Spanish Morocco

Spanish Morocco was established by the Treaty of Fez in 1912. The Spanish Morocco included the northern Morocco and southern Saharan zones. Following the Treaty of Fez, Spain became the colonial rulers in the portions of Spanish Morocco. The area in Northern Morocco in between the cities of Melilla and Ceuta had been under the Spanish rule since the 16th century and 15th century respectively.

The southern zones of Spanish Morocco were comprised of the Tarfaya Strip and Ifni. Tetuan, which is also known as Tetouan, was the capital of the Spanish Morocco. The colonial rulers of Spanish Morocco withdrew after the recognition of the Moroccan independence in 1956.

The location and the natural resources in the land of Morocco caused the temptation for the Spanish rulers to reign over Morocco. The dream of Spain came true after the Treaty of Fez. However, the Spanish Morocco had to be returned to Morocco after the Morocco's independence.

The complete withdrawal of Spain from the land of Morocco, though, took many more years after 1956. Spain ceded the northern strip of Spanish Sahara in 1958. The former Spanish province of Ifni was returned to Morocco in 1969. Finally in 1976, Morocco got back 70000 square kilometers of phosphate-rich land of former Spanish Morocco.