▁and ▁Spanish ▁prote ctor ates , ▁with ▁an ▁international ▁zone ▁in ▁Tang ier . ▁It ▁reg ained ▁its ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁and ▁has ▁since ▁remained ▁compar atively ▁stable ▁and ▁prosper ous ▁by ▁regional ▁standards , ▁with ▁the ▁fifth ▁largest ▁economy ▁in ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Mor oc co ▁claims ▁the ▁non - self - g over ning ▁territory ▁of ▁Western ▁Sah ara , ▁formerly ▁Spanish ▁Sah ara , ▁as ▁its ▁Southern ▁Provin ces . ▁After ▁Spain ▁agreed ▁to ▁de colon ise ▁the ▁territory ▁to ▁Mor oc co ▁and ▁Maur it ania ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁a ▁gu err illa ▁war ▁arose ▁with ▁local ▁forces . ▁Maur it ania ▁rel in qu ished ▁its ▁claim ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁war ▁last ed ▁until ▁a ▁ce ase fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁Mor oc co ▁currently ▁occup ies ▁two ▁third s ▁of ▁the ▁territory , ▁and ▁peace ▁processes ▁have ▁thus ▁far ▁failed ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁political ▁dead lock . ▁ ▁The ▁so ver eign ▁state ▁is ▁a ▁unit ary ▁constitution al ▁mon archy ▁with ▁an ▁elected ▁parliament . ▁The ▁country ▁w ield s ▁significant ▁influence ▁in ▁both ▁Africa ▁and ▁the ▁Arab ▁world , ▁and ▁ ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁regional ▁power ▁and ▁a ▁middle ▁power . ▁The ▁King ▁of ▁Mor oc co ▁holds ▁vast ▁executive ▁and ▁legisl ative ▁powers , ▁especially ▁over ▁the ▁military , ▁foreign ▁policy ▁and ▁religious ▁affairs . ▁Executive ▁power ▁is ▁exerc ised ▁by ▁the ▁government , ▁while