Is Morocco Considered a Middle Eastern Country?

Dec 10, 2025 0

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on 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, occupied by Morocco since 1975. Morocco also claims the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It has a population of approximately 37 million. The Kingdom of Morocco is the most westerly of the North African countries known as the Maghreb - "the West".

The question of whether Morocco is considered a Middle Eastern country is complex, involving geographical, cultural, historical, and political considerations. This article explores these aspects to provide a comprehensive understanding.

Geography and Location

Morocco is a Northern African country, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and the annexed Western Sahara. The geography of Morocco spans from the Atlantic Ocean, to mountainous areas, to the Sahara desert. A large part of Morocco is mountainous. The Atlas Mountains are located mainly in the centre and the south of the country. The Rif Mountains are in the north.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), also referred to as West Asia and North Africa (WANA) or South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), is a geographic region which comprises the Middle East (also called West Asia) and North Africa together. Some related terms have a wider definition than MENA, such as MENASA (lit. 'Middle East and North Africa and South Asia') or MENAP (lit. 'Middle East and North Africa and Afghanistan and Pakistan'). The term MENAT explicitly includes Turkey, which is usually excluded from some MENA definitions, even though Turkey is almost always considered part of the Middle East proper.

The concept of a region called the “Middle East” is a relatively recent and unstable construction. Since the term was first coined at the beginning of the 20th century, it has been applied to different sets of countries and territories.

The following maps illustrate the lack of consensus among governments, international organizations, and scholars regarding how to define the Middle East or even whether to use that term.

The Middle East has no standardized definition; different organizations define the region as consisting of different territories, or do not define it as a region at all.

Location of the Middle East

Historical Context

The region constituting Morocco has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era, more than 300,000 years ago. Morocco later became a realm of the Northwest African civilisation of ancient Carthage, and part of the Carthaginian empire. The earliest known independent Moroccan state was the Berber kingdom of Mauretania, under King Baga. This ancient kingdom (not to be confused with the modern state of Mauritania) flourished around 225 BC or earlier.

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Centuries of Arab migration to the Maghreb since the 7th century shifted the demographic scope of the region. The Muslim conquest of the Maghreb that had begun during the mid-7th century was completed under the Umayyad Caliphate by 709. The caliphate introduced both Islam and the Arabic language to the area; this period also saw the beginning of a trend of Arab migration to the Maghreb which would last for centuries and effect a demographic shift in the region. The indigenous Berber tribes adopted Islam, but retained their customary laws. They also paid taxes and tribute to the new Muslim administration.

Culture and Identity

The culture of Morocco is a mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultures. 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 culture is a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African influences.

The Arab World consists of 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Morocco was a French protectorate between 1912 and 1956. Since independence, Morocco has remained relatively stable and wields significant influence in both Africa and the Arab world.

Berber language distribution in North Africa

Political and Economic Ties

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.

Morocco is a unitary semi-constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. 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.

In 2020, Morocco and Israel signed a normalisation agreement, but since Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel - the worst in Israel's history - and Israel's invasion of the Palestinian territory of Gaza, there have been anti-normalisation rallies across Morocco in solidarity with Palestinians.

Some key dates in Morocco's history:

7th-8th Centuries - Arab invasion; Idris founds the first major Muslim dynasty.
11th-12th Centuries - Under first the Almoravid and then Almohad dynasties, Morocco dominates the Maghreb and much of Spain.
1549-1649 - Saadi dynasty rule Morocco and parts of west Africa.
1666 onwards - Alawi dynasty rule as Sultans of Morocco
1884 - Spain creates a protectorate in coastal areas of Morocco.
1904 - France and Spain carve out zones of influence.
1912 - Morocco becomes a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fez.
1921-26 - Tribal rebellion in Rif mountains is suppressed by French and Spanish troops.
1956 - End of French protectorate after unrest and strong nationalist sentiment. Spain keeps its two coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
1961 - Death of King Mohammed; King Hassan II comes to power.
1971 - Failed attempt to depose king and establish republic.
1973 - Polisario movement formed, aims to establish an independent state in Spanish Sahara, a territory south of Morocco controlled by Spain.
1975 - The Green March: King Hassan orders 350,000 civilian volunteers to cross into Spanish Sahara. Spain agrees to leave and transfer it to joint Moroccan-Mauritanian control. Algeria objects and threatens military intervention. Moroccan forces occupy the territory.
1975-91 - The Polisario Front fights a 16-year-long guerrilla war against Moroccan forces. This ends with a UN-brokered cease-fire which sees the Polisario controlling about 20% of the territory, the rest being controlled by Morocco.
1991 - UN-monitored ceasefire begins in Western Sahara, but the region's status remains undecided.
2011 - Thousands of people rally in Rabat and other cities calling for political reform and a new constitution curbing the powers of the king.
2020 - US announces it will recognize full Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for Morocco establishing relations with Israel.
2021 - Morocco proposes autonomy for Western Sahara under the sovereignty of the King of Morocco.
2022 - Spain accepts Morocco's proposal as "the most serious, realistic and credible basis" for ending the dispute over Western Sahara.

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In conclusion, while Morocco is geographically located in North Africa, its cultural and historical ties to the Arab world, along with its political and economic influence, make it a significant player in the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Whether it is considered a Middle Eastern country depends on the specific context and definition being used.