Topic: Photos of Morocco

Topic: Introduction
Background: 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 Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front - an organization advocating the territory’s independence - and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in December 2018. On 10 December 2020, the US recognized Morocco's sovereignty over all of Western Sahara. King MOHAMMED VI in early 2011 responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the North Africa 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 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, but it lost its plurality to the probusiness National Rally of Independents (RNI) in September 2021. In December 2020, Morocco signed a normalization agreement with Israel, similar to those that Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan had concluded with Israel earlier in 2020.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 Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front - an organization advocating the territory’s independence - and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in December 2018. On 10 December 2020, the US recognized Morocco's sovereignty over all of Western Sahara.King MOHAMMED VI in early 2011 responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the North Africa 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 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, but it lost its plurality to the probusiness National Rally of Independents (RNI) in September 2021. In December 2020, Morocco signed a normalization agreement with Israel, similar to those that Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan had concluded with Israel earlier in 2020.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Mauritania
Geographic coordinates: 28 30 N, 10 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 716,550 sq km

land: 716,300 sq km

water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 3,523.5 km

border countries (3): Algeria 1,941 km; Mauritania 1,564 km; Spain (Ceuta) 8 km and Spain (Melilla) 10.5 km

note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Coastline: 2,945 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Terrain: mountainous northern coast (Rif Mountains) and interior (Atlas Mountains) bordered by large plateaus with intermontane valleys, and fertile coastal plains; the south is mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces
Elevation: highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

lowest point: Sebkha Tah -59 m

mean elevation: 909 m
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
Land use: agricultural land: 67.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 17.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 47.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.5% (2018 est.)

other: 21% (2018 est.)

note: does not include the area of the former Western Sahara, which is almost exclusively desert
Irrigated land: 14,850 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Draa - 1,100 km
Population distribution: the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are found scattered through the Atlas Mountains as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: in the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; windstorms; flash floods; landslides; in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar; the only African nation to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines; the waters off the Atlantic coast are particularly rich fishing areas
Map description: Morocco map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean. Note that in 2020 the US recognized Western Sahara as part of Morocco.Morocco map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean. Note that in 2020 the US recognized Western Sahara as part of Morocco.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 36,738,229 (2022 est.)

note: includes Western Sahara
Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s)

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

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy); note - the proportion of Berber speakers is disputed; does not include data from the former Western Sahara

major-language sample(s):
كتاب ديال لحقائق متاع العالم، احسن مصدر متاع المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni, <0.1% Shia), other 1% (includes Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i); note - Jewish about 3,000-3,500 (2020 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Demographic profile: Morocco is undergoing a demographic transition. Its population is growing but at a declining rate, as people live longer and women have fewer children. Infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been reduced through better health care, nutrition, hygiene, and vaccination coverage, although disparities between urban and rural and rich and poor households persist. Morocco’s shrinking child cohort reflects the decline of its total fertility rate from 5 in mid-1980s to 2.2 in 2010, which is a result of increased female educational attainment, higher contraceptive use, delayed marriage, and the desire for smaller families. Young adults (persons aged 15-29) make up almost 26% of the total population and represent a potential economic asset if they can be gainfully employed. Currently, however, many youths are unemployed because Morocco’s job creation rate has not kept pace with the growth of its working-age population. Most youths who have jobs work in the informal sector with little security or benefits.During the second half of the 20th century, Morocco became one of the world’s top emigration countries, creating large, widely dispersed migrant communities in Western Europe. The Moroccan Government has encouraged emigration since its independence in 1956, both to secure remittances for funding national development and as an outlet to prevent unrest in rebellious (often Berber) areas. Although Moroccan labor migrants earlier targeted Algeria and France, the flood of Moroccan "guest workers" from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s spread widely across northwestern Europe to fill unskilled jobs in the booming manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture industries. Host societies and most Moroccan migrants expected this migration to be temporary, but deteriorating economic conditions in Morocco related to the 1973 oil crisis and tighter European immigration policies resulted in these stays becoming permanent.A wave of family migration followed in the 1970s and 1980s, with a growing number of second generation Moroccans opting to become naturalized citizens of their host countries. Spain and Italy emerged as new destination countries in the mid-1980s, but their introduction of visa restrictions in the early 1990s pushed Moroccans increasingly to migrate either legally by marrying Moroccans already in Europe or illegally to work in the underground economy. Women began to make up a growing share of these labor migrants. At the same time, some higher-skilled Moroccans went to the US and Quebec, Canada.In the mid-1990s, Morocco developed into a transit country for asylum seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa and illegal labor migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia trying to reach Europe via southern Spain, Spain’s Canary Islands, or Spain’s North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla. Forcible expulsions by Moroccan and Spanish security forces have not deterred these illegal migrants or calmed Europe’s security concerns. Rabat remains unlikely to adopt an EU agreement to take back third-country nationals who have entered the EU illegally via Morocco. Thousands of other illegal migrants have chosen to stay in Morocco until they earn enough money for further travel or permanently as a "second-best" option. The launching of a regularization program in 2014 legalized the status of some migrants and granted them equal access to education, health care, and work, but xenophobia and racism remain obstacles.Morocco is undergoing a demographic transition. Its population is growing but at a declining rate, as people live longer and women have fewer children. Infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been reduced through better health care, nutrition, hygiene, and vaccination coverage, although disparities between urban and rural and rich and poor households persist. Morocco’s shrinking child cohort reflects the decline of its total fertility rate from 5 in mid-1980s to 2.2 in 2010, which is a result of increased female educational attainment, higher contraceptive use, delayed marriage, and the desire for smaller families. Young adults (persons aged 15-29) make up almost 26% of the total population and represent a potential economic asset if they can be gainfully employed. Currently, however, many youths are unemployed because Morocco’s job creation rate has not kept pace with the growth of its working-age population. Most youths who have jobs work in the informal sector with little security or benefits.During the second half of the 20th century, Morocco became one of the world’s top emigration countries, creating large, widely dispersed migrant communities in Western Europe. The Moroccan Government has encouraged emigration since its independence in 1956, both to secure remittances for funding national development and as an outlet to prevent unrest in rebellious (often Berber) areas. Although Moroccan labor migrants earlier targeted Algeria and France, the flood of Moroccan "guest workers" from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s spread widely across northwestern Europe to fill unskilled jobs in the booming manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture industries. Host societies and most Moroccan migrants expected this migration to be temporary, but deteriorating economic conditions in Morocco related to the 1973 oil crisis and tighter European immigration policies resulted in these stays becoming permanent.A wave of family migration followed in the 1970s and 1980s, with a growing number of second generation Moroccans opting to become naturalized citizens of their host countries. Spain and Italy emerged as new destination countries in the mid-1980s, but their introduction of visa restrictions in the early 1990s pushed Moroccans increasingly to migrate either legally by marrying Moroccans already in Europe or illegally to work in the underground economy. Women began to make up a growing share of these labor migrants. At the same time, some higher-skilled Moroccans went to the US and Quebec, Canada.In the mid-1990s, Morocco developed into a transit country for asylum seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa and illegal labor migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia trying to reach Europe via southern Spain, Spain’s Canary Islands, or Spain’s North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla. Forcible expulsions by Moroccan and Spanish security forces have not deterred these illegal migrants or calmed Europe’s security concerns. Rabat remains unlikely to adopt an EU agreement to take back third-country nationals who have entered the EU illegally via Morocco. Thousands of other illegal migrants have chosen to stay in Morocco until they earn enough money for further travel or permanently as a "second-best" option. The launching of a regularization program in 2014 legalized the status of some migrants and granted them equal access to education, health care, and work, but xenophobia and racism remain obstacles.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.04% (male 4,905,626/female 4,709,333)

15-24 years: 16.55% (male 2,953,523/female 2,930,708)

25-54 years: 40.64% (male 7,126,781/female 7,325,709)

55-64 years: 8.67% (male 1,533,771/female 1,548,315)

65 years and over: 7.11% (2020 est.) (male 1,225,307/female 1,302,581)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 52.4

youth dependency ratio: 40.8

elderly dependency ratio: 11.6

potential support ratio: 8.6 (2020 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Median age: total: 29.1 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 29.6 years (2020 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Population growth rate: 0.91% (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Birth rate: 17.42 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Death rate: 6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Net migration rate: -1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Population distribution: the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are found scattered through the Atlas Mountains as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 64.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Major urban areas - population: 3.840 million Casablanca, 1.932 million RABAT (capital), 1.267 million Fes, 1.238 million Tangier, 1.277 million Marrakech, 960,000 Agadir (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Maternal mortality ratio: 70 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Infant mortality rate: total: 19.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.68 years

male: 71.98 years

female: 75.46 years (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.8% (2018)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 98.3% of population

rural: 79.1% of population

total: 91% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population

rural: 20.9% of population

total: 9% of population (2017 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Current Health Expenditure: 5.3% (2019)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Physicians density: 0.73 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Hospital bed density: 1 beds/1,000 population (2017)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 98.2% of population

rural: 72.4% of population

total: 88.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.8% of population

rural: 27.6% of population

total: 11.2% of population (2020 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2020 est.) <.1%

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 22,000 (2020 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <500

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 26.1% (2016)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Tobacco use: total: 14.5% (2020 est.)

male: 28.2% (2020 est.)

female: 0.8% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.6% (2017/18)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.5%

women married by age 18: 13.7% (2018 est.)
Education expenditures: NA

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.8%

male: 83.3%

female: 64.6% (2018)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2020)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 22.2%

male: 22%

female: 22.8% (2016 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: in the north, land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water and soil pollution due to dumping of industrial wastes into the ocean and inland water sources, and onto the land; in the south, desertification; overgrazing; sparse water and lack of arable land

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 30.99 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 61.28 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 17.16 megatons (2020 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Climate: Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Land use: agricultural land: 67.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 17.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 47.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.5% (2018 est.)

other: 21% (2018 est.)

note: does not include the area of the former Western Sahara, which is almost exclusively desert
Urbanization: urban population: 64.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.852 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 548,160 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2014 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Major rivers (by length in km): Draa - 1,100 km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 1.063 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 212 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 9.156 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara
Total renewable water resources: 29 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

note:  data does not include former Western Sahara

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form: Morocco

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form: Al Maghrib

former: French Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara

etymology: the English name "Morocco" derives from, respectively, the Spanish and Portuguese names "Marruecos" and "Marrocos," which stem from "Marrakesh" the Latin name for the former capital of ancient Morocco; the Arabic name "Al Maghrib" translates as "The West"
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Rabat

geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: name derives from the Arabic title "Ribat el-Fath," meaning "stronghold of victory," applied to the newly constructed citadel in 1170
Administrative divisions: 12 regions; Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Casablanca-Settat, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Draa-Tafilalet, Fes-Meknes, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Safi, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima

note: effective 10 December 2020, the US Government recognizes the sovereignty of Morocco over all of the territory of former Western Sahara
Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest drafted 17 June 2011, approved by referendum 1 July 2011; note - sources disagree on whether the 2011 referendum was for a new constitution or for reforms to the previous constitution

amendments: proposed by the king, by the prime minister, or by members in either chamber of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum; the king can opt to submit self-initiated proposals directly to a referendum
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on French civil law and Islamic (sharia) law; judicial review of legislative acts by Constitutional Court
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Morocco; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Aziz AKHANNOUCH (since 7 October 2021)

cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the prime minister in consultation with Parliament and appointed by the monarch; the monarch chooses the ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Islamic Affairs, and National Defense Administration

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from the majority party following legislative elections
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
House of Councillors or Majlis al-Mustacharine (120 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college of local councils, professional organizations, and labor unions; members serve 6-year terms)
House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (395 seats; 305 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 90 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - 60 seats reserved for women and 30 seats for those under age 40 in regional multi-seat constituencies, with the seats divided proportionally among the 12 regions by population size of the region

elections: House of Councillors - last held on 5 October 2021 (next to be held by 31 October 2027)
House of Representatives - last held on 8 September 2021 (next to be held by 30 September 2026)

election results:
House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RNI 27, PAM 19, PI 17, MP 12, USFP 8, UGIM 6, CDT 3, PJD 3, UC 2, UMT 2, Amal 1, FDT 1, MDS 1, PRD 1, independent 1; composition as of October 2021) men 105, women 15, percent of women 12.5%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - RNI 102, PAM 87, PI 81, USFP 34, MP 28, PPS 22, UC 18, PJD 13, MDS 5, other 5; composition as of July 2022 - men 305, women 90, percent of women 24.1%; note - overall percent of women in Parliament 21.4%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of 5-judge panels organized into civil, family matters, commercial, administrative, social, and criminal sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of Judicial Power, a 20-member body presided over by the monarch, which includes the Supreme Court president, the prosecutor general, representatives of the appeals and first instance courts  (among them 1 woman magistrate), the president of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), and 5 "notable persons" appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members - 6 designated by the monarch and 6 elected by Parliament; court president appointed by the monarch from among the court members; members serve 9-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts: courts of appeal; High Court of Justice; administrative and commercial courts; regional and Sadad courts (for religious, civil and administrative, and penal adjudication); first instance courts
Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]
Amal (hope) Party [Mohamed BANI]
An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj or Democratic Way [Mustapha BRAHMA]
Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Abdellatif OUAHBI]
Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohamed SAJID]
Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]
Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Mustapha BENALI]
Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhour CHAKKAFI]
Green Left Party or PGV [Mohamed FARES]
Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Nizar BARAKA]
National Ittihadi Congress or CNI [Abdesalam EL AZIZ]
Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Isaac CHARIA]
Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD [Jamal MANDRI]
National Democratic Party [Abdellah KADIRI]
National Rally of Independents or RNI [Aziz AKHANNOUCH]
Neo-Democrats Party [Mohamed DARIF]
Party of Development Reform or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOHEN]
Party of Justice and Development or PJD [Abdelilah BENKIRANE]
Party of Liberty and Social Justice [Miloud MOUSSAOUI]
Popular Movement or MP [Mohand LAENSER]
Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Nabil BENABDELLAH]
Renaissance and Virtue Party [Mohamed KHALIDI]
Renaissance Party [Said EL GHENNIOUI]
Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHEHABAR]
Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party [Ahmed BELGHAZI]
Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Driss LACHGAR]
Unified Socialist Party or GSU [Nabila MOUNIB]
Unity and Democracy Party [Ahmed FITRI]
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lalla Joumala ALAOUI (since 24 April 2017)

chancery: 3508 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979

FAX: [1] (202) 462-7643

email address and website:
Washingtonembbmorocco@maec.gov.ma

https://www.embassyofmorocco.us/

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lawrence M. RANDOLPH (since 4 January 2021)

embassy: Km 5.7 Avenue Mohammed VI, Souissi, Rabat 10170

mailing address: 9400 Rabat Place, Washington DC  20521-9400

telephone: [212] 0537-637-200

FAX: [212] 0537-637-201

email address and website:
ACSCasablanca@state.gov (US Consulate General Casablanca)

https://ma.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Casablanca
Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and signifies the association between God and the nation; design dates to 1912
National symbol(s): pentacle symbol, lion; national colors: red, green
National anthem: name: "Hymne Cherifien" (Hymn of the Sharif)

lyrics/music: Ali Squalli HOUSSAINI/Leo MORGAN

note: music adopted 1956, lyrics adopted 1970
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 9 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Medina of Fez; Medina of Marrakesh; Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou; Historic City of Meknes; Archaeological Site of Volubilis; Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin); Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador); Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida); Historic and Modern Rabat

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Morocco has capitalized on its proximity to Europe and relatively low labor costs to work towards building a diverse, open, market-oriented economy. Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, aerospace, automotive, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco has increased investment in its port, transportation, and industrial infrastructure to position itself as a center and broker for business throughout Africa. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's competitiveness.   In the 1980s, Morocco was a heavily indebted country before pursuing austerity measures and pro-market reforms, overseen by the IMF. Since taking the throne in 1999, King MOHAMMED VI has presided over a stable economy marked by steady growth, low inflation, and gradually falling unemployment, although poor harvests and economic difficulties in Europe contributed to an economic slowdown. To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the US in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the EU in 2008. In late 2014, Morocco eliminated subsidies for gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil, dramatically reducing outlays that weighed on the country’s budget and current account. Subsidies on butane gas and certain food products remain in place. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable more than 50% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2030.   Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. Key economic challenges for Morocco include reforming the education system and the judiciary.Morocco has capitalized on its proximity to Europe and relatively low labor costs to work towards building a diverse, open, market-oriented economy. Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, aerospace, automotive, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco has increased investment in its port, transportation, and industrial infrastructure to position itself as a center and broker for business throughout Africa. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's competitiveness. In the 1980s, Morocco was a heavily indebted country before pursuing austerity measures and pro-market reforms, overseen by the IMF. Since taking the throne in 1999, King MOHAMMED VI has presided over a stable economy marked by steady growth, low inflation, and gradually falling unemployment, although poor harvests and economic difficulties in Europe contributed to an economic slowdown. To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the US in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the EU in 2008. In late 2014, Morocco eliminated subsidies for gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil, dramatically reducing outlays that weighed on the country’s budget and current account. Subsidies on butane gas and certain food products remain in place. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable more than 50% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2030. Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. Key economic challenges for Morocco include reforming the education system and the judiciary.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $259.42 billion (2020 est.)

$279.3 billion (2019 est.)

$272.53 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.5% (2019 est.)

2.96% (2018 est.)

3.98% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $6,900 (2020 est.)

$7,500 (2019 est.)

$7,400 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $118.858 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.2% (2019 est.)

2% (2018 est.)

0.7% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: BB+ (2020)

Moody's rating: Ba1 (1999)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2010)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 14% (2017 est.)

industry: 29.5% (2017 est.)

services: 56.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 58% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 28.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 4.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 37.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -46.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, sugar beet, milk, potatoes, olives, tangerines/mandarins, tomatoes, oranges, barley, onions
Industries: automotive parts, phosphate mining and processing, aerospace, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, energy, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 10.399 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 39.1%

industry: 20.3%

services: 40.5% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.23% (2019 est.)

9.65% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 22.2%

male: 22%

female: 22.8% (2016 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
Population below poverty line: 4.8% (2013 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 39.5 (2013 est.)

39.5 (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 33.2% (2007)
Budget: revenues: 22.81 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 26.75 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 65.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

64.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 20.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$5.075 billion (2019 est.)

-$6.758 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $37.52 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$44.05 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$43.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Spain 23%, France 19% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars, insulated wiring, fertilizers, phosphoric acid, clothing and apparel (2019)
Imports: $46.26 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$54.1 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$55.38 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Spain 19%, France 11%, China 9%, United States 7%, Germany 5%, Turkey 5%, Italy 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, natural gas, coal, low-voltage protection equipment (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $26.27 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.37 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $52.957 billion (2019 est.)

$51.851 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar -

9.0065 (2020 est.)

9.657 (2019 est.)

9.48825 (2018 est.)

9.7351 (2014 est.)

8.3798 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 14.187 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 29,447,883,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 624 million kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 856 million kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 6.703 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 81.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 13% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 4.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 9.321 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 9.321 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 14 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 307,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 700,000 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 66,230 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 9,504 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 229,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 105.678 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 1,051,658,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 950.765 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 1.444 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 60.2 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 20.267 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 37.834 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 2.099 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 24.59 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 2,357,286 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 49,421,023 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment and illiteracy affecting telecom market, particularly in rural areas; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay; one of the most state-of-the-art markets in Africa; high mobile penetration rates in the region with low cost for broadband Internet access; improvement in LTE reach and capabilities; service providers have all successfully completed 5G proofs of concept and are currently lining up 5G equipment providers for both radio and core technology; regulatory agency expects to conduct the 5G spectrum auction in 2023; mobile Internet accounts for 93% of all Internet connections; World Bank provided funds for Morocco’s digital transformation; government supported digital education during pandemic; submarine cables and satellite provide connectivity to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia; importer of broadcasting equipment, surveillance equipment, scanning equipment, and video displays from China (2022)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is just over 6 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscribership is nearly 134 per 100 persons; good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat (2020)

international: country code - 212; landing point for the Atlas Offshore, Estepona-Tetouan, Canalink and SEA-ME-WE-3 fiber-optic telecommunications undersea cables that provide connectivity to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 2 TV broadcast networks with state-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) operating one network and the state partially owning the other; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite dish; 3 radio broadcast networks with RTM operating one; the government-owned network includes 10 regional radio channels in addition to its national service (2019)
Internet country code: .ma
Internet users: total: 31,004,869 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 84% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 2,102,434 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2020 est.)
Communications - note: the University of al-Quarawiyyin Library in Fez is recognized as the oldest existing, continually operating library in the world, dating back to A.D. 859; among its holdings are approximately 4,000 ancient Islamic manuscripts

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 76

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 8,132,917 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 97.71 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: CN
Airports: total: 62 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 36

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 6 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 944 km gas, 270 km oil, 175 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 2,067 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,067 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 57,300 km (2018)
Merchant marine: total: 93

by type: container ship 6, general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 80 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Ad Dakhla, Agadir, Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Laayoune (El Aaiun), Mohammedia, Safi, Tangier

container port(s) (TEUs): Tangier (4,801,713) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Jorf Lasfar (planned)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Royal Armed Forces: Royal Moroccan Army (includes the Moroccan Royal Guard), Royal Moroccan Navy (includes Coast Guard, marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force; Ministry of Defense (aka Administration of National Defense): Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie; Ministry of Interior: National Police, Auxiliary Forces (provides support to the Gendarmerie and National Police; includes a Mobile Intervention Corps, a motorized paramilitary security force that supplements the military and the police as needed) (2022)

note: the National Police manages internal law enforcement in cities; the Royal Gendarmerie is responsible for law enforcement in rural regions and on national highways

Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

4.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.4% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $7.46 billion)

3.3% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $7.12 billion)

3.4% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $7.08 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 200,000 active personnel (175,000 Army; 10,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force); estimated 20,000 Gendarmerie; estimated 5,000 Mobile Intervention Corps (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Moroccan military's inventory is comprised of mostly older French and US equipment; since 2010, it has received equipment from about a dozen countries with France and the US as the leading suppliers (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 19-25 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service (reintroduced in 2019); both sexes (age 20-27 for women) are obligated to national service (2021)
Military deployments: 775 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 925 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (May 2022)
Military - note: Moroccan military forces were engaged in combat operations against the Polisario Front (aka Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro or Frente Polisario) from 1975 until a UN-brokered cease-fire in 1991; a 2,500-kilometer long sand berm, built in 1987, separates the forces of Morocco and the Polisario Front

the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by Security Council resolution 690 in April 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in August 1988 by Morocco and the Polisario Front; MINURSO was unable to carry out all the original settlement proposals, but as of 2022 continued to monitor the cease-fire and reduce the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and has provided logistic support to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led confidence building measures with personnel and air and ground assets

Morocco has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitmentsMoroccan military forces were engaged in combat operations against the Polisario Front (aka Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro or Frente Polisario) from 1975 until a UN-brokered cease-fire in 1991; a 2,500-kilometer long sand berm, built in 1987, separates the forces of Morocco and the Polisario Front

the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by Security Council resolution 690 in April 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in August 1988 by Morocco and the Polisario Front; MINURSO was unable to carry out all the original settlement proposals, but as of 2022 continued to monitor the cease-fire and reduce the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and has provided logistic support to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led confidence building measures with personnel and air and ground assets

Morocco has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Morocco-Algeria: Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling Morocco-Mauritania: tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag Morocco-Spain: Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North AfricaMorocco-Algeria: Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smugglingMorocco-Mauritania: tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flagMorocco-Spain: Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa
Illicit drugs: one of the world’s largest cannabis-producing country with Europe as the main  market; hashish is also smuggled to South America and the Caribbean where it is exchanged for cocaine which is distributed in Europe; MDMA (ecstasy), originating in Belgium and the Netherlands is smuggled into northern Morocco for sale on the domestic marketone of the world’s largest cannabis-producing country with Europe as the main  market; hashish is also smuggled to South America and the Caribbean where it is exchanged for cocaine which is distributed in Europe; MDMA (ecstasy), originating in Belgium and the Netherlands is smuggled into northern Morocco for sale on the domestic market


This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relative to their GDPs) generally have more difficulty raising funds to finance expenditures, than those with lower deficits.

Topic: Afghanistan-15.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Albania-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Algeria-9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: American Samoa-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Andorra-6.9% (of GDP) (2016)

Topic: Angola-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Anguilla0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Antigua and Barbuda-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Argentina-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Armenia-4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Aruba-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Australia-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Austria-0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Azerbaijan-1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bahamas, The-2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bahrain-10.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bangladesh-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Barbados-4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Belarus2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Belgium-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Belize-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Benin-6.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bermuda-2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bhutan-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bolivia-7.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovina2.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Botswana-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Brazil-1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: British Virgin Islands0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Brunei-17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Bulgaria1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Burkina Faso-7.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Burma-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Burundi-5.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cabo Verde-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cambodia-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cameroon-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Canada-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cayman Islands4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Central African Republic-0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Chad-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Chile-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: China-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Colombia-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Comoros-6.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of the-0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Congo, Republic of the-7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cook Islands3% (of GDP) (2010 est.)

Topic: Costa Rica-6.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cote d'Ivoire-4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Croatia0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Cuba-10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Curacao-0.4% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Topic: Cyprus1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Czechia1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Denmark1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Djibouti-9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Dominica-5.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Dominican Republic-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Ecuador-4.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Egypt-8.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: El Salvador-2.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Equatorial Guinea-3.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Eritrea-9.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Estonia-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Eswatini-8.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Ethiopia-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: European Union-3% (of GDP) (2014)

Topic: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)-4% (of GDP) (FY09/10)

Topic: Faroe Islands-1.7% (of GDP) (2014 est.)

Topic: Fiji-4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Finland-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: France-2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: French Polynesia1.2% (of GDP) (2012)

Topic: Gabon-1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Gambia, The-2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Georgia-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Germany1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Ghana-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Gibraltar1.1% (of GDP) (2008 est.)

Topic: Greece0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Greenland5.6% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Grenada3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Guam-1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Guatemala-1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Guernsey1.2% (of GDP) (2005)

Topic: Guinea-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Guinea-Bissau-1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Guyana-4.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Haiti-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Holy See (Vatican City)NA

Topic: Honduras-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Hong Kong5.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Hungary-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note: Hungary has been under the EU Excessive Deficit Procedure since it joined the EU in 2004; in March 2012, the EU elevated its Excessive Deficit Procedure against Hungary and proposed freezing 30% of the country's Cohesion Funds because 2011 deficit reductions were not achieved in a sustainable manner; in June 2012, the EU lifted the freeze, recognizing that steps had been taken to reduce the deficit; the Hungarian deficit increased above 3% both in 2013 and in 2014 due to sluggish growth and the government's fiscal tightening

Topic: Iceland1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: India-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Indonesia-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Iran-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Iraq-4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Ireland-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Isle of Man0.3% (of GDP) (FY05/06 est.)

Topic: Israel-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Italy-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Jamaica0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Japan-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Jersey-0.4% (of GDP) (2005)

Topic: Jordan-5.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kazakhstan-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kenya-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kiribati-64.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Korea, North-0.4% (of GDP) (2007 est.)

Topic: Korea, South1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kosovo-2.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kuwait-10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Kyrgyzstan-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Laos-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Latvia-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Lebanon-6.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Lesotho-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Liberia-4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Libya-25.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Liechtenstein1.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Topic: Lithuania0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Luxembourg1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Macau10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Madagascar-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Malawi-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Malaysia-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Maldives-10.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Mali-2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Malta3.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Marshall Islands1.3% (of GDP) (2013 est.)

Topic: Mauritania-0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Mauritius-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Mexico-1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Micronesia, Federated States of6.6% (of GDP) (FY12/13 est.)

Topic: Moldova-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Monaco-1% (of GDP) (2011 est.)

Topic: Mongolia-6.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Montenegro-5.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Morocco-3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Mozambique-5.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Namibia-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Nauru-9.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Nepal-0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Netherlands1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: New Caledonia0% (of GDP) (2015 est.)

Topic: New Zealand1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Nicaragua-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Niger-5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Nigeria-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Niue-12.6% (of GDP) (FY04/05)

Topic: North Macedonia-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Northern Mariana Islands3.7% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Norway4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Oman-13.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Pakistan-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Palau8.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Panama-1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Papua New Guinea-4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Paraguay-1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Peru-3.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Philippines-2.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Poland-1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Portugal-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Puerto Rico-0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Qatar-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Romania-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Russia-1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Rwanda-4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevis1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Saint Lucia0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Saint Pierre and Miquelon3.8% (of GDP) (1996 est.)

Topic: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Samoa-4.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: San Marino-2.9% (of GDP) (2011 est.)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principe-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Saudi Arabia-8.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Senegal-3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Serbia0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Seychelles-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Sierra Leone-7.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Singapore-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Slovakia-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Slovenia0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Solomon Islands-2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Somalia-0.1% (of GDP) (2014 est.)

Topic: South Africa-4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: South Sudan-1.3% (of GDP) (FY2017/18 est.)

Topic: Spain-3.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Sri Lanka-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Sudan-10.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Suriname-7.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: SvalbardNA

Topic: Sweden1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Switzerland1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Syria-8.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Taiwan-0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Tajikistan-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Tanzania-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Thailand-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Timor-Leste-75.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Togo-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Tonga0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobago-8.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Tunisia-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Turkey (Turkiye)-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Turkmenistan-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Tuvalu25.6% (of GDP) (2013 est.)

Topic: Uganda-4.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Ukraine-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: United Arab Emirates-0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: United Kingdom-1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: United States-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Uruguay-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Uzbekistan0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Vanuatu-0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Venezuela-46.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Vietnam-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Virgin Islands-0.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Wallis and Futuna-0.8% (of GDP) (2015 est.) NA

Topic: West Bank0.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: World-3% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Topic: Yemen-5.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Zambia-7.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Topic: Zimbabwe-9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens Exercise increased caution in Benin due to crime, kidnapping, and maritime crime. Some areas have increased risk. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp and or visa that will be required. A visa is required. US citizens will need to get in touch with the country’s embassy or nearest consulate to obtain a visa prior to visiting the country.
US Embassy/Consulate: [229] 21-30-06-50; US Embassy Cotonou, Marina Avenue, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou, Benin; https://bj.usembassy.gov/; ACSCotonou@state.gov
Telephone Code: 229
Local Emergency Phone: Local numbers only
Vaccinations: An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Benin is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Currency (Code): Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (Western African CFA francs, XOF)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, E

Major Languages: French, Fon, Yoruba
Major Religions: Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5%, Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Cotonou; Ouidah; Porto Novo; Royal Palaces at Abomey
Major Sports: Soccer, tennis, track and field
Cultural Practices: Many people in Benin eat using the fingers of the right hand; eating or offering food to others with the left hand is considered rude.
Tipping Guidelines: Tipping in restaurants is appreciated; round up the bill in smaller establishments or tip up to 10%. Tipping at bars is unexpected. When taking a taxi, round up the fare. Tipping in hotels is not required, but if you enjoyed your stay you could tip the bellboy 200 francs per bag and the maid 200 francs per night.Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Tuesday, April 05, 2022


Topic: ABEDA

Topic: ACP Group

Topic: ADB

Topic: AfDB

Topic: AFESD

Topic: AG

Topic: Air Pollution

Topic: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

Topic: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Topic: Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

Topic: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

Topic: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds


This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Topic: Afghanistan38,346,720 (2022 est.)

Topic: Akrotiri(2020) approximately 18,195 on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 11,000 Cypriots and 7,195 Service and UK-based contract personnel and dependents

Topic: Albania3,095,344 (2022 est.)

Topic: Algeria44,178,884 (2022 est.)

Topic: American Samoa45,443 (2022 est.)

Topic: Andorra85,560 (2022 est.)

Topic: Angola34,795,287 (2022 est.)

Topic: Anguilla18,741 (2022 est.)

Topic: Antarcticano indigenous inhabitants, but there are both year-round and summer-only staffed research stations

note: 54 countries have signed the 1959 Antarctic Treaty; 30 of those operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); the population engaging in and supporting science or managing and protecting the Antarctic region varies from approximately 5,000 in summer to 1,100 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research, are present in the waters of the treaty region
as of 2017, peak summer (December-February) maximum capacity in scientific stations - 4,877 total; Argentina 601, Australia 243, Belarus 12, Belgium 40, Brazil 66, Bulgaria 22, Chile 433, China 166, Czechia 20, Ecuador 34, Finland 17, France 90, France and Italy jointly 80, Germany 104, India 113, Italy 120, Japan 130, South Korea 130, Netherlands 10, NZ 86, Norway 70, Peru 30, Poland 40, Russia 335, South Africa 80, Spain 98, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 196, US 1,399, Uruguay 68 (2017)

winter (June-August) maximum capacity in scientific station - 1,036 total; Argentina 221, Australia 52, Brazil 15, Chile 114, China 32, France 24, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 48, Japan 40, Netherlands 10, South Korea 25, NZ 11, Norway 7, Poland 16, Russia 125, South Africa 15, Ukraine 12, UK 44, US 215, Uruguay 8 (2017)

research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs year-round stations - approximately 40 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 6, China 2, France 1, France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 2, Japan 1, Netherlands 1, South Korea 2, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 2 (2017)

a range of seasonal-only (summer) stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czechia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2017)

in addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research

Topic: Antigua and Barbuda100,335 (2022 est.)

Topic: Argentina46,245,668 (2022 est.)

Topic: Armenia3,000,756 (2022 est.)

Topic: Aruba122,320 (2022 est.)

Topic: Ashmore and Cartier Islands(July 2021 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only

Topic: Australia26,141,369 (2022 est.)

Topic: Austria8,913,088 (2022 est.)

Topic: Azerbaijan10,353,296 (2022 est.)

Topic: Bahamas, The355,608 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Bahrain1,540,558 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up approximately 45% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Bangladesh165,650,475 (2022 est.)

Topic: Barbados302,674 (2022 est.)

Topic: Belarus9,413,505 (2022 est.)

Topic: Belgium11,847,338 (2022 est.)

Topic: Belize412,387 (2022 est.)

Topic: Benin13,754,688 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Bermuda72,337 (2022 est.)

Topic: Bhutan867,775 (2022 est.)

Topic: Bolivia12,054,379 (2022 est.)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovina3,816,459 (2022 est.)

Topic: Botswana2,384,246 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Bouvet Islanduninhabited

Topic: Brazil217,240,060 (2022 est.)

Topic: British Indian Ocean Territoryno indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; approximately 3,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (2018)

Topic: British Virgin Islands38,632 (2022 est.)

Topic: Brunei478,054 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up approximately 26% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Bulgaria6,873,253 (2022 est.)

Topic: Burkina Faso21,935,389 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Burma57,526,449 (2022 est.)

Topic: Burundi12,696,478 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Cabo Verde596,707 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cambodia16,713,015 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cameroon29,321,637 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Canada38,232,593 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cayman Islands64,309 (2022 est.)

note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman

Topic: Central African Republic5,454,533 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Chad17,963,211 (2022 est.)

Topic: Chile18,430,408 (2022 est.)

Topic: China1,410,539,758 (2022 est.)

Topic: Christmas Island2,205 (2016 est.)

Topic: Clipperton Islanduninhabited

Topic: Cocos (Keeling) Islands596 (July 2014 est.)

Topic: Colombia49,059,221 (2022 est.)

Topic: Comoros876,437 (2022 est.)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of the108,407,721 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Congo, Republic of the5,546,307 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Cook Islands8,128 (2022 est.)

note: the Cook Islands' Ministry of Finance & Economic Management estimated the resident population to have been 11,700 in September 2016

Topic: Coral Sea Islands(July 2021 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a staff of four at the meteorological station on Willis Island

Topic: Costa Rica5,204,411 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cote d'Ivoire28,713,423 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Croatia4,188,853 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cuba11,008,112 (2022 est.)

Topic: Curacao152,379 (2022 est.)

Topic: Cyprus1,295,102 (2022 est.)

Topic: Czechia10,705,384 (2022 est.)

Topic: Denmark5,920,767 (2022 est.)

Topic: Dhekeliaapproximately 15,500 on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 9,700 Cypriots and 5,800 Service and UK-based contract personnel and dependents

Topic: Djibouti957,273 (2022 est.)

Topic: Dominica74,629 (2022 est.)

Topic: Dominican Republic10,694,700 (2022 est.)

Topic: Ecuador17,289,554 (2022 est.)

Topic: Egypt107,770,524 (2022 est.)

Topic: El Salvador6,568,745 (2022 est.)

Topic: Equatorial Guinea1,679,172 (2022 est.)

Topic: Eritrea6,209,262 (2022 est.)

Topic: Estonia1,211,524 (2022 est.)

Topic: Eswatini1,121,761 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Ethiopia113,656,596 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: European Union(July 2022 est.) 450,858,381

rank by population:    Germany - 84,316,622;  France - 68,305,148;  Italy - 61,095,551;  Spain - 47,163,418;  Poland - 38,093,101;  Romania - 18,519,899;  Netherlands - 17,400,824;  Belgium - 11,847,338;  Czechia - 10,705,384;  Greece - 10,533,871;  Sweden - 10,483,647;  Portugal - 10,242,081;  Hungary - 9,699,577;  Austria - 8,913,088;  Bulgaria - 6,873,253;  Denmark - 5,920,767;  Finland - 5,601,547;  Slovakia - 5,431,252;  Ireland - 5,275,004;  Croatia - 4,188,853;  Lithuania - 2,683,546;  Slovenia - 2,101,208;  Latvia - 1,842,226;  Cyprus - 1,295,102;  Estonia - 1,211,524;  Luxembourg - 650,364;  Malta - 464,186 (July 2022 est.)

Topic: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)3,198 (2016 est.)

note: data include all persons usually resident in the islands at the time of the 2016 census

Topic: Faroe Islands52,269 (2022 est.)

Topic: Fiji943,737 (2022 est.)

Topic: Finland5,601,547 (2022 est.)

Topic: France68,305,148 (2022 est.)

note: the above figure is for metropolitan France and five overseas regions; the metropolitan France population is 62,814,233

Topic: French Polynesia299,356 (2022 est.)

Topic: French Southern and Antarctic Landsno indigenous inhabitants

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but has a meteorological station
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays
 Iles Crozet: uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession
 Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen
 Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable
 Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists
 Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists

Topic: Gabon2,340,613 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Gambia, The2,413,403 (2022 est.)

Topic: Gaza Strip1,997,328 (2022 est.)

Topic: Georgia4,935,518 (2022 est.)

Topic: Germany84,316,622 (2022 est.)

Topic: Ghana33,107,275 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Gibraltar29,573 (2022 est.)

Topic: Greece10,533,871 (2022 est.)

Topic: Greenland57,792 (2022 est.)

Topic: Grenada113,949 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guam169,086 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guatemala17,703,190 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guernsey67,491 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guinea13,237,832 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guinea-Bissau2,026,778 (2022 est.)

Topic: Guyana789,683 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Haiti11,334,637 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Heard Island and McDonald Islandsuninhabited

Topic: Holy See (Vatican City)1,000 (2022 est.)

Topic: Honduras9,459,440 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Hong Kong7,276,588 (2022 est.)

Topic: Hungary9,699,577 (2022 est.)

Topic: Iceland357,603 (2022 est.)

Topic: India1,389,637,446 (2022 est.)

Topic: Indonesia277,329,163 (2022 est.)

Topic: Iran86,758,304 (2022 est.)

Topic: Iraq40,462,701 (2022 est.)

Topic: Ireland5,275,004 (2022 est.)

Topic: Isle of Man91,382 (2022 est.)

Topic: Israel8,914,885 (2022 est.) (includes populations of the Golan Heights or Golan Sub-District and also East Jerusalem, which was annexed by Israel after 1967)

note: approximately 227,100 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2019); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total

Topic: Italy61,095,551 (2022 est.)

Topic: Jamaica2,818,596 (2022 est.)

Topic: Jan Mayenno indigenous inhabitants

note: military personnel operate the the weather and coastal services radio station

Topic: Japan124,214,766 (2022 est.)

Topic: Jersey102,146 (2022 est.)

Topic: Jordan10,998,531 (2022 est.)

note: increased estimate reflects revised assumptions about the net migration rate due to the increased flow of Syrian refugees

Topic: Kazakhstan19,398,331 (2022 est.)

Topic: Kenya55,864,655 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Kiribati114,189 (2022 est.)

Topic: Korea, North25,955,138 (2022 est.)

Topic: Korea, South51,844,834 (2022 est.)

Topic: Kosovo1,952,701 (2022 est.)

Topic: Kuwait3,068,155 (2022 est.)

note: Kuwait's Public Authority for Civil Information estimates the country's total population to be 4,420,110 for 2019, with non-Kuwaitis accounting for nearly 70% of the population

Topic: Kyrgyzstan6,071,750 (2022 est.)

Topic: Laos7,749,595 (2022 est.)

Topic: Latvia1,842,226 (2022 est.)

Topic: Lebanon5,296,814 (2022 est.)

Topic: Lesotho2,193,970 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Liberia5,358,483 (2022 est.)

Topic: Libya7,137,931 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up just over 12% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Liechtenstein39,711 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up 67% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Lithuania2,683,546 (2022 est.)

Topic: Luxembourg650,364 (2022 est.)

Topic: Macau635,293 (2022 est.)

Topic: Madagascar28,172,462 (2022 est.)

Topic: Malawi20,794,353 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Malaysia33,871,431 (2022 est.)

Topic: Maldives390,164 (2022 est.)

Topic: Mali20,741,769 (2022 est.)

Topic: Malta464,186 (2022 est.)

Topic: Marshall Islands79,906 (2022 est.)

Topic: Mauritania4,161,925 (2022 est.)

Topic: Mauritius1,308,222 (2022 est.)

Topic: Mexico129,150,971 (2022 est.)

Topic: Micronesia, Federated States of101,009 (2022 est.)

Topic: Moldova3,287,326 (2022 est.)

Topic: Monaco31,400 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up almost 68% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Mongolia3,227,863 (2022 est.)

note: Mongolia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world (2 people per sq km); twice as many ethnic Mongols (some 6 million) live in Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol) in neighboring China

Topic: Montenegro604,966 (2022 est.)

Topic: Montserrat5,414 (2022 est.)

note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned

Topic: Morocco36,738,229 (2022 est.)

note: includes Western Sahara

Topic: Mozambique31,693,239 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Namibia2,727,409 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Nauru9,811 (2022 est.)

Topic: Navassa Islanduninhabited; transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

Topic: Nepal30,666,598 (2022 est.)

Topic: Netherlands17,400,824 (2022 est.)

Topic: New Caledonia297,160 (2022 est.)

Topic: New Zealand5,053,004 (2022 est.)

Topic: Nicaragua6,301,880 (2022 est.)

Topic: Niger24,484,587 (2022 est.)

Topic: Nigeria225,082,083 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Niue2,000 (July 2022 est.)

note: because of the island's limited economic and educational opportunities, Niueans have emigrated for decades - primarily to New Zealand, but also to Australia and other Pacific island states; Niue's population peaked in 1966 at 5,194, but by 2005 had fallen to 1,508; since then it has rebounded slightly; as of 2013, 23,883 people of Niuean ancestry lived in New Zealand - with more than 20% Niue-born; this means that there are about 15 times as many persons of Niuean ancestry living in New Zealand as in Niue, possibly the most eccentric population distribution in the world

Topic: Norfolk Island1,748 (2016 est.)

Topic: North Macedonia2,130,936 (2022 est.)

Topic: Northern Mariana Islands51,475 (2022 est.)

Topic: Norway5,553,840 (2022 est.)

Topic: Oman3,764,348 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up approximately 46% of the total population (2019)

Topic: Pakistan242,923,845 (2022 est.)

note: results of Pakistan's 2017 national census estimate the country's total population to be 207,684,626

Topic: Palau21,695 (2022 est.)

Topic: Panama4,337,768 (2022 est.)

Topic: Papua New Guinea9,593,498 (2022 est.)

Topic: Paracel Islands1,440 (July 2014 est.)

note: Chinese activity has increased in recent years, particularly on Woody Island, where the population exceeds 1,000; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands

Topic: Paraguay7,356,409 (2022 est.)

Topic: Peru32,275,736 (2022 est.)

Topic: Philippines114,597,229 (2022 est.)

Topic: Pitcairn Islands50 (2021 est.)

Topic: Poland38,093,101 (2022 est.)

Topic: Portugal10,242,081 (2022 est.)

Topic: Puerto Rico3,098,423 (2022 est.)

Topic: Qatar2,508,182 (2022 est.)

Topic: Romania18,519,899 (2022 est.)

Topic: Russia142,021,981 (2022 est.)

Topic: Rwanda13,173,730 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Saint Barthelemy7,103 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha7,925 (2022 est.)

note: Saint Helena's Statistical Office estimated the resident population to be 4,439 in 2021; only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited, none of the other nearby islands/islets are

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevis54,488 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Lucia167,122 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Martin32,792 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Pierre and Miquelon5,257 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines100,969 (2022 est.)

Topic: Samoa206,179 (2022 est.)

Topic: San Marino34,682 (2022 est.)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principe217,164 (2022 est.)

Topic: Saudi Arabia35,354,380 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up 38.3% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Topic: Senegal17,923,036 (2022 est.)

Topic: Serbia6,739,471 (2022 est.)

note: does not include the population of Kosovo

Topic: Seychelles97,017 (2022 est.)

Topic: Sierra Leone8,692,606 (2022 est.)

Topic: Singapore5,921,231 (2022 est.)

Topic: Sint Maarten45,126 (2022 est.)

Topic: Slovakia5,431,252 (2022 est.)

Topic: Slovenia2,101,208 (2022 est.)

Topic: Solomon Islands702,694 (2022 est.)

Topic: Somalia12,386,248 (2022 est.)

note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare

Topic: South Africa57,516,665 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands(July 2021 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited

Topic: South Sudan11,544,905 (2022 est.)

Topic: Spain47,163,418 (2022 est.)

Topic: Spratly Islands(July 2021 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by military personnel of several claimant states

Topic: Sri Lanka23,187,516 (2022 est.)

Topic: Sudan47,958,856 (2022 est.)

Topic: Suriname632,638 (2022 est.)

Topic: Svalbard2,926 (January 2021 est.)

Topic: Sweden10,483,647 (2022 est.)

Topic: Switzerland8,508,698 (2022 est.)

Topic: Syria21,563,800 (2022 est.)

note: approximately 22,900 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2018)

Topic: Taiwan23,580,712 (2022 est.)

Topic: Tajikistan9,119,347 (2022 est.)

Topic: Tanzania63,852,892 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Thailand69,648,117 (2022 est.)

Topic: Timor-Leste1,445,006 (2022 est.)

Topic: Togo8,492,333 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Tokelau1,647 (2019 est.)

Topic: Tonga105,517 (2022 est.)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobago1,405,646 (2022 est.)

Topic: Tunisia11,896,972 (2022 est.)

Topic: Turkey (Turkiye)83,047,706 (2022 est.)

Topic: Turkmenistan5,636,011 (2022 est.)

note: some sources suggest Turkmenistan's population could be as much as 1 to 2 million people lower than available estimates because of large-scale emigration during the last 10 years

Topic: Turks and Caicos Islands58,286 (2022 est.)

Topic: Tuvalu11,544 (2022 est.)

Topic: Uganda46,205,893 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Ukraine43,528,136 (2022 est.)

Topic: United Arab Emirates9,915,803 (2022 est.)

note: the UN estimated the country's total population was 10,082,000 as of 2022; immigrants make up 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data (2020)

Topic: United Kingdom67,791,400 (2022 est.) United Kingdom

constituent countries by percentage of total population:
England 84.3%
Scotland 8.1%
Wales 4.7%
Northern Ireland 2.8%

Topic: United States337,341,954 (2022 est.)

note: the US Census Bureau's 2020 census results show the US population as 331,449,281 as of 1 April 2020

Topic: United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refugesno indigenous inhabitants

note: public entry is only by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service

Jarvis Island: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; currently unoccupied

Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005, all US Government personnel had left the island

Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll

Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife staff, and researchers

Topic: Uruguay3,407,213 (2022 est.)

Topic: Uzbekistan31,104,937 (2022 est.)

Topic: Vanuatu308,043 (2022 est.)

Topic: Venezuela29,789,730 (2022 est.)

Topic: Vietnam103,808,319 (2022 est.)

Topic: Virgin Islands105,413 (2022 est.)

Topic: Wake Island(2018 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 100 military personnel and civilian contractors maintain and operate the airfield and communications facilities

Topic: Wallis and Futuna15,891 (2022 est.)

Topic: West Bank3,000,021 (2022 est.)

note: approximately 432,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2019); approximately 227,100 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2019)

Topic: World7,905,336,896 (July 2022 est.)

top ten most populous countries (in millions): China 1410.54; India 1389.37; United States 337.34; Indonesia 277.33; Pakistan 242.92; Nigeria 225.08; Brazil 217.24; Bangladesh 165.65; Russia 142.02; Mexico 129.15

ten least populous countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 1,000; Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5,257; Montserrat 5,414; Saint Barthelemy 7,103; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cunha 7,925; Cook Islands 8,128; Nauru 9,811; Tuvalu 11,544; Wallis and Futuna 15,891; Anguilla 18,741

ten most densely populated countries (population per sq km): Macau 22,689; Monaco 15,700; Singapore 8,351.5; Hong Kong 6,781.5; Gaza Strip 5,548.1; Gibraltar 4,224.7; Bahrain 2,027; Malta 1,468.9; Bermuda 1,339.6; Maldives 1,327.2

ten least densely populated countries (population per sq km): Greenland .026; Falkland Islands .26; Mongolia 2.1; Namibia 3.3; Australia 3.4; Iceland 3.6; Guyana 4; Mauritania 4; Suriname 4.1; Libya 4.1

Topic: Yemen30,984,689 (2022 est.)

Topic: Zambia19,642,123 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Topic: Zimbabwe15,121,004 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic