Morocco

constitutional monarchyIndependence 2 March 1956 (from France)

Morocco as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalRabat

Area446,550 km2

Populationas each edition published it

26.71 million July 1992 · 25.65m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.16% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 67.5 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.7 children per woman 1992 · 4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

56 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 78 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,060 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

446,550km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than California

Coastline

1,835km

Contiguous zone: 24 nmContinental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitationExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,002km

Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km

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

mostly mountains with rich coastal plains

Natural resources

phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use

arable land 18%;
permanent crops 1%;
meadows and pastures 28%;
forest and woodland 12%;
other 41%;
includes irrigated 1%

Environment

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; desertification

Note

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People

14 fields

Population

26,708,587

(July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

29Death

Ethnic divisions

Arab-Berber 99.1%non-Moroccan 0.7%Jewish 0.2%

Religions

Muslim 98.7%Christian 1.1%Jewish 0.2%

Literacy

50%

(male 61%, female 38%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun - Moroccan(s); adjective - Moroccan

Languages

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

Labor force

7,400,000; agriculture 50%, services 26%, industry 15%, other 9% (1985)

Organized labor

about 5% of the labor force, mainly in the Union of Moroccan Workers (UMT) and the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT)

Government

Constitutional monarchy

19 fields

37 provinces and 5 municipalities* (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Fes*, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Marrakech*, Meknes, 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)

Constitution

10 March 1972

Legal system

based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court

National holiday

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

Executive branch

monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Dr. Azzedine LARAKI (since 30 September 1986)

Political parties and leaders

Morocco has 15 political parties;
the major ones are Istiqlal, M'Hamed BOUCETTA;
Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP);
Popular Movement (MP), Secretariat General;
National Assembly of Independents (RNI), Ahmed OSMAN;
National Democratic Party (PND), Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI;
Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS);
Constitutional Union (UC), Maati BOUABID

Suffrage

universal at age 21

Elections

Chamber of Representatives:: last held on 14 September 1984 (were scheduled for September 1990, but postponed until NA 1992);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (306 total, 206 elected) CU 83, RNI 61, MP 47, Istiqlal 41, USFP 36, PND 24, other 14

Communists

about 2,000

Member of

ABEDA, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IIB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, OAS (observer), NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Mohamed BELKHAYAT;
Chancery at 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone (202) 462-7979;
there is a Moroccan Consulate General in New York

US:: Ambassador Frederick VREELAND; Embassy at 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat (mailing address is P. O. Box 120, Rabat, or PSC 74, APO AE 09718; telephone [212] (7) 76-22-65; FAX [212] (7) 76-56-61; there is a US Consulate General in Casablanca

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

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

8.1%

(1991 )

Unemployment rate

16%

(1991)

External debt

$20billion

(1991)

Budget

Revenues

$7.5 billionExpenditures

$7.7 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $1.9 billion (1992)

Overview

The economy had recovered moderately in 1990 because of: the resolution of a trade dispute with India over phosphoric acid sales, a rebound in textile sales to the EC, lower prices for food imports, a sharp increase in worker remittances, increased Arab donor aid, and generous debt rescheduling agreements.

Economic performance in 1991 was mixed. A record harvest helped real GDP advance by 4.2%, although nonagricultural output grew by less than 1%. Inflation accelerated slightly as easier financial policies triggered rapid credit and monetary growth. Despite recovery of domestic demand, import volume growth slowed while export volume was adversely affected by phosphate marketing difficulties.

In January 1992, Morocco reached a new 12-month standby arrangement for $129 million with the IMF. In February 1992, the Paris Club rescheduled $1.4 billion of Morocco's commercial debt. This is thought to be Morocco's last rescheduling. By 1993 the Moroccan authorities hope to be in a position to meet all debt service obligations without additional rescheduling. Servicing this large debt, high unemployment, and Morocco's vulnerability to external economic forces remain severe long-term problems.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $27.3 billion, per capita $1,060; real growth rate 4.2% (1991)

Exports

$4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: food and beverages 30%, semiprocessed goods 23%, consumer goods 21%, phosphates 17%
partners:: EC 58%, India 7%, Japan 5%, USSR 3%, US 2%

Imports

$6.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: capital goods 24%, semiprocessed goods 22%, raw materials 16%, fuel and lubricants 16%, food and beverages 13%, consumer goods 9%
partners:: EC 53%, US 11%, Canada 4%, Iraq 3%, USSR 3%, Japan 2%

Industrial production

growth rate 4% (1989 est.); accounts for an estimated 20% of GDP

Electricity

2,270,000 kW capacity; 8,170 million kWh produced, 310 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Agriculture

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;
fishing catch of 491,000 metric tons in 1987

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;
occasional transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe.

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.3 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.5 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4.8 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $2.5 billion;
$2.8 billion debt canceled by Saudi Arabia (1991);
IMF standby agreement worth $13 million;
World Bank, $450 million (1991)

Currency

Moroccan dirham (plural - dirhams); 1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 8.889 (March 1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242 (1990), 8.488 (1989), 8.209 (1988), 8.359 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 51 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 10container 2refrigerated cargo 12roll-on/roll-off 6petroleum tanker 3chemical tanker 11bulk 4short-sea passenger 351 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 315,249 GRT/487,479 DWT

Airports, 75 total, 67 usable

permanent-surface runways

26runways over | 3,659 m

2runways 2,440-3,659 m

13runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

59,198Railroads

1,893

Highways: ; 27,740 km paved, 31,458 km gravel, crushed stone, improved earth, and unimproved earth · Railroads: (246 km double track, 974 km electrified)

Railroads

1,893 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (246 km double track, 974 km electrified)

Highways

59,198 km total; 27,740 km paved, 31,458 km gravel, crushed stone, improved earth, and unimproved earth

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Civil air

28 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

good system composed of wire lines, cables, and radio relay links;
principal centers are Casablanca and Rabat;
secondary centers are Fes, Marrakech, Oujda, Tangier, and Tetouan;
280,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 20 AM, 7 FM, 26 TV and 26 additional rebroadcast sites;
5 submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT;
radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave to Algeria;
microwave network linking Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco