Morocco (2006) | Venezuela (2003) | |
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 |
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 5,343,976/female 5,145,019)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 10,505,018/female 10,580,599) 65 years and over: 5% (male 725,116/female 941,531) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 31% (male 3,944,749; female 3,700,799)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 7,931,194; female 7,864,697) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 552,291; female 660,964) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock | corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
Airports | 60 (2006) | 373 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 26
over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
total: 127
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 18 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 34
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2006) |
total: 246
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 139 (2002) |
Area | total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km |
total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than California | slightly more than twice the size of California |
Background | In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish 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. 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. 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, which first met in 1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003. | Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an embattled president who is losing his once solid support among Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. |
Birth rate | 21.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 19.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $12.94 billion
expenditures: $16.77 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.19 billion (2005 est.) |
revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | name: Rabat
geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Caracas |
Climate | Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands |
Coastline | 1,835 km | 2,800 km |
Constitution | 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 | 30 December 1999 |
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: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela |
Currency | - | bolivar (VEB) |
Death rate | 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $15.61 billion (2005 est.) | $38.2 billion (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles S. SHAPIRO
embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
Disputes - international | claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting limits on exploration and refugee interdiction since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa | claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest the claim and other states' recognition of it |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA, $218 million (2002) | $74 million (2000) |
Economy - overview | Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment that nears 20% in urban areas. Poverty has actually increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the growth of small and medium size enterprises. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions and Morocco's financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan authorities instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by signing a free trade agreement with the US and selling government shares in the state telecommunications company and in the largest state-owned bank. The Free Trade agreement went into effect in January 2006. In 2005, GDP growth slipped to 1.2% and the budget deficit rose sharply - to 7.5% of GDP - because of substantial increases in wages and oil subsidies. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. | Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy is likely to remain in a recession in 2003, after sinking an estimated 8.9 percent in 2002. |
Electricity - consumption | 17.58 billion kWh (2003) | 81.47 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 1.45 billion kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 17.35 billion kWh (2003) | 87.6 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 31.7%
hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 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 | sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping |
Ethnic groups | Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% | Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002), 11.303 (2001) | bolivares per US dollar - 1,160.44 (2002), 723.67 (2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.72 (1999), 547.56 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002) 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 Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - 60% |
Exports | 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables | petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures |
Exports - partners | France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India 4.1% (2005) | US 53.4%, Netherlands Antilles 17.3%, Canada 2.9% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; 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; design dates to 1912 | three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $131.7 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 21.7%
industry: 35.7% services: 42.6% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 5%
industry: 50% services: 45% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.7% (2005 est.) | -8.9% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 00 N, 5 00 W | 8 00 N, 66 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar | on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall |
Heliports | 1 (2006) | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) |
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 36.5% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe | small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border |
Imports | 147,800 bbl/day NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics | raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials |
Imports - partners | France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005) | US 27.5%, Colombia 6.9%, Brazil 5.7%, Mexico 4.4% (2002) |
Independence | 2 March 1956 (from France) | 5 July 1811 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% NA% | -5.4% (2002 est.) |
Industries | phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism | petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly |
Infant mortality rate | total: 40.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 43.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2005 est.) | 31.2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 14,450 sq km (2003) | 540 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) |
Labor force | 11.19 million (2005 est.) | 9.9 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 40%
industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.) |
services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (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: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km |
Land use | arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005) |
arable land: 2.99%
permanent crops: 0.96% other: 96.05% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy | Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects |
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 organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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; 295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to be held in 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50 |
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7), opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 70.94 years
male: 68.62 years female: 73.37 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 73.81 years
male: 70.78 years female: 77.07 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7% male: 64.1% female: 39.4% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4% male: 93.8% female: 93.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara | Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana |
Map references | Africa | South America |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
contiguous zone: 15 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, container 9, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1, UK 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) |
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 714,073 GRT/1,256,667 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, UK 1, US 2 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2006) | National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.31 billion (2003 est.) | $934 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5% (2003 est.) | 0.9% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 6,767,862 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 249,319 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) | Independence Day, 5 July (1811) |
Nationality | noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan |
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
Natural hazards | northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts | subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds |
Net migration rate | -0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006) | extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,484 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed El-YAZGHI] | Democratic Action or AD [Claudio FERMIN]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Garcia PONCE]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNIZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio HERRERA]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Oswaldo ALVAREZ Paz]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] | FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action) |
Population | 33,241,259 (July 2006 est.) | 24,654,694 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 19% (2005 est.) | 47% (1998 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.55% (2006 est.) | 1.48% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) | AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) |
Railways | total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005) |
total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
Religions | Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% | nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% |
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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003) | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 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: country code - 212; 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: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,341,200 (2005) | 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 12.393 million (2005) | 2 million (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) | 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains | Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast |
Total fertility rate | 2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 11% (2005 est.) | 17% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | - | 7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels |