Morocco launches population census to improve policymaking and attract investment

Morocco began a general population census in its different regions at the beginning of September to update data related to households and economic activities. 

This census, which is conducted every decade, provides an accurate and comprehensive database that contributes to the formulation of public policies that meet citizens' needs and support social development.  

Economic analysts believe that statistics will play a key role in policy planning, as it is not possible to formulate effective strategies and better allocate resources without reliable data. This will also help to attract more foreign investment. 

This new general population and housing census process, the seventh since 1952, is intended to be different from previous ones, more creative and ambitious, according to a message from Moroccan King Mohammed VI to Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch on 20 June. At the time, the monarch stressed that the process of the general population census in 2024 should ‘be organised on a large scale and include new themes, especially social protection, which makes the participation of the population mandatory for it to be developed in the best conditions and to achieve its objectives’.  

The last general population census in Morocco was completed in 2014 and, according to its data, the population amounted to more than 33.8 million people, of which about 33.7 million were Moroccans and about 86,000 foreigners. This is the sixth known census in the Kingdom after the statistics that took place in 1960, 1971, 1982, 1994 and 2004. 

Recent censuses have also revealed the large growth experienced by five cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Salé, Marrakech and Fez, after their populations surpassed one million people, according to recent statistics provided by the High Commissioner for Planning during 2021.  

The current general population census will continue until the end of September, when data analysts will visit households and markets in several cities to collect data from citizens. 

The head of the delegation, Ahmed Al-Halimi, announced during a press conference ahead of the start of the census that around 55,000 people are participating in the census process, indicating that data collectors will use electronic panels to speed up the process of gathering information. 

Al-Halimi explained that the country has been divided into 38,000 small areas called ‘census areas’ to facilitate the data collection process, as each area will count households, economic activities, mosques and markets. 

The census aims to measure the change in population structure according to gender, age and families, knowing the spatial connections according to municipalities, regions and other geographical, functional or planning divisions. 

It also aims to identify areas of population concentration according to the variables mentioned above, as well as the evolution of residential conditions, buildings, commercial establishments and their economic activity. 

The census also aims to collect data on housing status - owned or rented - type of housing, distance between housing and basic services in rural areas, such as roads, schools, educational institutions and hospitals, as well as data on fertility rates.  

Data will also include availability of health insurance, use of health services, as well as illiteracy and education rates, use of information and communication technologies and economic activity.  

The population census is the only statistical process that provides an integrated snapshot of society at a specific point in time within the framework of multiple and continuous variables, providing a suitable database for comparisons and projections of demographic data. 

In addition, the census allows the construction of modern statistical frameworks used in household surveys related to labour force, economic activity, health or education. 

For his part, Moroccan economist Sami Amin tells Al-Arab that statistics play a key role in anticipating the future and addressing upcoming challenges, such as energy, food and water security, as well as climate change. 

Amin believes that statistics are of great importance in the field of national planning and development, as effective national development plans and policies cannot be developed without accurate, reliable and up-to-date data on ‘population’ and ‘housing’. 

‘Population’ and ‘housing’ are two basic terms in the field of population statistics. The former refers to all citizens and their demographic, social and economic characteristics, while the latter refers to the dwellings inhabited by citizens, including elements such as the quality, condition and facilities of dwellings.  

Amin stresses that this information is necessary for political authorities and public administrations to develop appropriate government initiatives and programmes, preparing and anticipating well for the future. 

According to the economist, the census will provide detailed data at a precise geographical level (municipalities and neighbourhoods) to improve local planning and development, as well as to identify needs and gaps in services and infrastructure at local and national levels. This will help to better allocate and distribute resources to achieve equity between regions. 

Amin also believes that the census results would help improve investment attractiveness by providing an accurate and up-to-date database on human capital and geographic distribution. 

On the other hand, the regional director of the High Commission for Planning in Dakhla city, Mohamed Maa El-Ainin, explained that this census will provide a complete picture of the needs of citizens and the level of development in various regions, which will contribute to the development of appropriate public policies. 

Maa Al-Ainin added, through a video posted on his social media, that the census will improve services in vital sectors such as education, health and the labour market, providing accurate data on indicators such as the level of education, languages used, health insurance, birth and mortality rates.