Demographics of Morocco


Demographic features of the population of Morocco include population density, ethnicity, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. All figures are from the Haut-Commissariat au Plan of Morocco or the United Nations Demographic Yearbooks, unless otherwise indicated.
The population of Morocco in 2024 was 36,828,330. Moroccans are primarily of Arab and Berber origin. Socially, there are two contrasting groups of Moroccans: those living in the cities and those in the rural areas. Among the rural, several classes have formed such as landowners, peasants, and tenant farmers. Moroccans live mainly in the north and west portions of Morocco. However, they prefer living in the more fertile regions near the Mediterranean Sea.
Between the Nile and the Red Sea were living Arab tribes expelled from Arabia for their turbulence, Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym, who often plundered farming areas in the Nile Valley. According to Ibn Khaldun, whole tribes set off with women, children, ancestors, animals and camping equipment. These tribes, along with others, who mass arrived in the region of Morocco in colossal numbers around the 12th-13th centuries, and later the Ma'qil in the 14th century, contributed to a more extensive ethnic, cultural, and linguistic Arabization of Morocco over time, especially beyond the major urban centres and the northern regions well into the countryside. The descendants of the original Arab settlers who continue to speak Arabic as a first language currently form the single largest population group in North Africa.
About 99% of Moroccans are considered to be Sunni Muslims religiously or culturally. The numbers of the Jewish minority has decreased significantly since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Today there are 2,500 Moroccan Jews inside the country. Thousands of Moroccan Jews living in Europe, Israel and North America visit the country regularly. There is a small but apparently growing minority of Moroccan Christians made of local Moroccan converts. In 2014, most of the 86,206 foreign residents are French people, Spaniards, Algerians and sub-Saharan African students.

Population size and structure

Main populated areas

Most Moroccans live west and north of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the largest city and the centre of business and industry, and has the leading seaport and airport. Rabat is the seat of government. Tangier and Nador are the two major northern seaports on the Mediterranean. Fez is a cultural, religious and industrial centre. Marrakesh and Agadir are the two major tourist centres. Oujda is the largest city of eastern Morocco. Meknes houses the military academy. Kenitra has the largest military airbase. Mohammedia has the largest oil refineries and other major industrial installations.

Structure of the population

Structure of the population :
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total14 640 66215 039 40729 680 069100
Total14 045 13714 783 48728 828 62497.13
0–41 488 6311 435 8332 924 4649.85
5–91 552 4401 502 7183 055 15810.29
10–141 666 6321 614 3683 281 00011.05
15–191 564 9001 583 6903 148 59010.61
20–241.426.1741 521 5262 947 7009.93
25–291 190 1111 292 1622 482 2738.36
30–341 054 0691 149 3022 203 3717.42
35–39897 812993 7391 891 5516.37
40–44892 083968 3911 860 4746.27
45–49758 044731 6351 489 6795.02
50–54627 433599 7551 227 1884.13
55–59370 969388 594759 5632.56
60–64340 722400 169740 8912.50
65–69261 046274 018535 0641.80
70–74236 107267 260503 3671.70
75+58 93360 327119 2600.40
unknown595 525255 920851 4452.87

According to 2004 census
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14~9 260 18231.2
15–59~18 164 20261.2
60+~2 404 0868.1

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group :
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total16 371 47516 578 97132 950 445100
0–41 482 8991 421 0202 903 9198.81
5–91 453 3151 391 8472 845 1618.63
10–141 473 2311 420 9732 894 2048.78
15–191 547 2921 496 2433 043 5359.24
20–241 614 4831 564 3683 178 8519.65
25–291 477 9521 494 2672 972 2199.02
30–341 338 5581 409 1292 747 6878.34
35–391 106 7641 199 8022 306 5667.00
40–44975 4281 070 4412 045 8696.21
45–49862 688947 1581 809 8465.49
50–54859 927902 4211 762 3475.35
55–59704 367670 9231 375 2904.17
60–64543 733529 9131 073 6463.26
65–69314 577348 098662 6742.01
70–74276 251333 385609 6361.85
75+340 012378 983718 9962.18
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–144 409 4454 233 8408 643 28526.23
15–6411 031 19011 284 66522 315 85567.73
65+930 8401 060 4661 991 3066.04

Structure of the population :
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total 16 330 73116 416 14032 746 871100
0–41 700 7961 623 1193 323 9159.82
5–91 524 5861 460 8402 985 4268.82
10–141 532 7551 475 2413 007 9968.89
15–191 490 3441 468 1142 958 4588.74
20–241 495 4041 520 7703 016 1748.91
25–291 369 5581 411 5832 781 1418.22
30–341 289 3751 338 7212 628 0967.76
35–391 137 2691 198 9862 336 2556.90
40–441 058 0731 102 2802 160 3536.38
45–49879 096926 4001 805 4965.33
50–54877 383925 0061 802 3895.32
55–59715 207669 6101 384 8174.09
60–64594 071566 5391 160 6103.43
65–69316 816321 867638 6831.89
70–74268 617316 576585 1931.73
75–7981 38190 488171 8690.51
unknown1 101 3713.25
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–144 758 1374 559 2009 317 33727.53
15–6410 905 78011 128 00922 033 78965.10
65+666 814728 9311 395 7454.12

According to 2014 census
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14~9 477 50828.0%
15–59~21 121 30362.4%
60+~3 249 4319.6%

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group :
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total17 906 98618 044 67135 591 657100
0–41 492 4671 429 2852 921 7528.21
5–91 708 6001 633 1633 341 7639.39
10–141 559 4651 499 3013 058 7668.59
15–191 543 0221 476 5863 019 6088.48
20–241 485 0931 464 7482 949 8418.29
25–291 486 3861 512 4122 998 7988.43
30–341 375 3091 425 4202 800 7297.87
35–391 285 1341 341 8772 627 0117.38
40–441 151 7681 222 9742 374 7426.67
45–491 060 8161 114 6952 175 5116.11
50–54896 058947 7841 843 8425.18
55–59870 841911 8131 782 6545.01
60–64712 857690 5871 403 4443.94
65–69571 519554 0581 125 5773.16
70–74312 752324 624637 3761.79
75–79213 596265 028478 6241.34
80+181 303230 316411 6191.16
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–144 760 5324 561 7499 322 28126.19
15–6411 867 28412 108 89623 976 18067.36
65+1 279 1701 374 0262 653 1967.45

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group :
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total18 439 00018 583 00037 022 000100
0–41 479 0001 416 0002 894 0007.82
5–91 555 0001 490 0003 046 0008.23
10–141 678 0001 605 0003 283 0008.87
15–191 522 0001 463 0002 985 0008.06
20–241 518 0001 464 0002 982 0008.05
25–291 456 0001 460 0002 916 0007.88
30–341 446 0001 489 0002 935 0007.93
35–391 316 0001 373 0002 689 0007.26
40–441 232 0001 293 0002 525 0006.82
45–491 099 0001 168 0002 267 0006.12
50–54997 0001 048 0002 045 0005.52
55–59853 000906 0001 759 0004.75
60–64817 000843 0001 661 0004.49
65-69622 000598 0001 220 0003.30
70-74450 000457 000907 0002.45
75-79209 000245 000455 0001.23
80+190 000264 000454 0001.23
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–144 712 0004 511 0009 223 00024.91
15–6412 256 00012 508 00024 763 00066.89
65+1 471 0001 564 0003 036 0008.20

Vital statistics

Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change Fertility rates
196011,626,000
196212,177,000561 360227 710333 65046.118.727.47.20
197115,379,000
197215,772,000
197316,196,000
197416,630,000
197517,072,0005.91
197617,521,000
197717,978,000
197818,440,000
197918,908,000
198019,380,000
198119,855,000
198220,419,000756 425215 504540 92137.210.626.65.52
198320,815,000
198421,297,000
198521,779,000
198622,261,000
198722,742,000
198823,220,000
198923,696,000
199024,167,000
199124,634,000
199225,095,000
199325,549,000
199426,074,000675 896174 173501 72326.06.719.33.28
199526,435,000
199626,864,000
199727,282,000
199827,689,000
199928,084,000
200028,466,000
200128,833,000
200229,185,000
200329,520,000
200429,892,000602 768173 073429 69620.25.814.42.47
200530,215,000
200630,606,000
200730,998,000
200831,391,000
200931,786,000
201032,182,000599 607178 606421 00118.85.613.22.19
201132,579,000
201232,978,00018.55.113.4
201333,378,00018.35.113.2
201433,848,24218.15.113.02.21
201534,124,87017.65.412.3
201634,486,53617.45.212.2
201734,852,121677,41117.25.112.1
201835,219,547679,863 141,207481,82917.75.112.62.38
201935,586,616681,606 21.15.016.1
202035,952,000682,984 18.4
202137,082,000684,121 228,888422,00417.556.1711.38
2022684,7382.07
202337,022,000592,352188,812403,54016.05.110.92.05
202436,828,3301.97
2025
Source: Haut-Commissariat au Plan

Demographic and Health Surveys

Fertility Rate and CBR :

Life expectancy

life expectancy by year :
201420202021202220232024
75.676.676.776.97777.2

Ethnic groups

Moroccans are primarily of Arab and Berber origin as in other neighbouring countries in the Maghreb. Arabs comprise 67% of the population of Morocco, while Berbers make up 31% and Sahrawis make up 2%. However, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, 44% of Moroccans are Arab, 24% are Arabized Berbers, 21% are Berbers, and 10% are Mauritanian Moors.
The Arab population of Morocco is a result of the inflow of nomadic Arab tribes from the Arabian Peninsula since the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb in the 7th century with a major wave in the 11th century. The major migration to the region by Arab tribes was in the 11th century when the tribes of Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym, along with others, were sent by the Fatimids to defeat a Berber rebellion and then settle in the Maghreb. Between the Nile and the Red Sea were Arab tribes expelled from Arabia for their turbulence, Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym, who often plundered farming areas in the Nile Valley. According to Ibn Khaldun, whole tribes set off with women, children, ancestors, animals and camping equipment. These tribes, who arrived in the region of Morocco around the 12th-13th centuries, and later the Ma'qil in the 14th century, contributed to a more extensive ethnic, genetic, cultural, and linguistic Arabization of Morocco over time, especially beyond the major urban centres and the northern regions which were the main sites of Arabization up to that point.
The Berber population mainly lives in the mountainous regions of Morocco where some preserve Berber culture, and are split into three groups; Rifians, Shilha, and Central Atlas Amazigh. The Rifians inhabit the Rif mountains, the Shilha inhabit the Anti-Atlas mountains, and the Central Atlas Amazigh inhabit the Middle Atlas mountains. The Arabized Berbers who constitute about a quarter of the population are the Berbers who were Arabized mainly as a result of the Arab nomad inflow, and have adopted Arab culture and the Arabic language as their native language, especially those who sought the protection of the Bedouin. Some parts of the population are descendants of refugees who fled Spain after the Reconquista in the 15th century.
The Trans-Saharan slave trade brought a population of Sub-Saharan Africans to Morocco. A number of Moroccan caliphs held Sub-Saharan ancestry included Yaqub al-Mansur, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, Sultan of the Marinid dynasty and Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif.
After the founding of Israel and start of the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1948, many Jews felt compelled to leave Morocco especially after the anti-Jewish riots in Oujda, and many fled to Israel, Europe, and North America, and by 1967 250,000 Jews left Morocco. In a 2021 survey on 1,200 Moroccan adults, 68% were Arab, 25.6% were Berber, 3.6% were Sahrawi, and 2.7% were others.

Languages

Arabic and Berber are the official languages of Morocco. The majority spoken language in Morocco is Arabic which is spoken by 92.7% of the population and includes the dialects of Moroccan Arabic, spoken by 91.9%, and Hassaniya Arabic, spoken by 0.8%. Berber languages are spoken by 24.8% of the population in three varieties. According to the 2024 Moroccan census, 99.2%, or almost the entire literate population of Morocco, could read and write in Arabic, while 1.5% of the population could read and write in Berber. The census also indicated that 80.6% of Moroccans consider Arabic to be their native language, while 18.9% regard any of the various Berber languages as their mother tongue.
French is an implicitly "official language" of government and big business, and is taught throughout school and still serves as Morocco's primary language of business, economics, and scientific university education. French is also widely used in the media. Morocco is a member of La Francophonie. Berber activists have struggled since the 1960s for the recognition of their language as an official language of Morocco, which was achieved in July 2011 following the February 20th 2011 uprising. About 20,000 Moroccans in the northern part of the country speak some Spanish.
English, while still far behind French in terms of the number of proficient speakers, is rapidly becoming a foreign language of choice among educated youth and business people. It has been taught to Moroccan students after the fourth year of elementary school since the education reforms of 2002.