Morocco

• Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior;
• in the south, hot, dry desert;
• rain is rare;
• cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

• mountainous northern coast (Rif Mountains) and interior (Atlas Mountains) bordered by large plateaus with intermontane valleys, and fertile coastal plains;
• the south is mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces

• the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts;
• a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map

• in the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes;
• periodic droughts;
• windstorms;
• flash floods;
• landslides;
• in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring;
• widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility

• strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar;
• the only African nation to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines;
• the waters off the Atlantic coast are particularly rich fishing areas

noun:

Moroccan(s)

adjective:

Moroccan

total:

30.9 years (2025 est.)

male:

30.1 years

female:

31 years

• the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts;
• a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.95 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

16 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

74.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.5 years

female:

76 years

total:

0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

12.3% (2025 est.)

male:

23.7% (2025 est.)

female:

0.9% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.5% (2018)

women married by age 18:

13.7% (2018)

in the north:

• land degradation and desertification, with soil erosion from farming, overgrazing, and vegetation removal;
• water and soil pollution from industrial-waste dumping;
• in the south: desertification;
• overgrazing;
• sparse water

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Environmental Modification

• Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior;
• in the south, hot, dry desert;
• rain is rare;
• cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

urban population:

65.1% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

energy:

36.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

283.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

377.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

6.852 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

25.4% (2022 est.)

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

municipal:

1.063 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

212 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

9.156 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

note: data does not include former Western Sahara

total global geoparks and regional networks:

1

global geoparks and regional networks:

M'Goun (2023)

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form:

Morocco

local long form:

Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form:

Al Maghrib

former:

French Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara

etymology:

• the English name of Morocco derives from, respectively, the Spanish and Portuguese names Marruecos and Marrocos, which stem from Marrakesh, the Latin name for the former capital of ancient Morocco;
• the Arabic name, Al Maghrib, translates as "The West"

name:

Rabat

geographic coordinates:

34 01 N, 6 49 W

time difference:

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

• derives from the Arabic name Ribat el-Fath, from the words ribat (fortified monastery) and fath (conquest);
• the third Almohad sultan, Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Manṣur, gave the name to a fort on the site in the 12th century

history:

several previous; latest drafted 17 June 2011, approved by referendum 1 July 2011

amendment process:

• proposed by the king, by the prime minister, or by members in either chamber of Parliament;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum;
• the king can opt to submit self-initiated proposals directly to a referendum

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

the father must be a citizen of Morocco; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999)

head of government:

Prime Minister Aziz AKHANNOUCH (since 7 October 2021)

cabinet:

• Council of Ministers chosen by the prime minister in consultation with Parliament and appointed by the monarch;
• the monarch chooses the ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Islamic Affairs, and National Defense Administration

election/appointment process:

the monarchy is hereditary; monarch appoints the prime minister from the majority party following legislative elections

legislature name:

Parliament (Barlaman)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

House of Representatives (Majliss-annouwab)

number of seats:

395 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

9/8/2021

parties elected and seats per party:

• National Rally of Independents (RNI) (102);
• Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) (87);
• Istiqlal Party (PI) (81);
• Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) (34);
• Popular Movement (MP) (28);
• Progress and Socialism Party (PPS) (22);
• Other (41)

percentage of women in chamber:

24.3%

expected date of next election:

September 2026

chamber name:

House of Councillors (Majlis al-Mustacharin)

number of seats:

120 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

6 years

most recent election date:

10/5/2021

percentage of women in chamber:

11.7%

expected date of next election:

October 2027

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of 5-judge panels organized into civil, family matters, commercial, administrative, social, and criminal sections);
• Constitutional Court (consists of 12 members)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of Judicial Power, a 20-member body presided over by the monarch, which includes the Supreme Court president, the prosecutor general, representatives of the appeals and first instance courts (among them 1 woman magistrate), the president of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), and 5 "notable persons" appointed by the monarch;
• judges appointed for life;
• Constitutional Court members - 6 designated by the monarch and 6 elected by Parliament;
• court president appointed by the monarch from among the court members;
• members serve 9-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts:

• courts of appeal;
• High Court of Justice;
• administrative and commercial courts;
• regional and Sadad courts (for religious, civil and administrative, and penal adjudication);
• first instance courts

• Action Party or PA
• Amal (hope) Party
• An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj or Democratic Way
• Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM
• Constitutional Union Party or UC
• Democratic and Social Movement or MDS
• Democratic Forces Front or FFD
• Environment and Sustainable Development Party or PEDD
• Federation of the Democratic Left or FGD
• Green Left Party or PGV
• Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI
• Moroccan Liberal Party or PML
• Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD
• National Democratic Party
• National Rally of Independents or RNI
• Neo-Democrats Party
• Party of Development Reform or PRD
• Party of Justice and Development or PJD
• Party of Liberty and Social Justice or PLJS
• Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS
• Popular Movement or MP
• Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV
• Renaissance Party
• Renewal and Equity Party or PRE
• Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party
• Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP
• Unified Socialist Party or GSU
• Unity and Democracy Party

chief of mission:

Ambassador Youssef AMRANI (since 27 February 2024)

chancery:

3508 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 462-7979

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-0161

email address and website:

[email protected]; Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the United States (diplomatie.ma)

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador-designate Richard Duke BUCHAN III (since 3 December 2025)

embassy:

Km 5.7 Avenue Mohammed VI, Souissi, Rabat 10170

mailing address:

9400 Rabat Place, Washington DC 20521-9400

telephone:

[212] 0537-637-200

FAX:

[212] 0537-637-201

email address and website:

https://ma.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general:

Casablanca

description:

red with a green pentacle (five-pointed linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag

meaning:

• 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;
• the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and the association between God and the nation

history:

the design dates to 1912

title:

"Hymne Cherifien" (Hymn of the Sharif)

lyrics/music:

Ali Squalli HOUSSAINI/Leo MORGAN

history:

music adopted 1956, lyrics adopted 1970

total World Heritage Sites:

9 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Medina of Fez;
• Medina of Marrakesh;
• Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou;
• Historic City of Meknes;
• Archaeological Site of Volubilis;
• Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin);
• Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador);
• Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida);
• Historic and Modern Rabat

• lower middle-income North African economy;
• ongoing recovery from recent drought and earthquake;
• rebounding via tourism, manufacturing, and raw materials processing;
• significant trade and investment with EU;
• reform programs include fiscal rebalancing, state enterprise governance and private sector investments

agriculture:

10.1% (2024 est.)

industry:

24.1% (2024 est.)

services:

54.1% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

22.1% (2024 est.)

male:

22% (2024 est.)

female:

22.4% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

34.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

consumption:

10.304 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

25 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

10.344 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

96 million metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

25 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

296,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

684,000 barrels (2021 est.)

production:

55.473 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

912.277 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

861.38 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

1.444 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

• 2 TV broadcast networks with state-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) operating one network and the state partially owning the other;
• foreign TV is available via satellite dish;
• 3 radio broadcast networks, with RTM operating one;
• the state-owned network includes 10 regional radio channels in addition to its national service (2019)

total:

2,067 km (2014)

standard gauge:

2,067 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified)

total ports:

12 (2024)

large:

3

medium:

1

small:

3

very small:

5

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Agadir, Casablanca, Tanger, Tangier-Mediterranean

refugees:

18,848 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

256 (2024 est.)