Tangier is perched on the crest of a chalky limestone ridge. A casbah, the sultan's palace (now a museum of Moroccan art), and the Great Mosque dominate the old town (medina), which is surrounded by 15th-century defenses. To the south and west, European quarters, whose populations have dropped significantly since Morocco's incorporation in 1956, reach.
Tangier and its suburbs dominate the surrounding region, which is situated on a peninsula just north of the Gharb lowland plain and near to the Rif Mountains to the southeast, in the country's northernmost region. The region has limited resources outside of the city.
Tangier was under the collective control of various countries during the early to mid-twentieth century. Many Westerners settled in the city at this period, and it became a hotbed of political and artistic activity.
