elected
indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor
syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed
every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives
(325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors--last held 5 December 1997 (next to
be held NA December 2000); Chamber of Representatives--last held 14
November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: Chamber of Counselors--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, IP 21, USFP 16,
MNP 15, UT 13, FFD 12, CDT 11, UTM 8, PPS 7, PSD 4, PDI 4, UGTM 3,
UNMT 2, other 3; Chamber of Representatives--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP
32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed on the
recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided
over by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
ARCHANE]
labor unions and community organizations (indirect elections only):

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT
(associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
(pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL
embassy: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE 09718
consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description: 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

Economy

Economy--overview: Morocco faces the problems typical of
developing countries--restraining government spending, reducing
constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and keeping
inflation within manageable bounds. Since the early 1980s the
government has pursued an economic program toward these object