Government Morocco
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Rabat
geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,
Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al
Hoceima-Taounate
note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political
status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;
portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco
claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely
within Western Sahara
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)