from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Morocco
Introduction
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. Parliamentary elections were held for the
second time in September 2002 and municipal elections
were held in September 2003.
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western
Sahara
Geographic 32 00 N, 5 00 W
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km
Area - slightly larger than California
comparative:
Land total: 2,017.9 km
boundaries: 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 territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
extremes: highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m
Natural phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
resources:
Land use: arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 79% (2005)
Irrigated 14,450 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
hazards: earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - land degradation/desertification (soil erosion
current resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing,
issues: destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated
by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution
of coastal waters
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea
Geography - strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
note:
People
Population: 33,241,259 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 5,343,976/female 5,145,019)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 10,505,018/female 10,580,599)
65 years and over: 5% (male 725,116/female 941,531)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 23.9 years
male: 23.4 years
female: 24.5 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.55% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 70.94 years
expectancy at male: 68.62 years
birth: female: 73.37 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 15,000 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Major degree of risk: intermediate
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and
diseases: hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some
locations during the transmission season (typically
April through November) (2005)
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: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)
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 constitutional monarchy
type:
Capital: name: Rabat
geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha,
divisions: 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 Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the
holiday: 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
system; judicial review of legislative acts in
Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Executive chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
branch: head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since
9 October 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime
minister appointed by the monarch following legislative
elections
Legislative bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
branch: Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected
indirectly by local councils, professional
organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three
years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives
(325 seats; 295 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 6 October
2003 (next to be held in 2006); Chamber of
Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to
be held in 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC
28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD
12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11,
UD 10, other 50
Judicial Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the
branch: recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary,
presided over by the monarch)
Political Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of
parties and Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or
leaders: 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 (interim)];
Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed
MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa
OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN];
Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL
ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL
KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI
[Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD
[Saad Eddine OTHMANI]; 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 [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of
Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd
or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; 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 [Mohammed
El-YAZGHI]
Political Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir
pressure AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM
groups and [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or
leaders: CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or
UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]
International ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77,
organization IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
participation: IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
representation chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
representation embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
from the US: 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 red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star)
description: 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
Economy - Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic
overview: stability to the country in the early 1990s but have
not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment
that nears 20% in urban areas. Poverty has actually
increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's
continued dependence on foreign energy, and its
inability to promote the growth of small and medium
size enterprises. 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 and Morocco's financial
sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities understand
that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to
domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan
authorities instituted measures to boost foreign direct
investment and trade by signing a free trade agreement
with the US and selling government shares in the state
telecommunications company and in the largest
state-owned bank. The Free Trade agreement went into
effect in January 2006. In 2005, GDP growth slipped to
1.2% and the budget deficit rose sharply - to 7.5% of
GDP - because of substantial increases in wages and oil
subsidies. Long-term challenges include preparing the
economy for freer trade with the US and European Union,
improving education and job prospects for Morocco's
youth, and raising living standards, which the
government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist
arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.
GDP $135.1 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $51.94 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 1.7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $4,100 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 21.7%
composition by industry: 35.7%
sector: services: 42.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 11.19 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 40%
by occupation: industry: 15%
services: 45% (2003 est.)
Unemployment 11% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 19% (2005 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.6%
income or highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 40 (2005 est.)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 1% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 23.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $12.94 billion
expenditures: $16.77 billion; including capital
expenditures of $2.19 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 72% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives;
products: livestock
Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,
leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
Industrial 4% NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 17.35 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 95.4%
production by hydro: 4.6%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 17.58 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 1.45 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 158,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: 147,800 bbl/day NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 100 million bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 5 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 650 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - NA cu m
exports:
Natural gas - NA cu m
imports:
Natural gas - 1.218 billion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $1.255 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $9.472 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude
commodities: minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum
products, fruits, vegetables
Exports - France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India
partners: 4.1% (2005)
Imports: $18.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications
commodities: equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors,
plastics
Imports - France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia
partners: 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005)
Reserves of $16.47 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $15.61 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $218 million (2002)
recipient:
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD)
(code):
Currency code: MAD
Exchange Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868
rates: (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002), 11.303 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,341,200 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 12.393 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern system with all important
system: capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 main
lines available for each 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; 7 submarine cables;
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 (1998)
Radio AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 6.64 million (1997)
Television 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)
Internet .ma
country code:
Internet 3,218 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 8 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 4.6 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 60 (2006)
Airports - total: 26
with paved over 3,047 m: 11
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 34
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 11 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006)
Railways: total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km
electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 57,694 km
paved: 32,551 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,143 km (2002)
Merchant total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, container 9,
passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated
cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1,
UK 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)
Ports and Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier
terminals:
Military
Military Royal Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Defense), Navy
branches: (includes Marines), Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale
Marocaine) (2006)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service age service; conscript service obligation - 18 months
and (2004)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 7,908,864
available for females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 6,484,787
for military females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 353,377
reaching females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $2.31 billion (2003 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 5% (2003 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty
international: 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
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: illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish
mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for
cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe