Morocco

constitutional monarchyIndependence 2 March 1956 (from France)

Morocco as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 126 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalRabat
LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean
1994

Every edition of Morocco

Populationas each edition published it
28.56 million July 1994 est. · 25.65m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.12% 1994 est. · 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
3.83 children per woman 1994 est. · 4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
49.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 78 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,500 1993 est. · $1,060 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2% 1993 est. · 0% in 1993

Geography

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

25 fields
Coastline
1,835km
Land boundaries
2,002km
total · Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km
Irrigated land
12,650sq km
(1989 est.)

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

total area

446,550 sq km

land area

446,300 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than California

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land

18%

permanent crops

1%

meadows and pastures

28%

forest and woodland

12%

other

41%

current issues

  • land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation);
  • water supplies contaminated by untreated sewage;
  • siltation of reservoirs;
  • oil pollution of coastal waters

natural hazards

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Note

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People

21 fields
Population
28,558,635
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.12% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
28.59Death
6.26Net migration
-1.16

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
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

49.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

68.23 years

male

66.36 years

female

70.2 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Moroccan(s)

adjective

Moroccan

Languages

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

total population

50%

male

61%

female

38%

by occupation

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

Government

Constitutional monarchy

36 fields

conventional long form

Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form

Morocco

local long form

Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form

Al Maghrib

Type

constitutional monarchy

Capital

Rabat

Administrative divisions

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)

National holiday

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

Constitution

10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

chief of state

King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961)

head of government

Prime Minister Abdellatif FILALI (since 29 May 1994)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the King

Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab)

  • elections last held 15 June 1993 (direct popular vote) and 17 September 1993 (indirect special interest vote);
  • next to be held NA 1999;
  • results - seats (333 total), direct popular vote (222 seats) USFP 48, IP 43, MP 33, RNI 28, UC 27, PND 14, MNP 14, PPS 6, PDI 3, SAP 2, PA 2, OADP 2;
  • indirect special interest vote (111 seats) UC 27, MP 18, RNI 13, MNP 11, PND 10, IP 7, Party of Shura and Istiqlal 6, USFP 4, PPS 4, CDT 4, UTM 3, UGTM 2, SAP 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

opposition

  • Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), leader NA;
  • Istiqlal Party (IP), M'Hamed BOUCETTA;
  • Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), Ali YATA;
  • Organization of Democratic and Popular Action (OADP), leader NA

pro-government

  • Constitutional Union (UC), Maati BOUABID;
  • Popular Movement (MP), Mohamed LAENSER;
  • National Democratic Party (PND), Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI;
  • National Popular Movement, Mahjoubi AHARDANE

independents

  • National Rally of Independents (RNI), Ahmed OSMAN;
  • Democracy and Istiqlal Party (PDI), leader NA;
  • Action Party (PA), leader NA;
  • Non-Obedience Candidates (SAP), leader NA

elections

  • Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT), leader NA;
  • General Union of Moroccan Workers (UGTM), leader NA;
  • Moroccan Union of Workers (UTM), leader NA;
  • Party of Shura and Istiqlal, leader NA

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, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, OAS (observer), NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA

chancery

1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;

telephone

(202) 462-7979 through 7982

FAX

(202) 265-0161

consulate(s) general

New York

chief of mission

Ambassador Marc C. GINSBERG

embassy

2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat

mailing address

PSC 74, Box 003 APO AE 09718

telephone

[212] (7) 76-22-65

FAX

[212] (7) 76-56-61

consulate(s) 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

Morocco faces the typical problems of developing | countries--restraining government spending, reducing constraints on | private activity and foreign trade, and keeping inflation within | bounds.

27 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
2%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 0.1% (year NA); accounts for 31% of GDP (1991)
Unemployment rate
16%
(1992 est.)

Overview

Morocco faces the typical problems of developing countries--restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and keeping inflation within bounds. Since the early 1980s the government has pursued an economic program toward these objectives with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club of creditors. The economy has substantial; assets to draw on: the world's largest phosphate reserves, diverse agricultural and fishing resources, a sizable tourist industry, a growing manufacturing sector, and large remittances from Moroccans working abroad. However, a severe drought in 1992-93 has depressed economic activity and held down experts. Real GDP contracted by 2.9% in 1992, and growth for 1993 is estimated at only 2%. Despite these setbacks, initiatives to relax capital controls, strengthen the banking sector, and privatize state enterprises went forward in 1993. Servicing the large debt, high unemployment, and vulnerability to external economic forces remain long-term problems for Morocco.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $70.3 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$7.5 billion

expenditures

$7.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.9 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$5.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities

food and beverages 30%, semiprocessed goods 23%, consumer goods 21%, phosphates 17%

partners

EC 64%, India 6%, Japan 4%, US 3%

Imports

$8.4 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities

capital goods 24%, semiprocessed goods 22%, raw materials 16%, fuel and lubricants 16%, food and beverages 13%, consumer goods 9%

partners

EC 63%, US 6%, Saudi Arabia 4%, FSU 4%, Japan 1%

External debt

$21.3 billion (1992)

capacity

2,384,000 kW

production

8.864 billion kWh

consumption per capita

317 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 14% 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

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.

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.3 billion;
  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $123.6 million;
  • 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

note

  • $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 - 9.669 (January 1994), 9.299 (1993), 8.538 (1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242 (1990), 8.488 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

14 fields

Railroads

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

total

59,198 km

paved

27,740 km

unpaved

gravel, crushed stone, improved earth, unimproved earth 31,458 km

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

47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 226,369 GRT/335,089 DWT, cargo 9, chemical tanker 11, container 3, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 2

total

73

usable

64

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

25

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

Defense Forces

Royal Moroccan Army, Royal Moroccan Navy, Royal Moroccan Air Force, | Royal Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

3 fields

Branches

Royal Moroccan Army, Royal Moroccan Navy, Royal Moroccan Air Force, Royal Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 7,076,261;
  • fit for military service 4,494,641;
  • reach military age (18) annually 317,093 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, 3.8% of GDP (1993 budget)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Morocco.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/morocco/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →