Long-form name: Kingdom of Morocco

Type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Administrative divisions: 36 provinces (provinces, singular--province) and 2 municipalities* (wilayas, singular--wilaya); Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

Constitution: 10 March 1972

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court

National holiday: National Day (anniversary of King Hassan II's accession to the throne), 3 March (1961)

Branches: the Constitution provides for prime minister and ministers named by and responsible to the king; the king has paramount executive powers; unicameral legislature (Chamber of Representatives), two-thirds of whose members are directly elected and one-third are indirectly elected; judiciary independent of other branches

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. Azzedine LARAKI (since 30 September 1986)

Suffrage: universal over age 20

Elections: provincial elections held 10 June 1983; elections for Chamber of Representatives held 14 September 1984

Political parties and leaders: Morocco has 15 political parties; the major ones are Istiqlal Party, M'Hamed Boucetta; Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Abderrahim Bouabid; Popular Movement (MP), Secretariat General; National Assembly of Independents (RNI), Ahmed Osman; National Democratic Party (PND), Mohamed Arsalane El-Jadidi; Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS), Ali Yata; Constitutional Union (UC), Maati Bouabid

Voting strength: progovernment parties hold absolute majority in Chamber of Representatives; with palace-oriented Popular Movement deputies, the King controls over two-thirds of the seats

Communists: about 2,000

Member of: AfDB, Arab League, CCC, EC (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador M'hamed BARGACH; Chancery at 1601 21st Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 462-7979 through 7982; there is a Moroccan Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Michael USSERY; Embassy at 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat (mailing address is P. O. Box 120, Rabat, or APO New York 09284); telephone �212� (7) 622-65; there are US Consulates General in Casablanca and Tangier

Flag: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam

NOTE: The information regarding Morocco on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Morocco Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Morocco Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.