Morocco

Airports

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

Highways

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

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

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

Railroads

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

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

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

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

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.)

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

Budget

revenues: $7.5 billion expenditures: $7.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.9 billion (1992 est.)

Currency

1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

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)

Electricity

capacity: 2,384,000 kW production: 8.864 billion kWh consumption per capita: 317 kWh (1992)

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)

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%

External debt

$21.3 billion (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

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.

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%

Industrial production

growth rate 0.1% (year NA); accounts for 31% of GDP (1991)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.5% (1993 est.)

National product

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

National product per capita

$2,500 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

2% (1993 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.

Unemployment rate

16% (1992 est.)

Area

total area: 446,550 sq km land area: 446,300 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than California

Climate

Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Coastline

1,835 km

Environment

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

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

Irrigated land

12,650 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 2,002 km, Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km

Land use

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

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

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

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

Note

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Terrain

mostly mountains with rich coastal plains

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

Capital

Rabat

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

Constitution

10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992

Digraph

MO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: (202) 462-7979 through 7982

Executive branch

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

FAX

(202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York

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

Independence

2 March 1956 (from France)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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

unicameral

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

Names

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

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Type

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

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

Birth rate

28.59 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

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

Labor force

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

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.23 years male: 66.36 years female: 70.2 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 50% male: 61% female: 38%

Nationality

noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Net migration rate

-1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

28,558,635 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

2.12% (1994 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Total fertility rate

3.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)