Africa > North Africa > Morocco > Morocco People Profile

Morocco: Morocco People Profile

2015/01/27

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The total population in Morocco was last recorded at 33.0 million people in 2013 from 11.6 million in 1960, changing 183 percent during the last 50 years. Population in Morocco averaged 22.33 Million from 1960 until 2013, reaching an all time high of 32.95 Million in 2013 and a record low of 11.64 Million in 1960. Population in Morocco is reported by the Haut-commissariat Au Plan.

 

 

 

The Berbers, correctly referred to as Imazighen (plural)/Amazigh (singular), hark from early nomadic peoples who settled in this part of northern Africa. Berber dialects (Riff/Tarifit in the north, Tamazight in the centre and Shilha/Tachelhit towards the south) are still spoken by around a third of the people.

In the 7th and 8th centuries, Arabs arrived bringing their language and the Muslim religion. A lot of Moroccans speak a colloquial version of Arabic called Darija, a combination of Arabic, Berber and French. However, modern standard Arabic is used in all written communication.

Since most of Morocco was ruled by the French in the initial part of the 20th century, French continues to be an significant language, used particularly in higher education, commerce and government. Spanish is as well spoken in northern areas, reflecting Spain’s historic control over a northern strip of the coast and its continuing presence in the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Women

Status of women

Women have fought to achieve equal rights in a lot of parts of Africa. But as in other regions of the globe, a woman’s status varies by country and region.n some nations, women are still not equal in law. Even where they are legally equal to men, it is common for decisions to be taken by male heads of households or male local chiefs and leaders.

It is often the case that traditionally women have fewer, if any, rights of inheritance. This leads to difficulties accessing land or finance. But there are exceptions, such as in northern regions of Mozambique, where certain groups are matrilineal – see Mozambique People & Culture.

Traditional responsibilities

In some places, women are regarded as being the equals of men, but their roles are nevertheless different. So, women traditionally look next the homestead, while men find jobs outside the home.

Women frequently have a high all of work, such as gathering firewood or tending family fields. Household chores can be a huge burden, limiting a woman’s ability to take on paid employment.

The care of children, the sick or the elderly is generally viewed as the responsibility of women. With poor access to childcare facilities or health and support services in a lot of regions, caring for family members can take up a lot of a woman’s time.

Educating girls

Though a lot of governments are committed to providing equal education for girls, in practice girls are additional likely to drop out of school than boys.

The reasons for girls’ lower enrolment in primary and secondary schooling include:

the tendency of poor families to spend available money (needed for school fees or the costs of books and uniforms) on the education of boys, because males are viewed as the next breadwinners
the expectation that girls will carry out domestic and household work
the pressure in some cultures for girls to marry young, particularly where they are seen as an economic burden on families
the lack of separate toilet facilities for girls in a lot of schools.

But providing girls with a good education is vital for a country’s development. At the same time as women are equipped with learning and share decisions about families and livelihoods, the productivity of a society rises.

The health of a country as well improves with the education of girls. At the same time as women are aware about good nutrition and diet, the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of hygiene, the risks of disease and illness in families is much lower.

Girls' school attendance

In sub-Saharan Africa, 81% of boys were enrolled at primary school during 2005-2009, compared to only 77% of girls (UNESCO Institute for Statistics – UIS).

The pay gap

Where women undertake paid work, there is often a wage gap between their earnings and those of men. With jobs mostly entailing the same work, this gap can only be attributed to gender discrimination. In certain sectors, women as well face barriers to joining trade unions or doing business as self-employed individuals.

Other religions

There are small communities of Jewish and Christian Moroccans descended from groups who arrived in previous times. Though it is not permissible for anyone from an extra religion to try and convert a Muslim, a Muslim woman can marry a non-Muslim man in Morocco.