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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. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.
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Common Name: Morocco
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Local Official Name: Al Maghrib
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Abbreviated Name: Kingdom of Morocco
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Official Name: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
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Official Script Name: Morocco
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Local Common Name: Morocco
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Former Name: Morocco
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: King MOHAMED VI
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Government Type: constitutional monarchy
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Independence: 1956 March 2 (from France)
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Constitution: 1972 March 10, revised 1992 September 4 (amended (to cr
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National Holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30
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International Organization Participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Administrative Divisions: 37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit
note: three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara; decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature in March 1997 created many new provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the reorganization not yet available
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court
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Suffrage: 21 years of age years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since 14 March 1998)
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:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Representatives - last held 14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002)
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 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)
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Party Leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Abderrahman BENAMROU]; Citizen's Forces [Abderrahman LAJOUJI]; Constitutional Union or CU [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Eissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Party for Independence or PDI [Abd al Wahid AL MAASH]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas El FASSI]; Moroccan Liberal Party [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of Democratic and Popular Action or OADP [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Party of Justice and Development or PJD (note - formerly the Popular Constitutional and Democratic Movement or MPCD) [Dr. Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Party of the National Unionist Congress [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Reform and Development [Abderrahman EL KOUHEN]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud AARSHANE]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI]
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International Disputes: 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 reject other proposals; Spain controls three small possessions off the coast of Morocco - the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas and two autonomous communities on the coast of Morrocco - Ceuta and Mellila; Morocco rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to explore undersea resources and to interdict illegal refugees from Africa
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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
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Location of Morocco: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
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Continent: Africa
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Land Area Total: 446,550 sq km
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Region: Northern African |
Land Area Land: 446,300 sq km
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Capitol City: Rabat
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Land Area Water: 250 sq km
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Current:
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Latitude: 032 00 N
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Border Boundary Land: 2,017 km
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Longitude: 005 00 W
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Border Boundary Coastline: 1,835 km
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Arable Land: 20.00 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 2.00 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 4,165 m
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Location: Jbel Toubkal
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Lowest Elevation: -55 m
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Location: Sebkha Tah
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Largest City in Morocco: Casablanca
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Casablanca Largest City Population: 3,448,000
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Threatened Species: 36
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Environmental 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
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
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Irrigated Land: 12,910
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Bordering Countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km
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Natural Resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
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Geographical Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
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Comparative Area of Morocco: slightly larger than California
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Morocco's Geography: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Morocco.
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General Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
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Natural Hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts
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Economic 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 5%. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth.
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GDP: $112,000,000,000 USD
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Currency: Moroccan dirham
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GDP per Capita: $3,700 USD
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Currency Code: MAD
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GDP Growth Rate: 5.00 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% MAD
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Currency Exchange Rate History: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (January 2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)
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GDP of Agriculture: 15.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 33.00 %
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GDP of Services: 52.00 % |
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Inflation Rate: 1.00 % |
Population in Poverty: 19.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 23.00 %
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Tourism: 3,817,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 2.60 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $13,800,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 30.90 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $14,600,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 14,243,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 14,346,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 1,100,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 91.27%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 8.73%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $19,000,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $565,600,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock
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Primary Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
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Industrial Growth Rate: 0.05 %
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Import Amount in USD: $12,400,000,000 USD - semiprocessed goods, machinery and equipment, food and beverages, consumer goods, fuel
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Import Partners: France 25%, Spain 11%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, UK 5%, US 5%
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Export Amount in USD: $8,200,000,000 USD - phosphates and fertilizers, food and beverages, minerals
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Export Partners: France 26%, Spain 10%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Germany 5%, India 5%, US 5%
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GINI Index: 39.50%
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Labor Force Number of People: 11,000,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 58 |
Number of People with Radios: 6,640,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 35 |
Number of People with Televisions: 3,100,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 1,391,000 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 116,645 |
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Internet Service Providers: 8 |
Internet Users: 220,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .ma |
Newspapers: 27 |
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Two Letter Country Code: MA |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: +212 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: 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
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Highways: 30,254 km |
Railways: 1,907 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 1,094 km |
Waterways: 0 km
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Airports: 26 |
Heliports: 1
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Motor Vehicles: 56 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 31,885,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 1.20 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 227,364 GRT/277,306 DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, chemical tanker 6, container 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2
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Ports and Harbors: Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla
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Population: 31,167,783 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 23.69 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 63.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 5.86 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.68% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.97 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 5,364,948 |
Population Female 0-14: 5,166,666 |
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Population Male 15-64: 9,518,503 |
Population Female 15-64: 9,640,292 |
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Population Male 65+: 661,054 |
Population Female 65+: 816,320 |
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Population 0-14: 33.80% |
Literacy Rate: 43.70% |
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Population 15-64: 61.50% |
Literacy rate of Males: 56.60% |
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Population 65+: 4.70% |
Literacy rate of Females: 31.00% |
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Population that is Male: 50.00
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Population that is Female: 50.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 69.73 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 46.49 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 67.49 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 72.08 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.03%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 0
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 0 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: -1.09
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Nationality: MOROCCAN
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Ethnic Groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%
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Primary Language: Arabic
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Other Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
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Primary Religion: Muslim
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Other Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
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Branches: Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 18 years of age years
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Manpower Available: 8,393,772 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 5,289,283 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 348,380 People per year
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Expenditures: $1,400,000,000 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 4.00
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Morocco Spa and Resort Directory
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