| Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib former: French Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara etymology: the English name "Morocco" derives from, respectively, the Spanish and Portuguese names "Marruecos" and "Marrocos," which stem from "Marrakesh" the Latin name for the former capital of ancient Morocco; the Arabic name "Al Maghrib" translates as "The West" |
| Government type | parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: name derives from the Arabic title "Ribat el-Fath," meaning "stronghold of victory," applied to the newly constructed citadel in 1170 |
| Administrative divisions | 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 note: effective 10 December 2020, the US Government recognizes the sovereignty of Morocco over all of the territory of former Western Sahara |
| Independence | 2 March 1956 (from France) |
| National holiday | Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest drafted 17 June 2011, approved by referendum 1 July 2011; note - sources disagree on whether the 2011 referendum was for a new constitution or for reforms to the previous constitution amendments: proposed by the king, by the prime minister, or by members in either chamber of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum; the king can opt to submit self-initiated proposals directly to a referendum |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law based on French civil law and Islamic (sharia) law; judicial review of legislative acts by Constitutional Court |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Morocco; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Saad-Eddine al-OTHMANI (since 17 March 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the prime minister in consultation with Parliament and appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from the majority party following legislative elections |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: House of Councilors or Majlis al-Mustacharine (120 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college of local councils, professional organizations, and labor unions; members serve 6-year terms) House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (395 seats; 305 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 90 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - in the national constituency, 60 seats are reserved for women and 30 reserved for those under age 40 elections: House of Councillors - last held on 2 October 2015 (next to be held in fall 2021) House of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2016 (next to be held on 8 September 2021) election results: Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 106, women 14, percent of women 11.7% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - PJD 125, PAM 102, PI 46, RNI 37, MP 27, USFP 20, UC 19, PPS 12, MDS 3, other 4; composition - men 314, women 81, percent of women 20.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 18.4% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of 5-judge panels organized into civil, family matters, commercial, administrative, social, and criminal sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of Judicial Power, a 20-member body presided by the monarch, which includes the Supreme Court president, the prosecutor general, representatives of the appeals and first instance courts (among them 1 woman magistrate), the president of the National Council of the Rights of Man, and 5 "notable persons" appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members - 6 designated by the monarch and 6 elected by Parliament; court president appointed by the monarch from among the court members; members serve 9-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: courts of appeal; High Court of Justice; administrative and commercial courts; regional and sadad courts (for religious, civil and administrative, and penal adjudication); first instance courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI] Amal (hope) Party [Mohamed BANI] An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Mustapha BRAHMA] Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Ilyas al-OMARI] Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohamed SAJID] Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Abdessamad ARCHANE] Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Mustapha BENALI] Democratic Oath Party or SD Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Abderrahman BENAMROU] Democratic Society Party [Zhour CHAKKAFI] Environment and Development Party or PED [Karim HRITAN] Green Left Party [Mohamed FARES] Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Nizar BARAKA] Ittihadi National Congress or CNI [Abdesalam EL AZIZ] Labor Party or PT Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohammed ZIANE] Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD [Jamal MANDRI] National Rally of Independents or RNI [Aziz AKHANNOUCH] Neo-Democrats Party [Mohamed DARIF] Party of Development Reform or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOHEN] Party of Justice and Development or PJD [Saad Eddine al-OTHMANI] Party of Liberty and Social Justice [Miloud MOUSSAOUI] Popular Movement or MP [Mohand LAENSER] Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Nabil BENABDELLAH] Renaissance and Virtue Party [Mohamed KHALIDI] Renaissance Party [Said EL GHENNIOUI] Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHEHABAR] Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party [Ahmed BELGHAZI] Social Center Party or PCS [Lahcen MADIH] Socialist Party [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA] Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Driss LACHGAR] Unified Socialist Party or GSU [Nabila MOUNIB] Unity and Democracy Party [Ahmed FITRI] |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, 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, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Lalla Joumala ALAOUI (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 3508 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 462-7643 email address and website: Washingtonembbmorocco@maec.gov.ma https://www.embassyofmorocco.us/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David GREENE (since 21 January 2021) embassy: Km 5.7 Avenue Mohammed VI, Souissi, Rabat 10170 mailing address: 9400 Rabat Place, Washington DC 20521-9400 telephone: [212] 0537-637-200 FAX: [212] 0537-637-201 email address and website: ACSCasablanca@state.gov (US Consulate General Casablanca) https://ma.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
| 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; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and signifies the association between God and the nation; design dates to 1912 |
| National anthem | name: "Hymne Cherifien" (Hymn of the Sharif) lyrics/music: Ali Squalli HOUSSAINI/Leo MORGAN note: music adopted 1956, lyrics adopted 1970 |
| National symbol(s) | pentacle symbol, lion; national colors: red, green |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
