Morocco

Kingdom of MoroccoAl Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

constitutional monarchyIndependence 2 March 1956 (from France)

Morocco as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 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

LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea,

Populationas each edition published it

27.96 million July 1993 est. · 25.65m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.16% 1993 est. · 0.81% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

67.5 years 1993 est. · 74.2 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.96 children per woman 1993 est. · 4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

53.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 78 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,060 1992 est. · $9,100 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

0% 1992 est. · 3.2% in 2025

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 446,550 km2

arable land 18%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 28%forest and woodland 12%other 41%irrigated 12,650 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

446,550km2

land area: 446,300 km2comparative 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

total · Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

mostly mountains with rich coastal plains

Natural resources

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

Environment

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; desertification

Note

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People

14 fields

Population

27,955,090

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.16% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

29.23Death

6.56Net migration

-1.13

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years67.5

65.7 · 69.4

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy50%

61% · 38%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Arab-Berber 99.1%other 0.7%Jewish 0.2%

Religions

Muslim 98.7%Christian 1.1%Jewish 0.2%

Labor force

7.4million

by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 26%, industry 15%, other 9% (1985)

Infant mortality rate

53.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Moroccan(s)
adjective:: Moroccan

Languages

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

Government

Constitutional monarchy

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form:: Morocco
local long form:: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form:: Al Maghrib

Administrative divisions

37 provinces and 5 municipalities* (wilayas, singular - wilaya);
Agadir, Al, Hoceima, Azilal, Marrakech, Marrakech*, Meknes, Meknes*, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda,, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat,, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit

Constitution

10 March 1972, revised in 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

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Elections

Chamber of Representatives:: last held on 14 September 1984 (were scheduled for September 1990, but postponed until June 1993 when 27 new seats will be added);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (306 total, 206 elected) UC 83, RNI 61, MP 47, Istiqlal 41, USFP 36, PND 24, other 14

Executive branch

monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab)

Leaders

Chief of State:: King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Mohamed KARIM-LAMRANI (since October 1992)

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mohamed BELKHAYAT
chancery:: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone:: (202) 462-7979
consulate general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: (vacant)
embassy:: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat
mailing address:: P. O. Box 120, Rabat, or PSC 74, APO AE 09718
telephone:: [212] (7) 76-22-65
FAX:: [212] (7) 76-56-61
consulate general:: 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

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,060

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 8.4%; accounts for 27% of GDP (1990)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

19%

(1992 est.)

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%. 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. In 1992 Morocco embarked on a program to privatize 112 state-owned companies. A severe winter drought in 1991/92 cut back agricultural output in 1992.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $28.1 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

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

Imports

$7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

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%, former USSR 3%, Japan 2%

External debt

$20 billion (1991)

Electricity

2,384,000 kW capacity; 8,864 million kWh produced, 317 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 16% 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;
fish 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 and an additional $123.6 million for 1992;
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

1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 9.207 (February 1993), 8.538 (1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242 (1990), 8.488 (1989), 8.209 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

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

Merchant marine

50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 305,758 GRT/484,825 DWT;
10 cargo, 2 container, 11 refrigerated cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 4 oil tanker, 11 chemical tanker, 4 bulk, 2 short-sea passenger

Airports

total:: 73
usable:: 65
with permanent-surface runways:: 26
with runways over 3,659 m:: 2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 13
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 26

Telecommunications

good system composed of wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links;
principal centers are Casablanca and Rabat;
secondary centers are Fes, Marrakech, Oujda, Tangier, and Tetouan;
280,000 telephones (10.5 telephones per 1,000 persons);
broadcast stations - 20 AM, 7 FM, 26 TV and 26 repeaters;
5 submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave to Algeria;
microwave radio relay network linking Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco