MAROCCO.Ma-rok´ko.
An empire of Africa, formerly the largest of the Barbary States. Area, 219,000 square miles. Population, 5,000,000. Atlas Mountains cross the country; rivers few and small. Atlantic coast line, 750 miles long; Mediterranean, 250 miles.
The Sultan's authority is supreme in spiritual and temporal matters. Estimated yearly revenue of Sultan, $2,500,000. Marocco has three capitals: Fez (pop., 80,000) is the chief; Marocco, the old metropolis (pop., 50,000); and Mequinez (pop., 56,000).
Both climate and soil are well suited to the production of wheat, barley, corn and other grains; agriculture is neglected for pastoral pursuits. Marocco supposed to be rich in minerals.
Foreigners control the maritime trade; Tangier is the main port; seven others open to foreign commerce. Import of cotton, 1882, valued at $3,401,130; sugar, $1,390,240; rice, flour, etc., $1,462,090. Exports, 1882: wool, $1,116,850; shoes, $527,420; almonds, $394,000; cattle, $393,880. In 1882, 1,050 vessels, of 314,794 tons, entered, and 1,047, of 315,559 tons, cleared, the ports of Marocco.
ALGERIA.Al-jee´re-a.
Situated in North Africa; the most important French colonial possession. Area, about 161,476 square miles. Coast line, 550 miles. Climate variable; mean annual temperature at Algiers, 66.5°.
Government of settled districts administered by a Governor General; others under military rule. Civil government divided into three departments, each of which sends 2 Deputies and 1 Senator to the French Chambers. Algiers the capital; pop., 1881, 70,747. Total population of Algeria, 1881, 3,310,412; French, 233,937.
Agriculture the principal industry; in 1881, 2,328,636 thus engaged. In 1882, 40,000,000 acres in farms; 5,460,000 under cereals; wheat product, 559,500 tons; barley, 790,000; number of acres devoted to vine culture, 99,000. Olive oil manufactured in 1880, 574,000 gals. Yield of tobacco, from 20,000 acres, 9,490,000 lbs. In 1882 there were 1,027,913 cattle, 5,142,321 sheep, 3,056,660 goats.