:Morocco Government
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Mohamed BELKHAYAT; Chancery at 1601 21st Street NW, Washington,
DC 20009; telephone (202) 462-7979; there is a Moroccan Consulate General in
New York
US:
Ambassador Frederick VREELAND; Embassy at 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat
(mailing address is P. O. Box 120, Rabat, or PSC 74, APO AE 09718; telephone
[212] (7) 76-22-65; FAX [212] (7) 76-56-61; there is a US Consulate General
in Casablanca
Flag:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's
seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam
:Morocco Economy
Overview:
The economy had recovered moderately in 1990 because of: the resolution of a
trade dispute with India over phosphoric acid sales, a rebound in textile
sales to the EC, lower prices for food imports, a sharp increase in worker
remittances, increased Arab donor aid, and generous debt rescheduling
agreements. Economic performance in 1991 was mixed. A record harvest helped
real GDP advance by 4.2%, although nonagricultural output grew by less than
1%. Inflation accelerated slightly as easier financial policies triggered
rapid credit and monetary growth. Despite recovery of domestic demand,
import volume growth slowed while export volume was adversely affected by
phosphate marketing difficulties. In January 1992, Morocco reached a new
12-month standby arrangement for $129 million with the IMF. In February
1992, the Paris Club rescheduled $1.4 billion of Morocco's commercial debt.
This is thought to be Morocco's last rescheduling. By 1993 the Moroccan
authorities hope to be in a position to meet all debt service obligations
without additional rescheduling. Servicing this large debt, high
unemployment, and Morocco's vulnerability to external economic forces remain
severe long-term problems.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $27.3 billion, per capita $1,060; real growth
rate 4.2% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.1% (1991 )
Unemployment rate:
16% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $7.5 billion; expenditures $7.7 billion, including capital
expenditures of $1.9 billion (1992)
Exports:
$4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
food and beverages 30%, semiprocessed goods 23%, consumer goods 21%,
phosphates 17%
partners:
EC 58%, India 7%, Japan 5%, USSR 3%, US 2%
Imports:
$6.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
capital goods 24%, semiprocessed goods 22%, raw materials 16%, fuel and
lubricants 16%, food and beverages 13%, consumer goods 9%
partners:
EC 53%, US 11%, Canada 4%, Iraq 3%, USSR 3%, Japan 2%
External debt:
$20 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4% (1989 est.); accounts for an estimated 20% of GDP
Electricity:
2,270,000 kW capacity; 8,170 million kWh produced, 310 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods,
textiles, construction, tourism
Agriculture:
50% of employment and 30% of export value; not self-sufficient in food;
cereal farming and livestock raising predominate; barley, wheat, citrus
fruit, wine, vegetables, olives; fishing catch of 491,000 metric tons in
1987
:Morocco Economy
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of hashish; trafficking on the increase for both domestic
and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to
Western Europe; occasional transit point for cocaine from South America
destined for Western Europe.
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.3 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.5 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $4.8 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.5
billion; $2.8 billion debt canceled by Saudi Arabia (1991); IMF standby
agreement worth $13 million; World Bank, $450 million (1991)
Currency:
Moroccan dirham (plural - dirhams); 1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 8.889 (March 1992), 8.707 (1991), 8.242
(1990), 8.488 (1989), 8.209 (1988), 8.359 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Morocco Communications
Railroads:
1,893 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (246 km double track, 974 km
electrified)
Highways:
59,198 km total; 27,740 km paved, 31,458 km gravel, crushed stone, improved
earth, and unimproved earth
Pipelines:
crude oil 362 km; petroleum products (abandoned) 491 km; natural gas 241 km
Ports:
Agadir, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi,
Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla
Merchant marine:
51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 315,249 GRT/487,479 DWT; includes 10
cargo, 2 container, 12 refrigerated cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 3 petroleum
tanker, 11 chemical tanker, 4 bulk, 3 short-sea passenger
Civil air:
28 major transport aircraft
Airports:
75 total, 67 usable; 26 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over
3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 27 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
good system composed of wire lines, cables, and radio relay links; principal
centers are Casablanca and Rabat; secondary centers are Fes, Marrakech,
Oujda, Tangier, and Tetouan; 280,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 20 AM,
7 FM, 26 TV and 26 additional rebroadcast sites; 5 submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT; radio
relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
to Algeria; microwave network linking Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia,
Algeria, and Morocco
:Morocco Defense Forces
Branches:
Royal Moroccan Army, Royal Moroccan Navy, Royal Moroccan Air Force, Royal
Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 6,604,712; 4,196,449 fit for military service; 293,204 reach
military age (18) annually; limited conscription
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, 4.2% of GDP (1992 budget)