What is going on in that country today

A current event in Morocco is that this country is exploring a new way to get energy. It was news in early March 2013 when the first solar plane made an intercontinental flight and landed in Morocco from Spain. This flight landed in Morocco because Spain admires Morocco's plan for solar energy. Morocco has announced that they will be spending around 9 billion dollars to create solar energy plants and the country is planning to build a total of 5 solar energy plants. 

Currently, Morocco main problem is with its environment and public issues. Droughts and desertification is one of the growing burdens in the country. This is due to the mountains that loom in the north, and the dry winds that blow from the Sahara. However, this is just one of the concerns. Pollution is another factor crippling the environment. Water is often now contaminated by raw sewage. Moreover, oil spills are not being dealt with properly and certainly not quick enough. 

Some social issues are Morocco’s child labor force. Children under 15 are even forced to work today, and it is one of the debated problems people go against. Others, nevertheless, says that children are a vital asset to the region and is a necessity in order to maintain a stable economy. Despite of the large field of jobs and businesses, poverty is still lingers, taking over 15% of the population; jobs, 10% unemployment.

When did the country gain it's independence

In 1912, the sultan of Morocco, Moulay Abd al-Hafid, permitted French protectorate status. Nationalism grew during World War II. Sultan Muhammed V was deposed by the French in 1953 and replaced by his uncle, but nationalist agitation forced his return in 1955. In 1956, France and Spain recognized the independence and sovereignty of Morocco. At his death on Feb. 26, 1961, Muhammed V's son succeeded him as King Hassan II. In the 1990s, King Hassan promulgated “Hassanian democracy,” which allowed for significant political freedom while at the same time retaining ultimate power for the monarch. In Aug. 1999, King Hassan II died after 38 years on the throne and his son, Prince Sidi Muhammed, was crowned King Muhammed VI. Since then, Muhammed VI has pledged to make the political system more open, allow freedom of expression, and support economic reform. He has also advocated more rights for women, a position opposed by Islamic fundamentalists. The entrenched political elite and the military have also been leery of some reform proposals. With about 20% of the population living in dire poverty, economic expansion is a primary goal.
They year that morocco won its independence was in 1956 after 40 years of protection from France.

What European nation colonized Morocco

French and Spanish colonized morocco during the 17th and 18th century
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Morocco was one of the Barbary States, the headquarters of pirates who pillaged Mediterranean traders. European powers showed interest in colonizing the country beginning in 1840, and there were frequent clashes with the French and Spanish. Finally, in 1904, France and Spain concluded a secret agreement that divided Morocco into zones of French and Spanish influence, with France controlling almost all of Morocco and Spain controlling the small southwest portion, which became known as Spanish Sahara. Morocco grew into an even greater object of European rivalry by the turn of the century, almost leading to a European war in 1905 when Germany attempted to gain a foothold in the mineral-rich country. By the terms of the Algeciras Conference (1906), the sultan of Morocco maintained control of his lands and France's privileges were curtailed. The conference was an indication of what was to come in World War I, with Germany and Austria-Hungary lining up on one side of the territorial dispute, and France, Britain, and the United States on the other.