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.

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N 5 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 446,550 km²
Land: 446,300 km²
Water: 250 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 2,017.9 km
Border countries: (3) Algeria 1,559 km; , Western Sahara 443 km; , Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km; , Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1835 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: Mediterranean becoming more extreme in the interior

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
Extremes highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources: phosphates iron ore manganese lead zinc fish salt

Land use
Arable land: 20.12%
Permanent crops: 2.05%
Other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,910 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Geography
Note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Population: 31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 1.64% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Moroccan
Adjective: Moroccan

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

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

Religions: Muslim 98.7% Christian 1.1% Jewish 0.2%

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.)

Median age
Total: 23 years
Male: 22.5 years
Female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.64% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 23.26 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.03 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 44.87 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 40.79 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 48.76 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.04 years
Male: 67.77 years
Female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 13,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 51.7%
Male: 64.1%
Female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

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

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Administrative divisions
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

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne) 30 July (1999)

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

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch
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)
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

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

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]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
In the us consulates general: New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-0161
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-7,979 through 7,982
In the us chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER
From the us embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
From the us mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90,718
From the us telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
From the us fax: [212] (37) 76 56 61
From the us consulates 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: 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. 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.6% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 15%
Industry: 33%
Services: 52% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: barley wheat citrus wine vegetables olives; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1999)
By occupation agriculture: 50%
By occupation services: 35%
By occupation industry: 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 19% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39.5 (1998-99)

Budget
Revenues: $13.8 billion
Expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.6% (2002 est.)

Exports: $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: clothing fish inorganic chemicals transistors crude minerals fertilizers (including phosphates) petroleum products fruits vegetables
Partners: France 26.5% Spain 14.3% UK 7.9% Germany 5.8% Italy 5.6% US 4.8% (2002)

Imports: $10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: crude petroleum textile fabric telecommunications equipment wheat gas and electricity transistors plastics
Partners: France 20.9% Spain 12.6% Italy 6.3% Germany 5.5% US 4.6% UK 4.1% Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Debt external: $17.7 billion (2002 est.)

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

Electricity
Production: 13.35 billion kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 95.4%
Production by source hydro: 4.6%
Production by source other: 0% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 14.61 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Natural gas
Production: 50 million m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 50 million m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 665.4 million m³ (37,257)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.391 million (1998)
Mobile cellular: 116,645 (1998)

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

Internet
Country code: .ma
Service providers isps: 8 (2000)
Users: 400,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.4 billion (FY99/00)
Percent of gdp: 4% (FY99)

Airports: 63 (2002)
With paved runways total: 26
With paved runways over 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways total: 37
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 11 (2002)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Pipelines: gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Railways
Total: 1,907 km
Standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT
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
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002 est.)

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

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