Morocco Passport

The Kingdom of Morocco (Le Royaume du Maroc).

[Area] 459000 square kilometers (excluding 266000 square kilometers in Western Sahara).

【 Population 】 37.8 million people (2023). Arabs account for about 80%, while Berbers account for about 20%. Arabic is the national language and French is commonly used. Adhere to Islam.

【 Capital 】 Rabat.

[Head of State] King Mohammed VI (S.M. Le Roi Mohammed VI) ascended to the throne on July 30, 1999.

[Important holiday] National Day (King's coronation day): July 30th; Independence Day: November 18th (1956).

【 Overview 】 Located at the northwest end of Africa. It borders Algeria to the east and southeast, Western Sahara to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar to the north, serving as the gateway to the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea. The coastline is over 1700 kilometers long.

The earliest residents were Berbers. Arabs entered in the 7th century AD. The first Arab kingdom was established in the 8th century. The Alawite dynasty was established in 1660 and has continued to this day, with King Mohammed VI being the 22nd monarch of the dynasty. Since the 15th century, Western powers have successively invaded. On March 30, 1912, Morocco became a protectorate of France. In the same year, France signed the Treaty of Madrid with Spain, designating the northern region of Morocco and the southern region of Ifni as Spanish protectorates. Independence in 1956. On August 14, 1957, the country's name was established as the Kingdom of Morocco, and Sudan was renamed as the King. In February 1961, King Mohammed V passed away. In March of the same year, King Hassan II ascended to the throne. On July 23, 1999, King Hassan II passed away, and Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed ascended to the throne on the same day. On July 30, he officially became King Mohammed VI.

Politics: Morocco implements a monarchy, with the king holding the highest power. After ascending to the throne in 1999, King Mohammed VI adhered to established policies such as constitutional monarchy and multi-party system, focused on economic development, emphasized the rule of law, and prioritized solving social problems such as poverty and employment. At the same time, we will increase our efforts in counter-terrorism and actively participate in international counter-terrorism cooperation. In 2011, King Mohammed VI initiated a comprehensive constitutional reform. On July 1st, a new constitution was passed in a referendum in Morocco. On November 25th, elections for the House of Representatives were held, and the Islamic political party Justice and Development Party won. The party's general secretary, Ban Ki lam, was appointed as the prime minister by the king. In January 2012, the new government was established, and in October 2013, the government was reorganized. In October 2016, after the promulgation of the new constitution, Morocco held its second House of Representatives election, and the Islamic political party Justice and Development Party once again became the largest party in the House of Representatives. However, the party's General Secretary Ban Ki moon failed to form a government. In March 2017, King Mohammed VI dismissed Ban from his position and appointed the Chairman of the Public Development Party National Committee and former Foreign Minister Osmani as the new Prime Minister. In April, the new government was established. In October 2019, the Cabinet was restructured and Prime Minister Osmani remained in office. In September 2021, the National Liberal Alliance became the largest party in parliament in the legislative elections, with its party chairman Ahnush serving as prime minister and forming a new cabinet in October. In September 2023, a strong earthquake of magnitude 7 occurred near Marrakesh in southern Morocco, resulting in 2960 deaths and over 6100 injuries. The Moroccan government actively carries out earthquake relief and post earthquake reconstruction. At present, the overall political situation in Morocco remains stable. However, due to uneven development and high unemployment rates in the Mo region, incidents such as protests and strikes still occur.

Since its independence, Morocco has promulgated six constitutions. The current constitution was passed by referendum on July 1, 2011. The Constitution stipulates that Morocco is a constitutional monarchy; The king is the head of state, religious leader, and supreme commander of the armed forces; The Prime Minister is appointed by the political party that receives the most votes in parliamentary elections, and has important powers such as nominating and dismissing ministers, dissolving parliament, etc. The parliament has the sole legislative power, and the House of Representatives dominates.

The current government is the 34th government since the independence of Morocco, established in October 2021 and slightly reorganized in October 2024. The cabinet consists of 31 members, mainly including Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Interior Minister Abdelowafi Laftit, Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Overseas Chinese Minister Nasser Bourita, and Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.

【 Government website 】 www.maroc.ma

The country is divided into 12 regions (including Western Sahara), 62 provinces, 13 provincial cities, and 1503 municipalities.

The judicial system is divided into four levels: the Supreme Court, the appellate courts (21), the lower courts (68), and the judge's office stationed by the lower courts. There is a Supreme Judicial Council throughout the country. The president and judges of the court are appointed by the king.

Political parties implement a multi-party system. All parties declared their support for the king and Islam, and aligned themselves with the king in major policies. After the September 2021 legislative elections, a total of 12 political parties have seats in the House of Representatives, forming a coalition majority (National Liberal Alliance, Truth and Modernity Party, Independence Party, etc.) and opposition parties (Justice and Development Party, etc.):

(1) The National des Ind é pendants, founded in 1978, has long been involved in politics and is the largest party in the House of Representatives, holding 102 out of 395 seats. The current chairman, Aziz Akhannouch.

(2) Parti Authenticit é et Modernit é: Established in 2008, formed by the merger of five small parties. The second largest party in the House of Representatives holds 87 seats out of 395. The current General Secretary Ilyas Omari resigned in August 2017, but the party's Central Politburo rejected his resignation request.

(3) The Independence Party (Parti de l'Istiqlal) was founded in 1943. The earliest nationalist political party in China, led by large entrepreneurs and farmers, had significant influence in the business, political, and public sectors, and had long been in power or involved in politics. The third largest party in the House of Representatives holds 81 seats out of 395. Current General Secretary Nizar Baraka (President of the Economic and Social Council of Morocco).

(4) The Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires, also known as the Social Union, was established in 1975 to represent the interests of the middle and small bourgeoisie as well as intellectuals. It has a significant influence among intellectuals, young students, and workers. He holds 34 seats out of 395 in the House of Representatives. Current General Secretary Driss Lachgar.

(5) The Mouvement Populaire, established in 1957, fully supports the policies of the king. 28 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Current General Secretary Mohand Laenser.

(6) The Progressive and Socialist Party (Parti du Progr è s et du Socialisme): Established in 1943, it is currently the largest communist party in North Africa and a party with a significant number of members and political influence in Arab countries. 22 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives. The current General Secretary, Mohamed Nabil Benabdallah.

(7) Union Constitutionnelle: established in 1983, representing emerging bourgeois forces, mainly composed of capitalists, senior officials, intellectuals, lawyers, and other freelancers. 18 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Current General Secretary Mohamed Sajid.

(8) The Justice and Development Party (Parti de la Justice et du D é evelopment): formerly known as the "People's Democratic Constitutional Movement" established in 1967, it adopted its current name in 1998. A moderate Islamic political party that supports monarchy, opposes violence and terrorism, advocates gradual social change, and implements moderate Islamism. Out of 395 seats, it holds 13 seats. The current General Secretary, Abdelilah Benkirane.

King Mohammed VI, born on August 21, 1963, was the eldest son of the late King Hassan II. Graduated from the Law School of Mohammed V University in Rabat in 1985 with a Bachelor of Laws degree, and obtained a Doctor of Laws degree in 1993. He was crowned Crown Prince in 1979. In 1985, he was appointed by the king as the coordinator of the Royal Armed Forces General Staff. Promoted to the rank of Major General in 1994. He ascended to the throne on July 30, 1999. Hobbies in reading, swimming, and rowing, proficient in Arabic and French, and knowledgeable in English and Spanish. There is one son and one daughter.

Prime Minister Aziz Ahnoush: Born in January 1961 in the Sousmasa region of southwestern Morocco. I obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration from Sherbrooke University in Canada in 1986. Having been in business for a long time, he is the richest man in Morocco. In 2003, he was elected as the Chairman of the Susmasa Regional Council. In 2007, he joined the National Liberal Alliance and was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture. Since 2016, he has served as the Chairman of the National Liberal Alliance Party. Appointed as Prime Minister by King Mohammed VI in September 2021. Married with 3 children.

The total economic output of Morocco ranks fifth in Africa and third in North Africa. Phosphate exports, tourism, and remittances are the main pillars of the Moroccan economy. Agriculture has a certain foundation, but food cannot be self-sufficient. The fishery resources are abundant and the production ranks first in Africa. The industrial development momentum is good, especially the rapid and initial scale of the automotive industry. Since 2024, Mo has been focusing on attracting foreign investment in industries such as new energy vehicle battery production. The textile and clothing industry is one of the important industries. Mo began implementing economic reforms in 1983, promoting enterprise privatization and trade liberalization. The Moroccan government is committed to expanding domestic demand, strengthening infrastructure construction, supporting traditional industries such as textiles and tourism, developing emerging industries such as information and clean energy, actively attracting foreign investment, and maintaining economic growth. The main economic data for 2023 are as follows:

Gross Domestic Product: 146.87 billion US dollars.

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 4005 US dollars.

Economic growth rate:+ 2.8%.

Currency name: Dirham.

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar is approximately 9.97 dirhams.

Unemployment rate: 11%.

Phosphate is the main resource, with an estimated reserve of 110 billion tons, accounting for 75% of the world's reserves. Other mineral resources include iron, lead, zinc, cobalt, manganese, barium, copper, salt, magnetite, anthracite, oil shale, etc.

The industrial sector mainly includes agricultural food processing, mining, textile and clothing, leather processing, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and electromechanical metallurgical industries. Morocco is the world's largest exporter of phosphate, and phosphate is an important economic pillar for Morocco. There are about 1700 textile enterprises in Moyu, with a workforce of over 200000. The output value of textile and clothing accounts for about 16% of the gross domestic product, and the export value accounts for 30% of the total export value, mainly exported to France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, etc. Handicrafts play an important role in the national economy, with main products including blankets, leather products, metal processing products, ceramics, and wooden furniture.

【 Energy 】 Morocco has scarce energy resources, with over 95% of its basic energy relying on imports, 18% of its electricity imported from Spain, and an annual energy demand growth rate of 6.5%. Wind and solar energy resources are abundant. Mo actively develops renewable energy and formulates a strategy for the development of renewable energy.

Agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishery play an important role in the national economy. The agricultural output fluctuates greatly, and food cannot be self-sufficient. The agricultural population accounts for about 42% of the total labor force in the country, and exports (mainly citrus and olive oil) account for 30% of the total export revenue. There are 8.95 million hectares of arable land, over 90 water storage dams, 1 million hectares of irrigated land, and 5.58 million hectares of grain planting area. The main crops include wheat, barley, corn, fruits, vegetables, etc. In 2008, Morocco launched the "Green Morocco" plan to improve its agricultural production technology. Morocco is the largest producer of fishery products in Africa, the 17th largest producer of fishery products in the world and the largest exporter of sardines in the world.

Animal husbandry is relatively developed, with 20.29 million hectares of grassland and pasture. Rich in fishery resources, it is the largest fish producing country in Africa, and the export volume of sardine ranks first in the world. To protect fishery resources, the government has stipulated a fishing ban period of up to 8 months.

The tourism industry is well-developed and has become the second pillar industry, the second largest source of balanced international payments, and the second largest industry that attracts employment in Morocco. In 2010, Mo proposed the "Vision 2020" strategy for the development of the tourism industry. Morocco is the largest tourist destination country in Africa. In 2023, airports across the country received a total of 27.09 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 32%, and tourism revenue of 10.64 billion US dollars, an increase of 12% compared to 2019, which has basically recovered to pre pandemic levels. In April 2024, the Ministry of Tourism of Morocco released statistical data stating that the expected number of inbound tourists for the whole year of 2024 is 15.5 million. The main tourist cities include Rabat, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Fez, Agadir, Tangier, etc.

Land transportation is relatively developed. It dominates the domestic transportation industry, with 90% of passenger transportation and 75% of freight transportation completed through land transportation.

Railway: Morocco ranks among the top in Africa in terms of railway infrastructure construction, with 1907 kilometers of operational lines, including 483 kilometers of double tracks and 1014 kilometers of electrified railways. There are also 765 kilometers of phosphate transportation lines. In 2003, Morocco and Spain reached an agreement to jointly build an underwater double track railway through the Strait of Gibraltar, which would be the first railway line connecting Europe and Africa. The Moroccan government plans to build two high-speed railway lines by 2030, namely the Tangier Casablanca Agadir line and the Casablanca Ujida line. The total length of these two high-speed railway lines is about 1500 kilometers, and the total cost will exceed 100 billion dirhams (about 12.5 billion US dollars). Morocco collaborated with France to build a high-speed railway line from Tangier to Casablanca, with a speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The project was launched in 2011 and completed in November 2018. In 2023, the passenger volume of the Mo Railway exceeded 52.8 million, a year-on-year increase of 15%. Among them, the high-speed railway passenger volume exceeded 5 million, an increase of 24% from 2022.

Highway: 42158 kilometers in total, including 10119 kilometers of first-class highway, 9253 kilometers of second-class highway, and 22768 kilometers of third-class highway. The expressway is 1588 kilometers long, including multiple sections such as Rabat Tangier, Rabat Casablanca Sedat, Rabat Meknes Fes Oujda, Casablanca Marrakesh, etc.

Water transportation: We currently have over a dozen sea ports, mainly including Casablanca, Joulflesfel, Tangier, Mohammadiya, Safi, Agadir, etc. The three major ports of Tangier Mediterranean Port, Jules Ferry Port, and Casablanca Port account for 83% of the total transportation volume.

Air freight: There are a total of 28 airports in the country, including 12 international airports such as Casablanca Mohammed V Airport, Rabat Sar é Airport, Agadir Airport, Tangier Airport, etc. RAM has 52 aircraft and has opened over 80 routes with a total length of over 300000 kilometers. Royal Air has formulated a development plan for 2016-2025, aiming to strengthen its coverage in Africa by adding new routes. The number of aircraft will be expanded to 105 by 2025, with an investment of 3.789 billion US dollars. In 2005, Morocco signed an "Open Skies" agreement with the European Union, opening up its aviation market to European airlines.

In December 1996, the Maghreb Europe natural gas pipeline from Algeria and Morocco to Spain and Portugal was officially opened. The pipeline has a total length of 1385 kilometers and can initially transport 9 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, while Mo can obtain 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Since 2005, Mo has been using the transit natural gas interception quota of this pipeline for power generation for the first time, which can meet 17% of the country's electricity demand. In May 2017, Morocco and Nigeria signed a natural gas pipeline agreement connecting the two countries and ultimately reaching Europe. In August 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco and decided not to renew the Maghreb Europe natural gas pipeline contract after it expires on October 31. In April 2024, Morocco and Nigeria launched geological exploration work for the natural gas pipeline between the two countries.

The utilization rate of information and communication technology in Mozambique ranks fourth in Africa. It has a good wired and wireless communication system, with 5 international submarine cables and 3 satellite ground stations connected to the International Satellite Organization and the Arab Satellite Organization. The communication hubs are Casablanca and Rabat. The main telecommunications operator in Morocco is Maroc Telecom, MT）、 Mediterranean Telecom (Meditel) and INWI.

In September 2024, foreign exchange reserves amounted to approximately 33.8 billion US dollars.

[Foreign Trade] Morocco has trade relations with over 90 countries and regions, with European countries being its main trading partners, accounting for about 70% of its total import and export volume. Spain and France are the most important trading partners of Morocco. In 2004, Morocco signed the Agadir Agreement with Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, announcing the establishment of a four country free trade zone. In the same year, Morocco signed bilateral free trade agreements with the United States and Türkiye respectively. In January 2006, the Mozambique US Free Trade Agreement officially came into effect. In 2008, Morocco was granted priority status by the European Union (between member states and associated countries), and in 2010, Morocco established a free trade area with the European Union. As of September 2024, Morocco has signed free trade agreements with 56 countries. The recent foreign trade situation of Morocco is as follows (in billions of US dollars):