Location of Morocco. Source: Vardion/Wikipedia

Source: EIA

Morocco is a nation in northern-Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara. It has a strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar, the narrow gateway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean opposite Spain. Morocco's northern coast and interior are mountainous (Rif Mountains and Atlas mountains) with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains. The south and east of the country is dominated by the Sahara Desert. There are four enclaves on its Mediterranean coast which are administered by Spain, which Morocco contests.It also claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved.

Morocco's major environmental issues include: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; and oil pollution of coastal waters. Its northern mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes and the country is prone to periodic droughts.

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. 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. 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, which first met in 1997. The country has made improvements in human rights under King Mohammed VI and its press is moderately free. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.

Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic Coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W

Area: 446,550 km² (446,300 km² land and 250 km² water)

arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 79% (2005) 

Land Boundaries: 2,017.9 km. Border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1,835 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

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

Terrain: Northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains. Its lowest point is Sebkha Tah (-55 metres) and its highest point is Jebel Toubkal (4,165 metres).

Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Government

Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Independence Date: 2 March 1956 (from France)

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 (as of January 2003)

International Environmnetal Agreements

Morocco is party to international agreements on: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, and Whaling. It has signed, but not ratified an agreement on Environmental Modification.

People and Society

Population: 34,343,219 (July 2008 est.)

Age Structure:

0-14 years: 30.5% (male 5,337,322/female 5,136,156)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 11,015,409/female 11,069,038)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 765,882/female 1,019,412) (2008 est.)

Population Growth Rate: 1.505% (2008 est.)

Birth Rate: 21.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death Rate: 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net Migration Rate: -0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth: 71.52 years (2008 est.)

Total Fertility Rate: 2.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Literacy(2004 census): 52.3% (male: 65.7% - female: 39.6%)

Water

Total Renewable Water Resources: 29 cu km (2003)

Freshwater Withdrawal: Total: 12.6 cu km/yr (10% domestic, 3% industrial, 87% agricultural). Per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000).

Agriculture

Agricultural Products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Irrigated Land: 14,450 sq km (2003)

Resources

Natural Resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt.

Energy

Conflict

International Disputes: 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; 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.

Economy

Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rate slowed to 2.1% in 2007 as a result of a draught that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Continued dependence on foreign energy and Morocco's inability to develop small and medium size enterprises also contributed to the slowdown. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $125.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (Official Exchange Rate): $73.43 billion (2007 est.)

GDP- real growth rate: 2.1% (2007 est.)

GDP- per capita: $4,100 (2007 est.)

GDP- composition by sector:

agriculture: 14.5%
industry: 37.9%
services: 47.7% (2007 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line: 15% (2007)

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

Exports: clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish

Export Partners: Spain 21.2%, France 19%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.9%, India 4.2% (2006)

Imports: crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Import Partners: France 16.3%, Spain 13.7%, China 7.3%, Italy 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Germany 6%, US 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2006)

Economic Aid Recipient: ODA, $651.8 million (2005)

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Ports and Terminals: Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi

Further Reading

1. CIA World Factbook