Morocco’s unemployment rate has significantly increased, reaching 21.3% in the past decade, according to the latest census results presented by Chakib Benmoussa, the High Commissioner for Planning. The figures were shared during a press conference in Rabat, as Benmoussa outlined the detailed findings from the 2024 general population and housing census. The census, which takes place every 10 years, was conducted in September and provides crucial insights into the country’s economic and demographic changes.
Between 2014 and 2024, the overall unemployment rate rose from 16.2% to 21.3%. Urban areas saw a slight increase from 19.3% to 21.2%, while rural regions experienced a larger jump from 10.5% to 21.4%. The unemployment rate for women in 2024 stood at 25.9%, a slight improvement from 29.6% in 2014.
For men, the rate increased to 20.1% from 12.4% in 2014. Benmoussa also highlighted that around 41.6% of people aged 15 and above were engaged in economic activity in 2024, a drop from 47.6% in 2014. The census revealed the highest unemployment rates in Guelmim-Oued Noun and Beni Mellal-Khenifra regions, with figures surpassing 26%.
Alongside the troubling unemployment data, Morocco is also facing demographic challenges. The country’s fertility rate has declined to 1.97 children per woman, well below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed for population stability. This marks a shift in Morocco’s population dynamics, as the nation is aging.
Benmoussa noted that the percentage of children under 15 and the working-age population have decreased, while the number of people over 60 has grown. The national population, now at 36.8 million, has increased by 2.98 million since 2014 but is expected to peak at 40 million before beginning to decline.
