Morocco People

Most people in Morocco live west of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the center of commerce and industry and the leading port; Rabat is the seat of government; Tangier is the major port; “Arab” Fes is the cultural and religious center; and “Berber” Marrakech is a major tourist center.

Moroccans are predominantly Sunni Muslims of Arab-Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber ancestry and account for 99% of the entire population. The Arabs brought Islam, along with Arabic language and culture, to the region from the Arabian Peninsula during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Today, there remains a Jewish community of approximately 4,000 people, and a largely expatriate Christian population of 4,000, who enjoy religious freedom and full civil rights.

Morocco is also home to a 300-500 Baha’i community which, in recent years, has been able to worship free from government interference.

The population’s annual growth rate (the year 2008) stood at 1.505%; Birth rate (in 2008) was at 21.31 births/1,000 population; the Death rate same year stood at 5.49 deaths/1,000 population. The country’s life expectancy at birth by 2008 was at 71.52 yrs. (69.16 yrs. Male: 74 yrs. Female)

Arabic is Morocco’s official language, although French is widely taught and functions as the primary language of business, diplomacy and in public administration. Along with Arabic, close to 10 million Moroccans, in rural areas majorly also speak one of the three Moroccan Berber dialects of Tarifit, Tashelhit, and Tamazight. Spanish is also used in the northern part of the country. English is becoming a rising foreign language of choice among educated youth and is offered in many public schools from the fourth year on.

Morocco’s literacy rate reveals sharp gaps in education, both in terms of gender and location. This is attributed to laxity of people in rural areas particularly girls to attend school. While country-wide literacy rates are estimated at 39.6% among women and 65.7% among men, the female literacy rate in rural areas is only 10%.