Morocco (2001) | Tajikistan (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit
note: three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara; decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature in March 1997 creating many new provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the reorganization not yet available |
2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati mukhtori); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* (Khorugh - formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand - formerly Leninabad)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
34.39% (male 5,368,784; female 5,170,891) 15-64 years: 60.93% (male 9,270,095; female 9,402,561) 65 years and over: 4.68% (male 646,567; female 786,407) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
41.18% (male 1,367,194; female 1,341,967) 15-64 years: 54.22% (male 1,773,605; female 1,793,345) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 131,009; female 171,561) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock | cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats |
Airports | 69 (2000 est.) | 53 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
26 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
total:
51 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 36 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km |
total:
143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than California | slightly smaller than Wisconsin |
Background | 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. | Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implementation reportedly completed by late 1999. Part of the agreement required the legalization of opposition political parties prior to the 1999 elections, which occurred, but such parties have made little progress in successful participation in government. Random criminal and political violence in the country remains a complication impairing Tajikistan's ability to engage internationally. |
Birth rate | 24.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 33.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$9.6 billion expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$146 million expenditures: $196 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Rabat | Dushanbe |
Climate | Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior | midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains |
Coastline | 1,835 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 | 6 November 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib |
conventional long form:
Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: none former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | somoni |
Death rate | 5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.57 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $18.4 billion (2000 est.) | $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE 90718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert P. J. FINN embassy: temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in Almaty (Kazakhstan) mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: NA FAX: NA |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdullah MAAROUFI chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York |
Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a permanent mission to the UN: address - 136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone - [1] (212) 472-7645, FAX - [1] (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV |
Disputes - international | claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas | portions of Tajikistan's northern and western border with Uzbekistan and its eastern border with China have not been officially demarcated; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area |
Economic aid - recipient | $565.6 million (1995) | $64.7 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the financial sector have been implemented. Drought conditions depressed activity in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications company. Favorable rainfalls have led Morocco to predict a growth of 1% for 2001. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youthful population. | Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajikistani economy has been gravely weakened by six years of civil conflict and by the loss of subsidies from Moscow and of markets for its products. Most of its people live in abject poverty. Tajikistan depends on aid from Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. The future of Tajikistan's economy and the potential for attracting foreign investment depend upon stability and continued progress in the peace process. |
Electricity - consumption | 13.441 billion kWh (1999) | 14.729 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 3.9 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 705 million kWh (1999) | 4.1 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 13.695 billion kWh (1999) | 15.623 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
89.19% hydro: 10.81% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m |
lowest point:
Syrdariya 300 m highest point: Pik Imeni Ismail Samani 7,495 m |
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 | inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% | Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6% |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) | Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.2 (January 2001), 1550 (January 2000), 998 (January 1999), 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)
note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000, with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles |
Executive branch | chief of state:
King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since 14 March 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections |
chief of state:
President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2% |
Exports | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $761 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | phosphates and fertilizers, food and beverages, minerals | aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles |
Exports - partners | France 35%, Spain 9%, UK 8%, Germany 7%, US 5% (1999) | Liechtenstein 26%, Uzbekistan 20%, Russia 8% (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $105 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
15% industry: 33% services: 52% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
19.8% industry: 18.1% services: 62.1% (1998) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,140 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.8% (2000 est.) | 5.1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 00 N, 5 00 W | 39 00 N, 71 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar | landlocked |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
57,847 km paved: 30,254 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,593 km (1998) |
total:
29,900 km paved: 21,400 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) unpaved: 8,500 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe | major transshipment zone for heroin and opiates from Afghanistan going to Russia and Western Europe; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption |
Imports | $12.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | $782 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | semiprocessed goods, machinery and equipment, food and beverages, consumer goods, fuel | electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 32%, Spain 12%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, UK 6% (1999) | Europe 32.3%, Uzbekistan 29%, Russia 13.6% (1998) |
Independence | 2 March 1956 (from France) | 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.5% (1999 est.) | 10% (2000 est.) |
Industries | phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism | aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers |
Infant mortality rate | 48.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 116.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2000 est.) | 33% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 8 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | 12,580 sq km (1993 est.) | 6,390 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 11 million (1997 est.) | 1.9 million (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.) | agriculture 50%, industry 20%, services 30% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km |
total:
3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km |
Land use | arable land:
21% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 47% forests and woodland: 20% other: 11% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 4% other: 65% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy | Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business |
Legal system | based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court | based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Representatives - last held 14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1 note: CDT, UTM, UGTM, UNMT are all labor unions listed under Political pressure groups and leaders; see explanation in the description of Parliament |
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
69.43 years male: 67.2 years female: 71.76 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
64.18 years male: 61.09 years female: 67.42 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 43.7% male: 56.6% female: 31% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara | Central Asia, west of China |
Map references | Africa | Commonwealth of Independent States |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 223,052 GRT/272,786 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 5, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Military branches | Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces | Army, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.4 billion (FY99/00) | $17 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4% (FY99/00) | 1.8% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
8,182,073 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,586,700 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
5,160,374 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,300,252 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
348,380 (2001 est.) |
males:
72,056 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) | Independence Day, 9 September (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan |
noun:
Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani |
Natural hazards | northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts | NA |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt | hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold |
Net migration rate | -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 362 km; petroleum products 491 km (abandoned); natural gas 241 km | natural gas 400 km (1992) |
Political parties and leaders | Action Party or PA [Muhammad IDRISS]; Constitutional Union or UC [leader NA]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Thami KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Issa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Party for Independence or PDI [Thami EL-OUAZZANI, Said BOUACHRINE]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas El-FASSI]; Labor Party or UT [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or PND [Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of Democratic and Popular Action or OADP [Mohamed BEN SAID ait Idder]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Moulay Ismail ALAOUI]; Popular Constitutional and Democratic Movement or MPCD (has become Party of Justice and Development or PJD) [Dr. Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abd ar-Rahman EL-YOUSSOUFI] | Congress of People's Unity of Tajikistan [Saiffidin TURAYEV]; Democratic Party or TDP [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party [Muhammadsharif HIMMAT-ZODA, chairman]; Lali Badakhshan Movement [Atobek AMIRBEKOV]; National Movement Party [Hakim MUHHABATOV]; Party of Justice and Development [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Rastokhez (Rebirth) Movement [Tohiri ABDUJABBOR]; Socialist Party [Sherali KENJAEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Adolatho "Justice" Party [Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Association of Popular Trade Unions or ADP [leader NA]; Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; Democratic National Trade Union or USND [leader NA]; Democratic Trade Union or SD [leader NA]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Labor Union Commissions or CS [leader NA]; Moroccan National Workers Union or UNMT [leader NA]; Moroccan Union of Workers or UTM [Mahjoub BENSEDIQ]; Party of Shura and Istiqla [Abdelwaheb MAASH] | NA |
Population | 30,645,305 (July 2001 est.) | 6,578,681 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 19% (1999 est.) | 80% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.71% (2001 est.) | 2.12% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) | AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998) |
Radios | 6.64 million (1997) | 1.291 million (1991) |
Railways | total:
1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified; 540 km double track) |
total:
480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990) |
Religions | Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% | Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998) |
general assessment:
poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.391 million (1998) | 363,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 116,645 (1998) | 2,500 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) | 0 (there are, however, repeaters that relay programs from Russia, Iran, and Turkey) (1997) |
Terrain | northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains | Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest |
Total fertility rate | 3.05 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 4.29 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 23% (1999 est.) | 5.7% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1998) |
Waterways | none | none |