Part 510

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961) is a hereditary monarch head of government: Prime Minister Abdellatif FILALI (since 29 May 1994) was appointed by the king cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the king

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Representatives (Majlis Nawab): two-thirds elected by direct, universal suffrage and one-third by an electoral college of government, professional, and labor representatives; direct, popular elections last held 15 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (333 total, 222 directly elected) USFP 48, IP 43, MP 33, RNI 28, UC 27, PND 14, MNP 14, PPS 6, PDI 3, SAP 2, PA 2, OADP 2; indirect, special interest elections last held 17 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (333 total, 111 indirectly elected) UC 27, MP 18, RNI 13, MNP 11, PND 10, IP 7, Party of Shura and Istiqlal 6, USFP 4, PPS 4, CDT 4, UTM 3, UGTM 2, SAP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the king

Political parties and leaders: opposition: Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Mohammad al-YAZGHI; Istiqlal Party (IP), M'Hamed BOUCETTA; Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), Ali YATA; Organization of Democratic and Popular Action (OADP), Mohamed Ben SAID pro-government: Constitutional Union (UC), Maati BOUABID; Popular Movement (MP), Mohamed LAENSER; National Democratic Party (PND), Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI; National Popular Movement (MNP), Mahjoubi AHARDANE independents: National Rally of Independents (RNI), Ahmed OSMAN; Democracy and Istiqlal Party (PDI), leader NA; Action Party (PA), Abdullah SENHAJI; Non-Obedience Candidates (SAP), leader NA labor unions and community organizations (indirect elections: Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT), Nabir AMAOUI; General Union of Moroccan Workers (UGTM), Abderrazzak AFILAL; Moroccan Union of Workers (UTM), leader NA; Party of Shura and Istiqlal, leader NA

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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 462-7979 through 7982 FAX: (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Marc C. GINSBERG embassy: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 003, APO AE 09718 telephone: (7) 76 22 65 FAX: (7) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag: 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

Economy -------

Economic overview: Morocco faces the typical problems of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and keeping inflation within bounds. Since the early 1980s the government has pursued an economic program toward these objectives with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club of creditors. The economy has substantial assets to draw on: the world's largest phosphate reserves, diverse agricultural and fishing resources, a sizable tourist industry, a growing manufacturing sector, and remittances from Moroccans working abroad. A severe drought in 1992-93 depressed economic activity and held down exports. Real GDP contracted by 4.4% in 1992 and 1.1% in 1993. Despite these setbacks, initiatives to relax capital controls, strengthen the banking sector, and privatize state enterprises went forward in 1993-94. Favorable rainfall in 1994 boosted agricultural production by 40%. In 1995, Morocco suffered from a drought said to be the worst in 30 years. Servicing the large debt, high unemployment, and vulnerability to external economic forces remain long-term problems for Morocco.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $87.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: -6.5% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $3,000 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 14.3% industry: 32.2% services: 53.5% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1994)

Labor force: 7.4 million by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 26%, industry 15%, other 9% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $8.1 billion expenditures: $8.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 0.1%

Electricity: capacity: 2,620,000 kW production: 9.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 361 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

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

Exports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: food and beverages 30%, semiprocessed goods 23%, consumer goods 21%, phosphates 17% partners: EC 70%, Japan 5%, US 4%, Libya 3%, India 2% (1993)

Imports: $7.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: capital goods 24%, semiprocessed goods 22%, raw materials 16%, fuel and lubricants 16%, food and beverages 13%, consumer goods 9% partners: EC 59%, US 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UAE 3%, Russia 2% (1993)

External debt: $20.5 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $297 million (1993) note: $2.8 billion debt canceled by Saudi Arabia (1991)