A vital mixture of ancient customs and modern ideas, of sudden beauty and persistent poverty, of tenacious past and imperfect present. Nearly half of the people are under 20 years of age.
Unemployment is rampant.
Cities are overwhelmed with rural migrants. Moroccans cast an uneasy eye on the violent Islamic fundamentalism in neighboring Algeria. He also tortured his slaves and pampered his camels. Such incongruities are typical of Morocco, a land where beauty and adversity walk side by side. Photographs by Bruno Barbey.