MOROCCO, mo-rOk'o, or MAROCCO, a sultanate or empire and French protectorate of northwest Africa, known to its inhabitants only by its Arabic name Moghrehel-Aksa, "The Ex treme West.° It is hounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, north by the Mediterranean Sea, northeast by Algeria and east and south by the Sahara, the boundary in the southwest be ing formed by the Wady Draa, while elsewhere there is no definite line of demarcation between the French Sahara and Morocco; area, about 219,000 square miles. The rulers of Morocco exercised sovereignty at fane time over Twat, or Touat and several other oases in the heart of the desert; they even carried their victorious arms across the desert to Timbuktu. Within recent times, however, they have had little or no power south of Atlas, the great chain which traverses the country diagonally northeast to southwest throughout its whole extent. Mo rocco has three capitals or imperial residences, at one of which the.sultan and his army reside at uncertain intervals and for indeterminate periods. These are Fez (pop. 100,000), Makinas or Mequinez (30,820), Marrakesh, bet ter known as the City of Morocco (50,000 to 80,000). Besides these the principal coast towns are Tangier (46,000, 11,000 European) ; Tetuan, a little way up the Martil River; Larache (El Arish) ; Rabat and Sallee, on opposite sides of the Bu-Ragreb River; Casablanca or Dar-al Baida (75,000, 31,600 European) ; Mazagan, Saffi and Mogador. The empire is divided into districts named from the occupying tribes; an other division is into provinces or districts, fluctuating and very unequal in number, some times confined to a single town, sometimes em bracing an extensive territory, administered each by a kaid, whose chief duty it is to collect the imposts.
Topography.— Physically considered, Mo rocco falls naturally into four regions: 1. The great range of Atlas, from southwest to north east, composed of two or more parallel chains. (See ATLAS). 2. Er-Rif or the north ern maritime district, comprising the chains of mountains which rise at no great distance from the Mediterranean Sea. 3. The wide belt of fertile plain, intermixed with gentle hill and valley, which lies between the two preceding regions. 4. The plains and valleys southeast of
Atlas. The most remarkable natural feature is the great mountain system extending from northeast to southwest. This system — the Atlas — composed of several parallel chains, contains the most elevated points known in North Africa. Miltsin, a peak distant about 30 miles southeast from the city of Morocco, has a height of 11,400 feet, while another peak, Jebel Ayashin, is estimated at 14,600. Adjoin ing the central chain are several table-lands of great extent, consisting of irregular plains, and at a little distance from it north extends the maritime chain now called Er-Rif, and formerly the Atlas Minor. Its general height is from 2,500 feet to 3,500 feet.
Hydrography.—The rivers flowing from the north side of the Atlas have generally the shorter course, but are well supplied with water ; those running south, however far they may extend, are dry in summer, at least in their lower courses. The Muluya, rising in a principal knot of the Atlas flows in a north easterly direction to the Mediterranean with a course of 350 miles and receives many tribu taries. Of the rivers which run into the desert the most easterly the Ghir has a course south east, occasionally traceable for 300 or 400 miles. The Ziz, which, with its numerous affluents, waters a very fertile and populous country, is wholly spent before it attains half that length. The Draa which rises in the central and most elevated portion of the range of Atlas (lat. 31° to 32° N.), first runs south for nearly 200 miles, forms Lake Ed-Debaya, and then, turning west, enters the ocean in lat. 28° 18' N., after a course of 700 miles. The lower portion of its bed, however, is periodically quite dry. Lake Ed Debaya, formed by the floods of the Draa, is reported to be very large; but it disappears annually, and gives way to richly cultivated fields. The fresh-water lake of Gebel el Akhdar (Green Mount) lies about 30 miles north of Morocco. The coast offers few good harbors; of these Tangier and Mogador, or Sweira, are the best; the rest are but open roadsteads at the mouths of rivers.