Background: In 788 about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century the Sa'adi monarchy particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603) repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. The Alaouite dynasty to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs established a sultanate in Morocco beginning in the 17th century. In 1860 Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912 the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Sultan MOHAMMED V the current monarch's grandfather organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of King. Morocco 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 which first met in 1997. Under King MOHAMMED VI - who in 1999 succeeded his father to the throne - human rights have improved. Morocco enjoys a moderately free press but the government occasionally takes action against journalists who report on three broad subjects considered to be taboo: the monarchy Islam and the status of Western Sahara. Despite the continuing reforms ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N 5 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 446,550 km²
Rank: 57
Land: 446,300 km²
Water: 250 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 2017.9 km
Border countries: (3) Algeria 1559 km; Western Sahara 443 km; Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km; Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1835 km

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

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: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources: phosphates iron ore manganese lead zinc fish salt

Land use
Arable land: 19%
Permanent crops: 2%
Other: 79% (2005)

Irrigated land: 14,450 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 29 km³ (2003)

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

Geography
Note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Population: 31,627,428 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 38
Growth rate: 1.077% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 118
Below poverty line: 15% (2007 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: 28.7%
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 10,009,928/female 10,437,103)
65 years and over: 6% (male 851,190/female 1,019,377) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 26.5 years
Male: 25.9 years
Female: 27 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.077% (2010 est.)
Rank: 118

Birth rate: 19.4 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 102

Death rate: 4.74 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 195

Net migration rate: -3.88 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 192

Urbanization
Urban population: 56% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 28.61 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 76
Male: 33.52 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 23.46 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.69 years
Rank: 77
Male: 72.63 years
Female: 78.9 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 108

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 132
People living with hivaids: 21,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 77
Deaths: fewer than 1000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 77

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 40

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 52.3%
Male: 65.7%
Female: 39.6% (2004 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 9 years (2006)

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
Name: Rabat
Geographic coordinates: 34 01 N 6 49 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 15 regions; Grand Casablanca Chaouia-Ouardigha Doukkala-Abda Fes-Boulemane Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen Guelmim-Es Smara Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz Meknes-Tafilalet Oriental Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer Souss-Massa-Draa Tadla-Azilal Tanger-Tetouan Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
Note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco also claims Oued Eddahab-Lagouira another region that falls entirely within Western Sahara

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

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

Constitution: 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992 amended September 1996
Note: the amendment of September 1996 was to create a bicameral legislature

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI
Head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils professional organizations and labor syndicates to serve nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held on 3 October 2009 (next to be held in 2012); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
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 - PI 52 PJD 46 MP 41 RNI 39 USFP 38 UC 27 PPS 17 FFD 9 MDS 9 Al Ahd 8 other 39

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 [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]; Al Ahd (The Covenant) Party [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Alliance des Libert'es (Alliance of Liberty) or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Mohamed Cheikh BIADILLAH Secretary General]; Choura et Istiqlal (Consultation and Independence) Party or PCI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Citizens' Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizenship and Development Initiative or ICD [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohammed ABIED]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Touhami EL KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah BENKIRANE]; Labor Party or PT [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; 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 [Mustapha EL MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV [Mohamed KHALIDI]; Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Democratic Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abdelwahed RADI]; Unified Socialist Left Party or PGSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]

International organization participation: ABEDA AfDB AFESD AMF AMU CD EBRD FAO G-11 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAS MIGA MONUSCO NAM OAS (observer) OIC OIF OPCW OSCE (partner) Paris Club (associate) PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
In the us chancery: 1601 21st Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-7,979
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-0161
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel L. KAPLAN
From the us embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi Rabat
From the us mailing address: PSC 74 Box 021 APO AE 9,718
From the us telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
From the us fax: [212] (37) 76 56 61
From the us consulate general: Casablanca

Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and signifies the association between God and the nation; design dates to 1912

National anthem
Name: 'Hymne Cherifien'
Lyricsmusic: Ali Squalli HOUSSAINI/Leo MORGAN
Note: music adopted 1956 lyrics adopted 1970

Economy overview: Morocco's market economy benefits from the country's relatively low labor costs and proximity to Europe which aid key areas of the economy such as agriculture light manufacturing tourism and remittances. Morocco is also the world's largest exporter of phosphate which has long provided a source of export earnings and economic stability. Economic policies pursued since 2003 by King MOHAMMED VI have brought macroeconomic stability to the country with generally low inflation improved financial performance and steady progress in developing the service and industrial sectors. In 2006 Morocco entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US and in 2008 entered into an advanced status in its 2000 Association Agreement with the EU. However poverty illiteracy and unemployment rates remain high. In response to these challenges King MOHAMMED in 2005 launched a National Initiative for Human Development a $2 billion program aimed at alleviating poverty and underdevelopment by expanding electricity to rural areas and replacing urban slums with public and subsidized housing among other policies. Morocco's trade and budget deficits widened in 2010 and reducing govenment spending and adapting to sluggish economic growth in Europe will be challenges in 2011. Morocco's long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for young Moroccans closing the disparity in wealth between the rich and the poor confronting corruption and expanding and diversifying exports beyond phosphates and low-value-added products.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 58
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 73

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 147
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17.1%
Industry: 31.6%
Services: 51.4% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: barley wheat citrus fruits grapes vegetables olives; livestock; wine

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2010 est.)
Rank: 76

Labor force: 11.63 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 43
By occupation agriculture: 44.6%
By occupation industry: 19.8%
By occupation services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 109

Population below poverty line: 15% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.7%
Highest 10: 33.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39.5 (1999 est.)
Rank: 58

Public debt: 56.9% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 39

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 76

Central bank discount rate: 3.32% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 112

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money: $64.58 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 40

Stock of broad money: $99.5 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 51

Stock of domestic credit: $91.83 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 53

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 46

Current account balance: -$4.958 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 174

Exports: $13.92 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 76
Commodities: clothing and textiles electric components inorganic chemicals transistors crude minerals fertilizers (including phosphates) petroleum products citrus fruits vegetables fish
Partners: Spain 22.02% France 20.22% India 4.91% Italy 4% (2009)

Imports: $30.55 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 54
Commodities: crude petroleum textile fabric telecommunications equipment wheat gas and electricity transistors plastics
Partners: France 16.95% Spain 14.72% China 7.1% Italy 6.76% Germany 6.28% US 5.66% Saudi Arabia 5.11% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $23.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 38

Debt external: $21.12 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 70

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $40.72 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 57

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $1.333 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 72

Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 8.3619 (2010) 8.0571 (2009) 7.526 (2008) 8.3563 (2007) 8.7722 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 19.78 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 71
Consumption: 20.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 68
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 3.429 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 60 million m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 81
Consumption: 560 million m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 94
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 91
Imports: 500 million m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 59
Proven reserves: 1.501 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 96

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3.516 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 45
Mobile cellular: 25.311 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 35

Telephone system
General assessment: good system composed of open-wire lines cables and microwave radio relay links; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay; Internet available but expensive
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is roughly 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership approached 75 per 100 persons in 2009
International: country code - 212; landing point for the Atlas Offshore Estepona-Tetouan Euroafrica Spain-Morocco and SEA-ME-WE-3 fiber-optical telecommunications undersea cables that provide connectivity to Asia the Middle East and Europe; 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 (2009)

Broadcast media: 2 television broadcast networks with state-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) operating one network and the state partially owning the other; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite dish; 3 radio broadcast networks with RTM operating one; the government-owned network includes 10 regional radio channels in addition to its national service (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ma
Hosts: 277,793 (2010)
Hosts rank: 61
Users: 13.213 million (2009)
Users rank: 29

Military expenditures: 5% of GDP (2003 est.)
Rank: 16

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2010)

Airports: 58 (2010)
Rank: 81
With paved runways total: 32
With paved runways over 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 26
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 8 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 1907 km
Rank: 74
Standard gauge: 1907 km 1.435-m gauge (1022 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 57,625 km
Rank: 79
Paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 21,961 km (2006)

Merchant marine
Total: 30
Rank: 84
By type: cargo 2 chemical tanker 2 container 7 passenger/cargo 15 petroleum tanker 1 roll on/roll off 3
Foreign owned: 6 (France 4 Germany 2)
Registered in other countries: 5 (Gibraltar 4 Panama 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Casablanca Jorf Lasfar Mohammedia Safi Tangier

Disputes international: claims and administers Western Sahara whose 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 all brokered 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; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs: one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Wes