|
Background: |
In 788, about a century after
the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to
rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly
under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and
inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and
ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw
Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a
protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with
France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier
and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same
year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but
final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved.
Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a
bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. Improvements in human
rights have occurred and there is a largely free press. Despite the
continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the
monarch. |
|
Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering the
North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and
Western Sahara |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
32 00 N, 5 00 W |
|
Map references: |
Africa |
|
Area: |
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than California
|
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km,
Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km |
|
Coastline: |
1,835 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200
nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
|
Climate: |
Mediterranean, becoming more
extreme in the interior |
|
Terrain: |
northern coast and interior are
mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys,
and rich coastal plains |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Sebkha Tah
-55 m
highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m |
|
Natural resources: |
phosphates, iron ore,
manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 79% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
14,450 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources: |
29 cu km (2003) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 12.6 cu km/yr
(10%/3%/87%)
Per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards: |
northern mountains geologically
unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts |
|
Environment - current issues: |
land
degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of
marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies
contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of
coastal waters |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note: |
strategic location along Strait
of Gibraltar |
|
Population: |
33,757,175 (July 2007 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 31% (male
5,339,730/female 5,140,482)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male
10,750,240/female 10,815,470)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male
740,686/female 970,567) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 24.3 years
male: 23.8 years
female: 24.8 years (2007 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
1.528% (2007 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
21.64 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
5.54 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
-0.82 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2007 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.763 male(s)/female
total population: 0.994 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 38.85
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 42.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 34.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 71.22
years
male: 68.88 years
female: 73.67 years (2007
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
2.62 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
15,000 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
|
Major infectious diseases: |
degree of risk:
intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk
in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through
November) (2007) |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%,
Jewish 0.2% |
|
Religions: |
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%,
Jewish 0.2% |
|
Languages: |
Arabic (official), Berber
dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
|
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 52.3%
male: 65.7%
female: 39.6% (2004 census)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short
form: Al Maghrib |
|
Government type: |
constitutional monarchy |
|
Capital: |
name: Rabat
geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W
time
difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
|
Administrative divisions: |
15 regions; Grand Casablanca,
Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen,
Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al
Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,
Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the
political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;
portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El
Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims
another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western
Sahara |
|
Independence: |
2 March 1956 (from France)
|
|
National holiday: |
Throne Day (accession of King
MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
|
Constitution: |
10 March 1972; revised 4
September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996
|
|
Legal system: |
based on Islamic law and French
and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in
Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal (as
of January 2003) |
|
Executive branch: |
chief of state: King
MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
head of government: Prime
Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none;
the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
following legislative elections |
|
Legislative branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists
of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected
indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor
syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every
three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats;
295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national
lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006
(next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7
September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results:
Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI
17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17;
Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al
Ahd 8, other 39 |
|
Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (judges are
appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary,
presided over by the monarch) |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL
IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or
Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS
[Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's
Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed
MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE];
Democratic Forces Front or FFD; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa
OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic
Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED
[Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI];
Independence Party (Istiqlal) or PI [Abbas el FASSI]; Justice and
Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El OTHMANI]; Labor Party [Abdelkrim
BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress
Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Rally of Independents or RNI
[Mustapha El MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah
IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Party of Progress
and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE
[Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben
Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and
Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or
PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Democratic Confederation of
Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM
[Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan
CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union
of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] |
|
International organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF,
AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s) general: New
York |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El
Fassi, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718
telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
FAX: [212] (37) 76 56
61
consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
|
Flag description: |
red with a green pentacle
(five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the
center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags,
although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states
of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912 |
|
Economy - overview: |
Moroccan economic policies
brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have
not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in
urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to
diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rate slowed to 2.1% in 2007 as
a result of a draught that severely reduced agricultural output and
necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Continued dependence on
foreign energy and Morocco's inability to develop small and medium size
enterprises also contributed to the slowdown. Moroccan authorities
understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic
security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National
Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development
plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living
conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are
implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international
investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF,
the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible
for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association
Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job
prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich
and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist
arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$127 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$69.1 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
2.1% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$3,800 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 15%
industry: 38.2%
services: 46.8% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
11.35 million (2007 est.)
|
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 40%
industry: 15%
services: 45% (2003 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
15% (2007 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
15% (2007 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1999) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
40 (2005 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2.1% (2007 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
24.8% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $19.39 billion
expenditures: $21.21 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
63.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
barley, wheat, citrus, wine,
vegetables, olives; livestock |
|
Industries: |
phosphate rock mining and
processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction,
tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
6% (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
21.37 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 95.4%
hydro: 4.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
Electricity - consumption: |
20.67 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
802 million kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production: |
3,746 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption: |
176,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
21,890 bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
|
Oil - imports: |
186,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
1.069 million bbl (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
47.95 million cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
47.95 million cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
1.629 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
$433.9 million (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$12.73 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
clothing and textiles, electric
components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers
(including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables,
fish |
|
Exports - partners: |
France 21.1%, Spain 20.2%, UK
4.8%, Italy 4.6%, India 4% (2006) |
|
Imports: |
$22.15 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
crude petroleum, textile
fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity,
transistors, plastics |
|
Imports - partners: |
France 17.6%, Spain 13.5%,
Saudi Arabia 6.9%, China 6.9%, Italy 6.4%, Germany 6% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA, $651.8 million (2005)
|
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$23.8 billion (31 December 2007
est.) |
|
Debt - external: |
$16.86 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$23.5 billion (2006 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$567 million (2006 est.) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$49.6 billion (2006) |
|
Currency (code): |
Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
|
Currency code: |
MAD |
|
Exchange rates: |
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar
- 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003)
|
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
1.266 million (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
16.005 million (2006) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment:
modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low
with only 4 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular
subscribership is approaching 50 per 100 persons
domestic: good
system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay
links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are
Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using
fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay
international: country code - 212; landing point for the
SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides
connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio
relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link
from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6
(1998) |
|
Radios: |
6.64 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)
|
|
Televisions: |
3.1 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.ma |
|
Internet hosts: |
137,187 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
6.1 million (2006)
|
|
Airports: |
60 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 27
over
3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437
m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 33
2,438
to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523
m: 11
under 914 m: 11 (2007) |
|
Heliports: |
1 (2007) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 720 km; oil 439 km (2007)
|
|
Railways: |
total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified)
(2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 57,493 km
paved: 32,716 km (includes 507 km of expressways)
unpaved: 24,777 km (2004) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 35 ships (1000
GRT or over) 344,445 GRT/252,341 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical
tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 1,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 14
(France 13, Germany 1) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia,
Safi |
|
Military branches: |
Royal Armed Forces (Forces
Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy
(includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale
Marocaine) (2007) |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
18 years of age for compulsory
and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 18-49:
7,908,864
females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
6,484,787
females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 353,377
females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
5% (2003 est.) |
|
Disputes - international: |
claims and administers Western
Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire
has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a
referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered
proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of
Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have
not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on
resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002
rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the
Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of
illegal migration into Spain from North Africa |
|
Illicit drugs: |
one of the world's largest
producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to
Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis |
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
|