The High Commissioner for Planning, Chakib Benmoussa, presented, Tuesday in Rabat, the detailed results of the General Population and Housing Census (RGPH 2024).
During a press conference held on this occasion, Mr. Benmoussa revealed revealing data on demographic, social and economic developments in Morocco, highlighting growing urbanization and persistent challenges in terms of employment and inequality. .
Thus, the legal population of Morocco as of September 1, 2024 amounted to 36.8 million inhabitants, with an average annual growth rate of 0.85% between 2014 and 2024, he indicated.
Urbanization continues to progress, reaching 62.8%, compared to 51.4% in 1994, he continued, noting that nearly 38% of the urban population is concentrated in seven large cities, with Casablanca in the lead ( 3.236 million inhabitants).
In another wake, he noted that the total fertility index stood at 1.97 children per woman in 2024, a level below the generation replacement threshold, set at 2.1. This trend is accompanied by a decrease in the proportion of children and people of working age, while the proportion of seniors in the population is increasing, reflecting ongoing demographic transformations, he said. .
On the socio-economic level, the High Commissioner for Planning highlighted the drop in the activity rate of people aged 15 and over, from 47.6% in 2014 to 41.6% in 2024, accompanied by an increase in the unemployment rate to 21.3%, particularly affecting women and rural areas, with marked regional disparities.
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In the same vein, he specified that this unemployment rate is based on the declarations and feelings of the population, recalling that the census offers an overall vision of the situation at the regional and national levels and aims to provide usable data for analyzes cross-referenced on related themes. At the same time, 69.8% of the population benefits from medical coverage, despite disparities between regions, he argued.
Concerning human capital, he highlighted the progress recorded in the average duration of schooling, which reached 6.3 years compared to 4.4 in 2014, as well as the reduction in the illiteracy rate to 24.8%, thanks to notable progress in rural areas and among women. The housing stock has modernized, according to Mr. Benmoussa, with an increase in “modern Moroccan house” type housing, particularly in rural areas (37.6% in 2024 compared to 25.9% in 2014).
In urban areas, 61.5% of households own their home, while 97.1% of households have access to electricity. The High Commissioner for Planning also indicated that 82.9% of Moroccan households have a connection to the drinking water network, while in rural areas, 23.6% of households still use other sources of water. drinking water facilities, such as fountains, wells or water points. Mr. Benmoussa thus affirmed that the census results reflect the progress made in several sectors, while calling for intensified efforts to reduce inequalities and address socio-economic challenges.
Furthermore, he presented the results of the mapping of economic establishments (CEE) for 2023/2024, revealing the existence of 1,304,564 active establishments, including 1,130,021 for-profit (excluding the agricultural sector) which generate 3.6 million permanent jobs. And to continue that the female workforce represents 27.7% of total permanent employment, while 10% of establishments are managed by women, who employ 7.8% of total employment. The Kingdom of Morocco carried out its 7th General Population and Housing Census, conducted from September 1 to 30, 2024.
