Morocco

Morocco sits in Northern Africa with coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Its UN M49 code is 504, its ISO alpha-2 code is MA, and its ISO alpha-3 code is MAR. The World Bank lists Rabat as the capital. The UN M49 grouping is a statistical arrangement, not a political or territorial statement; it does not adjudicate sovereignty over Western Sahara or any other disputed territory. The M49 overview remains the neutral reference for how the UN groups Morocco within Africa and Northern Africa:

How to verify the facts that change

Population estimates, exchange rates, income classifications and entry rules all shift. For any figure you quote, name the source and the reference year. Do not mix a UN population estimate with a World Bank GDP figure in the same sentence without labelling each source and year. The steps below give you a repeatable method for checking the most common data points.

Population

Population figures are estimates, not exact counts. The UN World Population Prospects publishes annual estimates; the World Bank also publishes population data via its API. The most recent estimates from these sources may differ by a few hundred thousand because they use different projection models and base years. For internationally comparable figures, use the United Nations World Population Prospects or the World Bank’s population estimates, and always cite the reference year. Morocco’s national statistical office, Haut-Commissariat au Plan, publishes census and survey data; the most recent census was conducted in 2024 (reference: Haut-Commissariat au Plan, 2024 census).

Capital

The capital of Morocco is Rabat, per the World Bank country profile. Rabat is the administrative and political seat of government. Note that the World Bank capital field is a classification convention; it does not make a statement about territorial sovereignty or the location of every government institution. For the current official designation, check the Moroccan authorities’ own portal.

Currency and exchange rates

Morocco’s currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). Exchange rates change continuously; for current values use a named financial data source and record the date. The central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib, publishes official rates. Do not treat a rate quoted on a travel blog or a search snippet as authoritative for any decision. You can also check the rate against the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket.

Language

Arabic and Berber (Amazigh) are the official languages, with Berber recognised as an official language since 2011 (Constitution of Morocco, Article 5). French is widely used in business, government and education, but it is not an official language. The linguistic distribution is a description of common usage, not a legal claim; official language policy is set by the Moroccan constitution and implementing laws. For current language statistics, consult UNESCO’s education and language reports or Morocco’s national statistical office.

Government structure

Morocco is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the government; the King retains significant authority, including over religious affairs, security and foreign policy. The head of state is King Mohammed VI. The head of government is the Prime Minister, appointed by the King. The legislature is a bicameral Parliament comprising the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The legal system is a mixed civil law system based on French and Islamic law, with commercial law modelled on the French system. Morocco is divided into 12 regions, subdivided into provinces and prefectures. It is a UN member state and belongs to the Arab League, the African Union (rejoined 2017) and the Union for the Mediterranean.

Economy and income classification

The World Bank classifies Morocco as a lower-middle-income country (World Bank, FY2025 income classification). For current GDP, GDP per capita and growth figures, consult the World Bank country API and name the reference year of each indicator. Do not treat historical data as current. Morocco’s GDP per capita (PPP) is best compared using the World Bank’s international dollar figures rather than nominal exchange-rate conversions. The Gini index, when published, provides a measure of income inequality, but survey-based inequality data often excludes the richest and poorest households.

Travel and entry requirements

Visa and entry requirements change frequently and depend on your nationality. Do not rely on secondary summaries. Check your own authorities’ official travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre before making plans. For example, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office publishes Morocco travel advice at The U.S. State Department and other foreign ministries publish similar pages. Always verify with the nearest Moroccan embassy or consulate.

How to check current data with the World Bank API

The World Bank country API returns standardised data for Morocco under the code “MA” with metadata including GDP, income group and the latest available year for each indicator. The World Bank is the authoritative source for economic data, income classifications and development indicators.

To use the API: 1. Construct a request using the country code “MA” and the indicator code for the data you need. 2. Parse the JSON response to extract the value and the lastupdated or year field. 3. Record both the figure and the reference year in your notes before quoting either.

Sources and reference years

Every data point in this guide traces to a named source and a reference year. When you update a figure, replace the old source-year pair with the new one. The core sources are:

• UN Statistics Division M49 overview
• UN World Population Prospects
• World Bank country profile and API
• Haut-Commissariat au Plan (Morocco’s national statistical office)
• Bank Al-Maghrib (central bank)
• IMF Special Drawing Rights basket
• UNESCO education and language reports
• IATA Travel Centre
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice

Adjacent guides

• Country comparison guide: how to compare Morocco’s indicators with those of neighbouring economies
• Source-literacy guide: how to judge whether a data provider is authoritative for a specific claim