Morocco is an example of an Arab country that is in the process of trying to reform and liberalize its political system. A survey by The Economist magazine in 2004 placed Morocco at the top of "A League Table of Democracy in the Arab World." The country, nevertheless, continues to face challenges associated with poverty, terrorism, and the difficulties of reforming a political system dominated by a centuries-old hereditary monarchy.

Location and Territory

Morocco is located in the far northwest corner of Africa and separated by just 16 kilometers (10 miles) of water from Spain and the European continent. To the east and south it borders the states of Algeria and Mauritania. Geographically the country is divided by four main mountainous ranges—the Rif mountains in the far north, the Middle and High Atlas range across the middle of the country, and the Anti-Atlas in the south. Between and beyond these...