MOROCCO is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 34 million. It has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. 

Morocco has international borders with Algeria to the east, Spain to the north (a water border through the Strait and land borders with two small Spanish autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla), and Mauritania to the south via its Western Saharan territories.

Morocco is the only country in Africa that is not currently a member of the African Union. However, it is a member of the Arab League, Arab Maghreb Union, Francophonie, Organization of the Islamic Conference, Mediterranean Dialogue group, and Group of 77. It is also a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

BASIC FACTS

Official name

Kingdom of Morocco

Capital

Rabat

Area 

453,730 sq km
175,186 sq mi

Largest cities (population)

Casablanca 2,933,684 (2004)
Rabat 1,622,860 (2004)
Fès 946,815 (2004)
Marrakesh 823,200 (2007 estimate)
Tangier 703,614 (2007 estimate)

Population

34,272,968 (2008 estimate)

Population growth rate 

1.50 per cent (2008 estimate)

Population density 

77 persons per sq km (2008 estimate)
199 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)

Urbanisation

Per cent urban 59 per cent (2005 estimate)
Per cent rural 41 per cent (2005 estimate)

Life expectancy

Total 71.5 years (2008 estimate)
Female 74 years (2008 estimate)
Male 69.1 years (2008 estimate)

Infant mortality rate

38 deaths per 1,000 live births (2008 estimate)

Literacy rate

Total 53.5 per cent (2005 estimate)
Female 41.5 per cent (2005 estimate)
Male 65.6 per cent (2005 estimate)

Ethnic divisions

Arab, Berber, mixed Arab-Berber 99.1 per cent
Jewish 0.2 per cent
Other 0.7 per cent

Languages

Arabic (Standard Arabic is official), Berber languages including Tamazight and Tarifit, French

Religions

Muslim 98.7 per cent
Christian 1.1 per cent
Jewish 0.2 per cent

Type of government 

Constitutional monarchy

Independence 

March 2, 1956 (from France)

Constitution 

March 10, 1972; revised on September 4, 1992; amended by referendum in 1996

Voting rights 

Universal at age 18

Economy

Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$)65 billion (2006)
GDP per capita (US$) 2,144.60 (2006)
GDP by economic sector
GDP, agriculture 15.7 per cent (2006)
GDP, industry 27.8 per cent (2006)
GDP, services 56.5 per cent (2006)

National budget (US$)

Total revenue 16.45 billion (2006)
Total expenditure 16.92 billion (2006)

Monetary unit

1 Moroccan dirham (DH), consisting of 100 centimes

Exports

Food and beverages, semi-processed goods, consumer goods, phosphates

Imports

Capital goods, semi-processed goods, raw materials, fuel and lubricants, food and beverages, consumer goods

Major trading partners for exports

France, Spain, Japan, India, Italy, United States, Libya

Major trading partners for imports

France, Spain, United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Brazil

Industries

Phosphate mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Agriculture

Cereals, livestock, barley, wheat, sugar beet, citrus fruits, grapes, vegetables, olives

Natural resources

Phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Croatia - Montenegro - Albania - Greece - Turkey - Cyprus - Israel
Egypt - Libya - Algeria - Tunisia - Morocco - Spain - France - Italy - Malta