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.

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 446,550 km²
Land: 446,300 km²

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

Coastline: 1,835 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Terrain: mostly mountains with rich coastal plains

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

Land use
Arable land: 18%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 28%
Forest and woodland: 12%
Other: 41%

Irrigated land: 12,650 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 27,955,090 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.16% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Moroccan(s)
Adjective: Moroccan

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

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language

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

Population growth rate: 2.16% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 29.23 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.13 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 53.4 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.5 years
Male: 65.7 years
Female: 69.4 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.96 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 50%
Male: 61%
Female: 38%

Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
Conventional short form: Morocco
Local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
Local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Constitution: 10 March 1972, revised in September 1992

Legal system:

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
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)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BELKHAYAT
In the us chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009;
In the us telephone: (202) 462-7,979
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: (vacant)
From the us embassy: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 120, Rabat, or PSC 74, APO AE 9,718
From the us telephone: 212 (7) 76-22-65
From the us fax: 212 (7) 76-56-61
From the us consulate general: Casablanca

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 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 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 0% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,060 (1992 est.)

Agriculture products: 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

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

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 8.4%; accounts for 27% of GDP (1990)

Labor force: 7.4 million
By occupation agriculture: 50%
By occupation services: 26%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation other: 9% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 19% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues $7.5 billion; expenditures $7.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.9 billion (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: 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.)
Commodoties: 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%

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)

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

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, 3.8% of GDP (1993 budget)

Airports: 73
Usable: 65
With permanentsurface runways: 26
With runways over 3659 m: 2
With runways 2440-3659 m: 13
With runways 1220-2439 m: 26

Pipelines: crude oil 362 km; petroleum products (abandoned) 491 km; natural gas 241 km

Merchant marine:

Disputes international:

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