Other major cities are Marrakesh and Fes and the ports of Casablanca and Tangier. The official language is Arabic and various Berber dialects are spoken. French is widely spoken in business, government and academic circles and Spanish is also spoken in the north. There is a small but active stock exchange in Casablanca. In previous years there had been a lot of government intervention in the market, but a move towards privatisation of a number of state enterprises has begun.
Morocco has one of Africa's leading mining industries.
Its oil industry is also an important sub-sector in the economy of the country. It has two oil refineries at Sidi Kacem and at Mohammedia. In addition to its oil industry, Morocco has an active chemicals industry, as well as being one of the larger markets in the African lubricants industry. The tourism industry is growing and brings in a large portion of the country's foreign exchange earnings. An agreeable climate, changing landscapes and modern tourist resorts along the coast make Morocco an attractive tourist destination.