Morocco

Morocco

Index

Casablanca
Marrakech
Rabat

Algeria
Western Sahara
Spain

Atlantic Ocean
Mediterranean Sea 

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 2,002 km, Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km

Coastline

1,835 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved; the UN is attempting to hold a referendum; the UN-administered cease-fire has been currently in effect since September 1991; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which Morocco contests as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

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
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

12,650 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

PEOPLE

Population

29,779,156 (July 1996 est.)
29,168,848 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

38% (male 5,696,731; female 5,522,077) (July 1996 est.)
38% (male 5,659,410; female 5,486,176) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

58% (male 8,577,918; female 8,700,521) (July 1996 est.)
58% (male 8,327,560; female 8,456,525) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 613,712; female 668,197) (July 1996 est.) 4% (male 597,941; female 641,236) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.05% (1996 est.)
2.09% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

27.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
27.93 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.97 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

  • at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  • all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

    Infant Mortality Rate

    43.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
    45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

    Life Expectancy at Birth

    Total Fertility Rate

    3.58 children born/woman (1996 est.)
    3.69 children born/woman (1995 est.)

    Nationality

    Ethnic Divisions

    Religions

    Languages

    Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

    Literacy

    Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

    Labor Force

    7.4 million

    By occupation:

    GOVERNMENT

    Names

    Digraph

    MO

    Type

    Constitutional monarchy

    Capital

    Rabat

    Administrative Divisions

    36 provinces and 5 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Assa-Zag, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Es Smara, Fes*, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech*, Meknes*, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit

    Independence

    2 March 1956 (from France)

    National Holiday

    National Day, 3 March (1961) (anniversary of King Hassan II's accession to the throne)

    Constitution

    10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992

    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

    21 years of age; universal

    Executive Branch

    Legislative Branch

    Unicameral

    Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab)

    Two-thirds elected by direct, universal suffrage and one-third by an electoral college of government, professional, and labor representatives; direct, popular elections last held 15 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (333 total, 222 directly elected) USFP 48, IP 43, MP 33, RNI 28, UC 27, PND 14, MNP 14, PPS 6, PDI 3, SAP 2, PA 2, OADP 2; indirect, special interest elections last held 17 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (333 total, 111 indirectly elected) UC 27, MP 18, RNI 13, MNP 11, PND 10, IP 7, Party of Shura and Istiqlal 6, USFP 4, PPS 4, CDT 4, UTM 3, UGTM 2, SAP 2

    Judicial Branch

    Supreme Court, judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the king

    Political Parties and Leaders

    Member of

    ABEDA, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

    National Anthem

    Flag

    Red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam

    ECONOMY

    Overview

    Morocco faces the typical problems of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and keeping inflation within bounds. Since the early 1980s the government has pursued an economic program toward these objectives with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club of creditors. The economy has substantial assets to draw on: the world's largest phosphate reserves, diverse agricultural and fishing resources, a sizable tourist industry, a growing manufacturing sector, and remittances from Moroccans working abroad. A severe drought in 1992-93 depressed economic activity and held down exports. Real GDP contracted by 4.4% in 1992 and 1.1% in 1993. Despite these setbacks, initiatives to relax capital controls, strengthen the banking sector, and privatize state enterprises went forward in 1993-94. Favorable rainfall in 1994 boosted agricultural production by 40%. In 1995, Morocco suffered from a drought said to be the worst in 30 years. Servicing the large debt, high unemployment, and vulnerability to external economic forces remain long-term problems for Morocco.

    National Product

    GDP - purchasing power parity - $87.4 billion (1995 est.), $87.5 billion (1994 est.)

    National Product Real Growth Rate

    -6.5% (1995 est.)
    8% (1994 est.)

    National Product Per Capita

    $3,000 (1995 est.)
    $3,060 (1994 est.)

    Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

    5.4% (1994)

    Unemployment Rate

    16% (1994 est.)

    Budget

    Exports

    $4 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

    Commodities:

    Partners:

    Imports

    $7.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

    Commodities:

    Partners:

    External Debt

    $20.5 billion (1994 est.)

    Industrial Production

    Growth rate 0.1% accounts for 28% of GDP

    Electricity

    Industries

    Agriculture

    Accounts for 15% of GDP, 50% of employment, and 30% of export value; not self-sufficient in food; cereal farming and livestock raising predominate; barley, wheat, citrus fruit, wine, vegetables, olives

    Illicit Drugs

    Illicit producer of hashish; trafficking on the increase for both domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe

    Economic Aid

    Note: $2.8 billion debt canceled by Saudi Arabia (1991); IMF standby agreement worth $13 million; World Bank, $450 million (1991)

    Currency

    1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

    Exchange Rates

    Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 8.607 (January 1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994), 9.299 (1993), 8.538 (1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242 (1990)

    Fiscal Year

    Calendar year

    TRANSPORTATION

    Railroads

    Highways

    Pipelines

    Crude oil 362 km; petroleum products (abandoned) 491 km; natural gas 241 km

    Ports

    Agadir, Al Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla

    Merchant Marine

    Airports

    Heliports:

    1 (1995 est.)

    COMMUNICATIONS

    Telephone System

    270,100 telephones (1987 est.); 10.5 telephones/1,000 persons

    Radio

    Television

    DEFENSE FORCES

    Branches

    Royal Moroccan Army, Royal Moroccan Navy, Royal Moroccan Air Force, Royal Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

    Manpower Availability

    Males age 15-49 7,541,745; males fit for military service 4,782,028; males reach military age (18) annually 330,344 (1996 est.)

    Defense Expenditures

    Exchange rate conversion - $1.38 billion, 4.1% of GDP (1995), $1.3 billion, 3.8% of GDP (1994)

    History
    World Atlas

    last updated 19 november 1997