2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, 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; 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

note

as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited : Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168) 15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Airports

63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

26

under 914 m

1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

37 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

under 914 m

11 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Area

land

446,300 sq km

total

446,550 sq km

water

250 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than California

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. Geography Morocco

Birth rate

23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

revenues

$13.8 billion

Capital

Rabat

Climate

Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Coastline

1,835 km

Constitution

10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form

Morocco

local long form

Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form

Al Maghrib

Currency

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code

MAD

Death rate

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER

embassy

2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat

mailing address

PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718

telephone

[212] (37) 76 22 65

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR

consulate(s) general

New York

Disputes - international

claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.5 (1998-99)

Economic aid - recipient

$565.6 million (1995)

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. Droughts 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 rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002.

Electricity - consumption

14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

95.4%

hydro

4.6%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

lowest point

Sebkha Tah -55 m

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

Ethnic groups

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63 (2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

head of government

Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002)

Exports

$7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables

Exports - partners

France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US 4.8% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-0161

[212] (37) 76 56 61

chancery

1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

consulate(s) general

Casablanca

telephone

[1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Morocco

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 Morocco

Formidable long-term challenges include

servicing the external debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

15%

industry

33%

services

52% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.6% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

32 00 N, 5 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar People Morocco

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Morocco

Highways

paved

32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)

total

57,707 km

unpaved

25,160 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

13,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.9% (1998-99)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing 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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners

France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Independence

2 March 1956 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

48.76 deaths/1,000 live births

total

44.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

8 (2000)

Internet users

400,000 (2002) Transportation Morocco

Irrigated land

12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Labor force

11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

total

2,017.9 km

Land use

arable land

20.12%

other

77.83% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.05%

Languages

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

Legal system

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

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)

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 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD 6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

elections

Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.41 years (2003 est.)

male

67.77 years

total population

70.04 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

39.4% (2003 est.) Government Morocco

male

64.1%

total population

51.7%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

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

Median age

female

23.5 years (2002)

male

22.5 years

total

23 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 2

total

39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT

Military branches

Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4% (FY99) Transnational Issues Morocco

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

351,671 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

Nationality

adjective

Moroccan

noun

Moroccan(s)

Natural gas - consumption

50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

665.4 million cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

900,000 bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Population

31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

19% (1999 est.)

Population growth rate

1.64% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios

6.64 million (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

total

1,907 km

Religions

Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Telephone system

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

general assessment

modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.391 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

116,645 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

3.1 million (1997)

Terrain

northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

19% (2002 est.)

Waterways

none