Spanish protectorate in Morocco, Colonial territory in northern Morocco
The protectorate stretched from Larache on the Atlantic shore to beyond Melilla on the Mediterranean coast, with Tétouan serving as its administrative hub. It included important coastal towns and extended inland to the Rif Mountains.
Spain established the protectorate in 1912 through an agreement with France, following the Treaty of Fez that partitioned Moroccan territory. The protectorate ended in 1956 when Morocco gained independence.
Schools teaching in Arabic received support from the administration, and Moroccan students traveled to Egypt for university education. Local customs and ways of life continued under colonial rule.
The territory held rich iron ore deposits in the Rif Mountains and included major coastal towns such as Larache, Ksar el-Kebir, and Asilah. Traces of the colonial period remain visible in the architecture of these towns today.
During World War II, Spanish forces temporarily occupied the international zone of Tangier from 1940 to 1945. The city served as a transit point for European refugees during this period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
