Statistical information Morocco 1992

Morocco in the World

Morocco - Introduction 1992

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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.

Morocco - Geography 1992

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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 446,550 km²
Land: 446,300 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: 2,002 km; Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km

Coastline: 1,835 km

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
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

Elevation

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use

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

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography

Morocco - People 1992

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Population: 26,708,587 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Moroccan(s; adjective - Moroccan

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, non-Moroccan 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

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

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 29 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; desertification
Current issues note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 56 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 67 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Morocco - Government 1992

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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

Government 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

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

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 21
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

Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:

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 20,009; telephone (202) 462-7,979; 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 9,718; telephone 212 (7) 76-22-65; FAX 212 (7) 76-56-61; there is a US
Consulate General in Casablanca

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage

Morocco - Economy 1992

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Economy 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)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: 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

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

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 4% (1989 est.), accounts for an estimated 20% of GDP

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)

Labor force