and write
total population: 52.3%
male: 65.7%
female: 39.6% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 9 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government
Morocco

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Rabat
geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,
Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al
Hoceima-Taounate
note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political
status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;
portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco
claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely
within Western Sahara

Independence:

2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
(1999)

Constitution:

10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:

chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19
September 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper
house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are elected every three