|
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. Lower house elections
were last held held in September 2002 and upper house
elections were last held in September 2006
|
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)
|
|
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:
|
33,241,259 (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 growth rate:
|
1.55% (2006 est.)
|
|
Birth rate:
|
21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
|
|
Death rate:
|
5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
|
|
Net migration rate:
|
-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006
est.) |
|
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 mortality rate:
|
total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births
(2006 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 70.94 years
male: 68.62 years
female: 73.37 years (2006 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.68 children born/woman (2006 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) (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.)
|
|
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 02 N, 6 51
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 system; judicial review of
legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber
of Supreme Court |
|
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
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 branch:
|
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper
house or 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 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 (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 El 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 Union or UMP [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 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, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, 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 that nears
20% in urban areas. Poverty has 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. However, GDP
growth rebounded to 6.7% in 2006 due to high
rainfall, which resulted in a strong second
harvest. 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,
which entered into force in January 2006,
and sold government shares in the state
telecommunications company and in the
largest state-owned bank. 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 (purchasing power parity):
|
$147 billion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$56.72 billion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
6.7% (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$4,400 (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 13.3%
industry: 31.2%
services: 55.5% (2006 est.)
|
|
Labor force:
|
11.25 million (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 40%
industry: 15%
services: 45% (2003 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7.7% (2006 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
19% (2005 est.)
|
|
Household income or consumption by
percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini
index:
|
40 (2005 est.)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.8% (2006 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
21.7% of GDP (2006 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $15.85 billion
expenditures: $20.39 billion;
including capital expenditures of $2.19
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
70.9% of GDP (2006 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:
|
4% (2004 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
18.48 billion kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
18.89 billion kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2004)
|
|
Electricity - imports:
|
1.7 billion kWh (2004) |
|
Oil - production:
|
300 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
0 bbl/day (2000 est.) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
147,800 bbl/day (2000 est.) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
100 million bbl (2006 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
50 million cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
50 million cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
1.218 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
|
|
Current account balance:
|
$389 million (2006 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$11.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities:
|
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals,
transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers
(including phosphates), petroleum products,
fruits, vegetables |
|
Exports - partners:
|
France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy
5.2%, India 4.1% (2005) |
|
Imports:
|
$21.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
|
|
Imports - commodities:
|
crude petroleum, textile fabric,
telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and
electricity, transistors, plastics |
|
Imports - partners:
|
France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%,
Russia 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany
4.7% (2005)
|
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and
gold:
|
$18.21 billion (2006 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$17.9 billion (2006 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
ODA, $706 million (2004) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Moroccan dirham (MAD)
|
|
Exchange rates:
|
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.77508
(2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574
(2003), 11.021 (2002) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
1,341,200 (2005) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
12.393 million (2005) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: modern system
with all important 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 broadcast stations:
|
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ma |
|
Internet hosts:
|
3,218 (2006) |
|
Internet users:
|
4.6 million (2005)
|
|
Airports:
|
60 (2006) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 11
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 - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 34
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
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: 57,493 km
paved: 32,716 km (including 507 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 24,777 km (2004) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over)
382,781 GRT/285,435 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 terminals:
|
Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi,
Tangier |
|
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) (2006) |
|
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 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 Euro |
|
|
