Morocco Population: 32,649,130
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| Background | |
| In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Moroccan Muslim 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. The Alaouite dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. 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. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king. Although Morocco is not the UN-recognized Administering Power for the Western Sahara, it exercises de facto administrative control there. The UN assists with direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front, but 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. Morocco enjoys a moderately free press, but the government has taken action against journalists who they perceive to be challenging the monarchy, Islam, or the status of Western Sahara. Influenced by protests elsewhere in the region, in February 2011 thousands of Moroccans began weekly rallies in multiple cities across the country to demand greater democracy and end to government corruption. Overall the response of Moroccan security forces was subdued compared to the violence elsewhere in the region. King MOHAMMED VI responded quickly with a reform program that included a new constitution and early elections. The constitution was passed by popular referendum in July 2011; some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister, but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. In early elections in November 2012, the Justice and Development Party - a moderate Islamist party, won the largest number of seats, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In January 2012, Morocco assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term. |
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| Geography | |
| Strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km Size comparison: 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: | 14,570 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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| People | |
| Population: | 32,649,130 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 4,489,297/female 4,353,921) 15-24 years: 18% (male 2,918,765/female 2,951,131) 25-54 years: 41.7% (male 6,590,575/female 7,033,013) 55-64 years: 7% (male 1,135,921/female 1,135,747) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 919,236/female 1,121,524) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 27.3 years male: 26.7 years female: 27.8 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.054% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 18.97 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 26.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 76.11 years male: 73.04 years female: 79.32 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.17 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 26,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 1,200 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan |
| Ethnic groups: | Arab-Berber 99%, other 1% |
| Religions: | Muslim 99% (official), Christian 1%, Jewish about 6,000 |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.1% male: 68.9% female: 43.9% (2009 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in July |
| 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 also claims Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, another region that falls entirely within Western Sahara |
| Independence: | 2 March 1956 (from France) |
| National holiday: | Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
| Constitution: | 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended September 1996; revised constitution approved by referendum 1 July 2011 referendum |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of civil law based on French law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abdelilah BENKIRANE (since 29 November 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister as well as Minister Delegates to each ministry appoined by the Palace (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament consists of the Chamber of Counsilors (or upper house) (270 seats - to be reduced to a maximum of 120; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (395 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held on 3 October 2009 (next to be held in mid-2013); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 25 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PJD 107, PI 60, RNI 52, PAM 47, USFP 39, MP 32, UC 23, PPS 18, LP 4, other 13 |
| 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 [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]; Al Ahd (The Covenant) Party [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Alliance des Libert'es (Alliance of Liberty) or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Mustapha BAKKOURY, secretary general]; Choura et Istiqlal (Consultation and Independence) Party or PCI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Citizens' Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizenship and Development Initiative or ICD [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohammed ABIED]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Touhami EL KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Hamid CHABAT]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelillah BENKIRANE]; Labor Party or PT [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 Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV [Mohamed KHALIDI]; Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Democratic Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Driss LACHGAR]; Unified Socialist Left Party or PGSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Justice and Charity Organization or JCO; 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, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mohammed Rachad BOUHLAL chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 462-7643 consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel L. KAPLAN embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: Unit 9400, Box 021, DPO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (537) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (537) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
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| Economy | |
| Morocco has capitalized on its proximity to Europe and relatively low labor costs to build a diverse, open, market-oriented economy. In the 1980s Morocco was a heavily indebted country before pursuing austerity measures and pro-market reforms, overseen by the IMF. Since taking the throne in 1999, King MOHAMMED VI has presided over a stable economy marked by steady growth, low inflation, and gradually falling unemployment, although a poor harvest and economic difficulties in Europe contributed to an economic slowdown in 2012. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's competitiveness. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable 40% of electricity output by 2020. Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the United States in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the European Union in 2008. Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. In 2011 and 2012, high prices on fuel - which is subsidized and almost entirely imported - strained the government's budget and widened the country's current account deficit. Key economic challenges for Morocco include fighting corruption and reforming the education system, the judiciary, and the government's costly subsidy program. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $171 billion (2012 est.) $166.2 billion (2011 est.) $158.5 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $97.17 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 2.9% (2012 est.) 4.9% (2011 est.) 3.7% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,300 (2012 est.) $5,200 (2011 est.) $5,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 14.7% industry: 32.8% services: 52.6% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 11.78 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 44.6% industry: 19.8% services: 35.5% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 8.8% (2012 est.) 8.9% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 15% (2007 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 33.2% (2007) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 40.9 (2007 est.) 39.5 (1999 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2012 est.) 0.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 31.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $25.16 billion expenditures: $32.3 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 71.7% of GDP (2012 est.) 64.7% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | barley, wheat, citrus fruits, grapes, vegetables, olives; livestock; wine |
| Industries: | phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, energy, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4.4% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 20.09 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 22.21 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 4.623 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 70 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 570 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 500 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 1.444 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$8.508 billion (2012 est.) -$8.337 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $22.23 billion (2012 est.) $21.51 billion (2011 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 19.7%, Spain 18.2%, India 6.2%, Brazil 5%, US 4.6% (2011) |
| Imports: | $42.49 billion (2012 est.) $40.96 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics |
| Imports - partners: | France 13.6%, Spain 11.2%, US 8.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, China 6.5%, Italy 5.1%, Russia 4.7%, Germany 4.4% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $17.75 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $20.64 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $29.42 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $28.08 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $49.93 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $47.78 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $1.353 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.603 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $60.09 billion (31 December 2011) $69.15 billion (31 December 2010) $62.91 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 8.689 (2012 est.) 8.0899 (2011 est.) 8.4172 (2010 est.) 8.0571 (2009) 7.526 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 3.566 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 45 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 36.554 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay; Internet available but expensive domestic: fixed-line teledensity is roughly 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 212; landing point for the Atlas Offshore, Estepona-Tetouan, Euroafrica, Spain-Morocco, and SEA-ME-WE-3 fiber-optic telecommunications undersea cables that provide 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 (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ma |
| Internet hosts: | 277,338 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 13.213 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 56 (2012) country comparison to the world: 85 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 31 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 5 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 2,067 km standard gauge: 2,067 km 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified) (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 58,256 km paved: 39,480 km (includes 866 km of expressways) unpaved: 18,776 km (2006) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 26 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 6, passenger/cargo 14, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 14 (France 3, Germany 1, Italy 1, Spain 9) registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Mohammedia, Safi, Tangier |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Royal Moroccan Navy (includes Coast Guard, Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya; Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2010) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; service obligation - 18 months (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 8,252,682 females age 16-49: 8,691,419 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 7,026,016 females age 16-49: 7,377,045 (2010 est.) |
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