Short facts about the government of Morocco
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short
form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al
Maghribiyah
local short form: Al
Maghrib |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
monarchy |
| Administrative divisions: |
37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al
Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El
Jadida, El Kelaa des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim,
Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech,
Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger,
Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit
note:
three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara
as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western
Sahara; decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature in March
1997 creating many new provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the
reorganization not yet available |
| Independence: |
2 March 1956 (from
France) |
| National
holiday: |
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED
VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
| Constitution: |
10 March 1972, revised 4 September
1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September
1996 |
| Legal
system: |
based on Islamic law and French and
Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
Chamber of Supreme Court |
| Suffrage: |
21 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
head of
government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since 14 March
1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime
minister appointed by the monarch following legislative
elections |
| 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; members elected by popular vote for
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15
September 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Representatives - last held
14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election
results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9,
PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1
note: CDT, UTM, UGTM,
UNMT are all labor unions listed under Political pressure groups and leaders;
see explanation in the description of
Parliament |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on
the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the
monarch) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Action Party or PA [Muhammad IDRISS];
Constitutional Union or UC [leader NA]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Thami
KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Issa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Party
for Independence or PDI [Thami EL-OUAZZANI, Said BOUACHRINE]; Istiqlal Party or
IP [Abbas El-FASSI]; Labor Party or UT [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or
PND [Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi
AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of
Democratic and Popular Action or OADP [Mohamed BEN SAID ait Idder]; Party of
Progress and Socialism or PPS [Moulay Ismail ALAOUI]; Popular Constitutional and
Democratic Movement or MPCD (has become Party of Justice and Development or PJD)
[Dr. Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Social
Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces
or USFP [Abd ar-Rahman EL-YOUSSOUFI] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Association of Popular Trade Unions or
ADP [leader NA]; Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];
Democratic National Trade Union or USND [leader NA]; Democratic Trade Union or
SD [leader NA]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];
Labor Union Commissions or CS [leader NA]; Moroccan National Workers Union or
UNMT [leader NA]; Moroccan Union of Workers or UTM [Mahjoub BENSEDIQ]; Party of
Shura and Istiqla [Abdelwaheb MAASH] |
| 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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdullah MAAROUFI
chancery: 1601 21st
Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979
through 7982
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s)
general: New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL
embassy: 2 Avenue de
Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE
90718
telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
FAX: [212]
(37) 76 56 61
consulate(s) general:
Casablanca |
| Flag
description: |
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 | Source: World Factbook |
