| Background: |
Morocco's long
struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The
internationalized city of Tangier was 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 in 1997. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth
of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m |
| Natural
resources: |
phosphates, iron
ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
21%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 47%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 11% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
12,580 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| 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, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
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: |
30,645,305 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
34.39% (male 5,368,784; female 5,170,891)
15-64 years: 60.93% (male 9,270,095; female
9,402,561)
65 years and over: 4.68% (male 646,567; female
786,407) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.71% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
24.16
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.94 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-1.15 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
48.11
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.43 years
male: 67.2 years
female: 71.76 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.05 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.03% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| 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: 43.7%
male: 56.6%
female: 31% (1995 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 |
| Administrative
divisions: |
37 provinces and
2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben
Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El
Kelaa des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, 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
note: three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued
Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan
and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara;
decentralization/regionalization law passed by the
legislature in March 1997 creating many new
provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the
reorganization not yet available |
| 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: |
21 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane
YOUSSOUFI (since 14 March 1998)
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; members elected by popular vote
for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15
September 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of
Representatives - last held 14 November 1997 (next to be
held NA November 2002)
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 - USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP
19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1
note: CDT, UTM, UGTM, UNMT are all labor unions
listed under Political pressure groups and leaders; see
explanation in the description of Parliament |
| 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 IDRISS]; Constitutional Union or UC [leader
NA]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Thami KHIARI];
Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Issa OUARDIGHI];
Democratic Party for Independence or PDI [Thami EL-OUAZZANI,
Said BOUACHRINE]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas El-FASSI];
Labor Party or UT [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or
PND [Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI]; National Popular Movement
or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of Democratic and Popular
Action or OADP [Mohamed BEN SAID ait Idder]; Party of
Progress and Socialism or PPS [Moulay Ismail ALAOUI];
Popular Constitutional and Democratic Movement or MPCD (has
become Party of Justice and Development or PJD) [Dr.
Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER];
Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE];
Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abd ar-Rahman EL-YOUSSOUFI] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Association of
Popular Trade Unions or ADP [leader NA]; Democratic
Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; Democratic
National Trade Union or USND [leader NA]; Democratic Trade
Union or SD [leader NA]; General Union of Moroccan Workers
or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Labor Union Commissions or CS
[leader NA]; Moroccan National Workers Union or UNMT [leader
NA]; Moroccan Union of Workers or UTM [Mahjoub BENSEDIQ];
Party of Shura and Istiqla [Abdelwaheb MAASH] |
| International
organization participation: |
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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Abdullah MAAROUFI
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC
20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE 90718
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 Solomon's seal
in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of
Islam |
| Economy
- overview: |
Morocco faces the
problems typical of developing countries - restraining
government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable
economic growth. Following structural adjustment programs
supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the
dirham is now fully convertible for current account
transactions, and reforms of the financial sector have been
implemented. Drought conditions depressed activity in the
key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant
economy in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco
reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a
mobile telephone license and partial privatization of the
state-owned telecommunications company. Favorable rainfalls
have led Morocco to predict a growth of 1% for 2001.
Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the
external debt; preparing the economy for freer trade with
the EU; and improving education and attracting foreign
investment to boost living standards and job prospects for
Morocco's youthful population. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $105 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
0.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $3,500 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
15%
industry: 33%
services: 52% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
19% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
11 million (1997
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 50%,
services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
23% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$9.6 billion
expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.) |
| Industries: |
phosphate rock
mining and processing, food processing, leather goods,
textiles, construction, tourism |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
0.5% (1999 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
13.695 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
89.19%
hydro: 10.81%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
13.441 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
705 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
barley, wheat,
citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock |
| Exports: |
$7.6 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
phosphates and
fertilizers, food and beverages, minerals |
| Exports
- partners: |
France 35%, Spain
9%, UK 8%, Germany 7%, US 5% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$12.2 billion
(f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
semiprocessed
goods, machinery and equipment, food and beverages, consumer
goods, fuel |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 32%, Spain
12%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, UK 6% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$18.4 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$565.6 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Moroccan dirham
(MAD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Moroccan dirhams
per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804
(1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1.391 million
(1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
116,645 (1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system with all important
capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 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: 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) |
| Radios: |
6.64 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
35 (plus 66
repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: |
3.1 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ma |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
120,000 (1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003
km electrified; 540 km double track) |
| Highways: |
total:
57,847 km
paved: 30,254 km (including 327 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 27,593 km (1998) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 362 km;
petroleum products 491 km (abandoned); natural gas 241 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Agadir, El Jadida,
Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador,
Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
Melilla |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 223,052 GRT/272,786
DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 6,
container 5, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 9, roll
on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
26
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
43
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Royal Armed
Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie,
Auxiliary Forces |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 8,182,073 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 5,160,374 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
348,380 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.4 billion
(FY99/00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4% (FY99/00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
claims and
administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved
and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue;
the UN-administered cease-fire has been 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 |
| 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 |
|
