Morocco

Language: Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy)

Religion: Muslim 99% (official), Christian 1%, Jewish about 6,000

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, other 1%

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8%(2016)

GDP per capita (ppp): Us$8,400 (2016)

Currency: DH=100centimes foreign exchange

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6%, industry: 29.8%, services: 57.2% (2016 est.)

Military expenditure/GDP: 3.25% (2015)

Fiscal year: 1.1 ~ 12.31

Life expectancy: total population: 76.9 years, male: 73.8 years, female: 80.1 years (2016 est.)

Illiteracy: total population: 31.5%, male: 21.4%, female: 41.2% (2016 est.)


CIA World Factbook	WIKIPEDIA	BBC Profile

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Moroccan Muslim 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. The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. 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. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king. Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from what is today called Western Sahara,

King MOHAMMED VI in early 2011 responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the region by implementing a reform program that included a new constitution, passed by popular referendum in July 2011, under which some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. In November 2011, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) - a moderate Islamist party - won the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In September 2015, Morocco held its first ever direct elections for regional councils, one of the reforms included in the 2011 constitution. The PJD again won the largest number of seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in October 2016. (CIA World Factbook)

Source: S.M. Hong, Islamic Economy & Finance (2009), Middle Eastern Economy (1997), Middle Eastern Economics (1991), BBC, Country Profile, CIA, The World Fact Book & WIKIPEDIA , 2017, Population Density, GeographyIQ.com and GeographyIQ.