Morocco

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Muslim 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. The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. 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. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king.

Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire, which broke down in late 2020, between Morocco and the Polisario Front -- an organization advocating the territory’s independence -- and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in 2018. In 2020, the US recognized Morocco's sovereignty over all of Western Sahara.

In 2011, King MOHAMMED VI responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the North Africa region by implementing a reform program that included a new constitution, passed by popular referendum, under which some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister, but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. Later that year, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) -- a moderate Islamist democratic party -- won the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In 2015, Morocco held its first direct elections for regional councils, which was one of the reforms included in the 2011 constitution. The PJD again won the largest number of seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in 2016, but it lost its plurality to the probusiness National Rally of Independents (RNI) in 2021. In 2020, Morocco signed a normalization agreement with Israel, similar to those that Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan had concluded with Israel earlier that year.

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Mauritania

28 30 N, 10 00 W

Africa

slightly larger than twice the size of California

2,945 km

Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

mountainous northern coast (Rif Mountains) and interior (Atlas Mountains) bordered by large plateaus with intermontane valleys, and fertile coastal plains; the south is mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces 

phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

17,645 sq km (2019)

Draa - 1,100 km

the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map

in the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; windstorms; flash floods; landslides; in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar; the only African nation to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines; the waters off the Atlantic coast are particularly rich fishing areas

Arab-Amazigh 99%, other 1%

Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni, <0.1% Shia), other 1% (includes Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i); note - Jewish about 3,000-3,500 (2020 est.)

0.81% (2025 est.)

16.5 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map

3.893 million Casablanca, 1.959 million RABAT (capital), 1.290 million Fes, 1.314 million Tangier, 1.050 million Marrakech, 979,000 Agadir (2023)

70 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.24 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.09 (2025 est.)

0.74 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

26.1% (2016)

3% (2019 est.)

58% (2018 est.)

in the north: land degradation and desertification, with soil erosion from farming, overgrazing, and vegetation removal; water and soil pollution from industrial-waste dumping; in the south: desertification; overgrazing; sparse water

Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

13.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

29 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

12 regions; Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Casablanca-Settat, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Draa-Tafilalet, Fes-Meknes, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Safi, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima

mixed system of civil law based on French civil law and Islamic (sharia) law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

Action Party or PA
Amal (hope) Party
An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj or Democratic Way
Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM
Constitutional Union Party or UC
Democratic and Social Movement or MDS
Democratic Forces Front or FFD
Environment and Sustainable Development Party or PEDD
Federation of the Democratic Left or FGD
Green Left Party or PGV
Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI
Moroccan Liberal Party or PML
Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD
National Democratic Party
National Rally of Independents or RNI
Neo-Democrats Party
Party of Development Reform or PRD
Party of Justice and Development or PJD
Party of Liberty and Social Justice or PLJS
Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS
Popular Movement or MP
Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV
Renaissance Party
Renewal and Equity Party or PRE
Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party
Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP
Unified Socialist Party or GSU
Unity and Democracy Party

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

2 March 1956 (from France)

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag

meaning: red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and the association between God and the nation

history: the design dates to 1912

pentacle symbol, lion

red, green

lower middle-income North African economy; ongoing recovery from recent drought and earthquake; rebounding via tourism, manufacturing, and raw materials processing; significant trade and investment with EU; reform programs include fiscal rebalancing, state enterprise governance and private sector investments

$154.431 billion (2024 est.)

wheat, milk, potatoes, sugar beets, tomatoes, barley, olives, apples, tangerines/mandarins, onions (2023)

automotive parts, phosphate mining and processing, aerospace, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, energy, tourism

5% (2024 est.)

12.475 million (2024 est.)

3.9% (2022 est.)

21% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Spain 20%, France 17%, Germany 6%, UK 5%, Italy 4% (2023)

fertilizers, cars, garments, insulated wire, tomatoes (2023)

Spain 16%, China 11%, France 10%, USA 9%, Turkey 5% (2023)

refined petroleum, cars, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, coal (2023)

2 TV broadcast networks with state-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) operating one network and the state partially owning the other; foreign TV is available via satellite dish; 3 radio broadcast networks, with RTM operating one; the state-owned network includes 10 regional radio channels in addition to its national service (2019)

.ma

CN

48 (2025)

17 (2025)

Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes the Moroccan Royal Guard), Royal Moroccan Navy (includes Coast Guard, marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force, Moroccan Royal Guard, Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie

Ministry of Interior: General Directorate for National Security (DGSN; aka National Police), Auxiliary Forces (2025)

estimated 220,000 active Armed Forces (175,000 Army; 10,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force, 20,000 Gendarmerie) (2025)

the Moroccan military's inventory is mostly a mix of older and some more modern armaments from France and the US (2025)

19-25 years of age for 12-month compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women (2025)

775 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 890 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)  (2025)

the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) are responsible for protecting Morocco’s national interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; key areas of concern for the FAR include international terrorism, maritime security, and regional challenges such as the Polisario Front in Western Sahara and Algeria; the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), an organization that seeks the independence of Western Sahara, disputes Morocco’s claim of sovereignty over the territory; Moroccan and Polisario forces fought intermittently from 1975, when Spain relinquished colonial authority over the territory, until a 1991 cease-fire and the establishment of a UN peacekeeping mission; the Polisario withdrew from the cease-fire in November 2020, and since then there have been reports of low-intensity hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front across the 2,500-kilometer-long berm built in 1987 that separates the two sides; Algeria is seen as a regional rival and has openly backed the Polisario Front

the FAR participates in international peacekeeping operations, as well as both bilateral and multinational training exercises; it has relations with a variety of partners including the militaries of France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the US, as well as NATO, the Arab League, and the African Union; Morocco has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation

the FAR was created in May 1956; Moroccans were recruited for service in the Spahi and Tirailleur regiments of the French Army during the period of the French protectorate (1912-1956), and Moroccans fought under the French Army during both World Wars, as well as the First Indochina War (1946-1954); the Spanish Army recruited Moroccans from the Spanish Protectorate during both the Rif War (1921-26) and the Spanish Civil War (1936-39)

the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by Security Council resolution 690 in April 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in August 1988 by Morocco and the Polisario Front; MINURSO was unable to carry out all the original settlement proposals, but continues to monitor the cease-fire and reduce the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and has provided logistic support to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2025)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)