Morocco ( Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah) is a country in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara. Morocco geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 5 00 W; area 250 sq km; area comparative slightly larger than California; land boundaries Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km; coastline 1,835 km; maritime claims 20; climate Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior; terrain northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane val; elevation extremes Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m; natural resources phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt; land use 78.22% (2001); irrigated land 12,910 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; 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; environment international agreements Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea; geography note strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar;

introduction

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. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003. government type constitutional monarchy; capital Rabat; administrative divisions 14 regions: Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the United States Government; one additional region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, falls entirely within Western Sahara; another region, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sahia El Hamra, falls mostly within Western Sahara; a small portion of this region, in the southwestern part of the country, falls within Moroccan-administered territory as recognized by the United States; the province of Guelmim-Es Smara lies in both entities; independence 2 March 1956 (from France); national holiday Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999); constitution 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996; legal system based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; suffrage 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003);

people

Morocco population 32,725,847 (July 2005 est.); age structure 4.9% (male 708,921/female 910,766) (2005 est.); median age 24.13 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 1.57% (2005 est.); birth rate 22.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 45.42 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 73.07 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 2.73 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 0.1% (2001 est.); hiv people with aids 15,000 (2001 est.); hiv deaths NA; major infectious diseases may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through Novemb; nationality Moroccan; 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), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy; literacy 39.4% (2003 est.);

Regions

Cities