Geography

Location: North Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean
Sea, southern border with Western Sahara, eastern border with Algeria.

Area: 446,550 sq. km. (172,413 sq. mi.) slightly larger than California. (The
disputed territory of Western Sahara comprises another 267,028 sq. km. or
102,703 sq. mi.)


Cities: Rabat (capital), Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes, Meknes, Tangier.

Terrain: Coastal plains, mountains, desert.

Climate: Mediterranean to more extreme in the interior and south.

Land use: Arable land, 19%; permanent crops, 2%;
other, 79%.



People

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Moroccan(s).

Population (July 2009 est.): 34,859,364. (The population of disputed territory
Western Sahara is 385,000.)

Annual growth rate (2009 est.): 1.479%. Birth rate (2009
est.)--20.96 births/1,000 population. Death rate (2009 est.)--5.45
deaths/1,000 population.

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

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

Languages: Arabic (official), several Berber dialects; French functions as the
language of business, government, and diplomacy.

Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy
(definition--age 15 and over can read and write)--total population 52.3%; male
65.7%; female 39.6% (2004 census).

Health: Infant mortality rate (2009 est.)--36.88/1,000.
Life expectancy at birth (2009 est.)--71.8 yrs. total population; 69.42 yrs.
male; 74.3 yrs. female.

Work force (2008 est.): 11.29 million.

Unemployment rate (2008 est.): 9.6%.



Government

Type: Constitutional monarchy.

Constitution: March 1972, revised 1980, 1992, and 1996 (creating a bicameral
legislature).

Independence: March 2, 1956.

Branches: Executive--king (head of state), prime minister (head of
government). Legislative--bicameral Parliament. Judicial--Supreme
Court.

Major political parties: Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), Istiqlal
(Independence) Party (PI), Party of Justice and Development (PJD), Socialist
Union of Popular Forces (USFP), National Rally of Independents (RNI), Popular
Movement (MP), Constitutional Union Party (UC), Party of Progress and Socialism
(PPS).

Suffrage: Universal starting at 18 years of age.



Economy

GDP (2008 est.): $88.88 billion.

GDP growth rate (2009 est.): 5%.

Per capita GDP (PPP, 2008 est.): $4,500.

Natural resources: Phosphates, fish, manganese, lead, silver, and copper.

Agriculture: Products--barley, citrus fruits, vegetables, olives,
wine, livestock, and fishing.

Industry: Types--phosphate mining, manufacturing and handicrafts,
construction and public works, energy.

Sector information as % GDP (2007): Agriculture 12.4%, industry 29%, services
58.5%.

Monetary unit: Moroccan dirham. Exchange rate per U.S. dollar - 7.7503 (2008
average).

Trade: Exports (2008)--$20.17 billion f.o.b.; Major
partners (2008)--Spain 20.1%, France 11.2%, India 6.7%, Brazil 4.8%, Italy
4.7% and the U.S. 3.9%. Imports (2008)--$39.35 billion c.a.f.
Major partners (2008)--France 15%, Spain 11.2%, Italy 6.7%, Saudi
Arabia 6.7%, China 5.7%, United States 5.1%, and Russia 5%.

Budget (2009): Revenues--$26.16 billion; expenditures--$27.93
billion.

Budget deficit (2009 est.): 2.7 % of GDP.

Debt, external (2008): $17.3 billion.