to stay healthy.
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  • • One of the greatest things known about Morocco is the fish supply, and they have one of the greatest supply in the Atlantic Ocean. The fish that most catch usually include Mullet, Sea Beams, Marlin, Sea Perch, Grouper, Tuna, Barracudas and Swordfish.

    • Phosphates - The salt of a phosporic acid; a chemical, generally used in soda with carbonated liquid and syrup.

    • The natural resources of Morocco consist of phosphates, fish, manganese, lead, silver, and copper.

• • 1. The agriculture use, deforestation, and pollution have all caused major problems for the wildlife in Morocco. Currently, eighteen species of mammals are close to being extinct and the survival of elven different bird species is at risk.
• Currently, there are eighteen mammal species that are on the brink of extinction and  the survival of eleven bird species  hangs in the balance.
• The destruction of land and plant species has seen approximately 182 plant species being added  to the endangered list. Endangered wildlife species in Morocco include the Barbary Leopard,  Waldrapp, Mediterranean Monk Seal, Barbary Hyena, Cuviers Gazelle and the Spanish Imperial Eagle.  The Sahara Oryx and the Bulal Hartebeest have already become extinct

  • 2. The destruction of land in Morocco is a serious problem, which has also caused about 182 different species of plants to become endangered. Some of the species that are currently endangered in Morocco consist of the Barbary Leopard, Waldrapp, the Barbary Hyena, Mediterranean Monk Seal, and the Spanish Imperial Eagle. Two of Morocco's once known species have become extinct because of their loss of habitat/environment.

• The High  Atlas region of Morocco has a wonderful variety of elephants, squirrels and colorful butterflies.

    

  Along the desert coast of Morocco, visitors will find Ground Squirrels, Black-Headed Bush Shrikes,  Moussier’s Redstarts, Wild Boars, Tiger Blues, Gulls, Ducks, Barbary Falcons, Eagles, Lizards and a  multitude of other species.

  • The different regions of Morocco have many different, thrilling species. The High Atlas mountains consists of elephants, squirrels, and vivid butterflies.Some animals that inhabit the desert region of Morocco include different species of birds, wild boars, lizards, and many other species.

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• The coastal north and west have mild winters and pleasant summers, while interior cities experience more extreme temperatures in both seasons. Winters in the mountains are cold and wet, but summers are pleasant. Towns closer to the Sahara can be hot in the summer and cool in winter.

  • In the west and north coastal areas of Morocco, there are mild winters and pleasant summers. The interior cities experience more intense or extreme weather and temperatures in both seasons, while in the mountains the winters are cold and wet, but the summers are generally pleasant. The towns in Morocco closer to the Sahara desert are quite hot in the summer and cool in the winter.