The most economically important mineral found in Morocco is phosphate used as fertilizer. There are also significant deposits of coal, iron, lead, manganese ore, petroleum, silver, tin and zinc. The handicrafts industry earns 46.2 million every year. Morocco is famous for its leather work as well as carpets , wood carving, silver filigree, ceramics, weaving and pottery. This sector of the economy employs one-third of the active population and has been selected by the Government for investment and encouragement.
Manufacturing is on a relatively small scale.
Products include chemicals, construction materials, footwear, textiles, processed food and refined petroleum. Tourism is a high earner with three million tourists a year visiting Morocco. There are plans to double the hotel capacity by the year 2000 and achieve ten percent annual growth between now and that date. While tourism is the second largest earner of foreign exchange the most important source of foreign currency is the money remitted from the many Moroccan citizens working abroad. THE ARTS Music and dance play a large part in Moroccan culture.