Economically active population in Morocco 2019-2022, by area of residence

Out of the 12.1 million people that were economically active in Morocco as of the third quarter of 2022, approximately 4.5 million lived in rural areas, while around 7.6 million lived in urban zones. However, the urban population recorded a lower employment rate (35 percent) compared to rural areas (48 percent).

Employment across sectors

In 2023, around 11 million people were employed in Morocco. The service sector accounted for the highest share of working population in the country. In 2019, around 44 percent of the people employed worked in services, 33 percent in agriculture, and 23 percent in the industrial sector. In fact, services represent the largest economic sector in Morocco, accounting for around half of the GDP.

Men and women in the labor force

A large gender disparity characterizes the Moroccan labor market. In 2020, the employment rate in the country stood at 16.7 percent among women and 62.9 percent among men. Due to multiple socio-economic factors, women's economic participation remained limited in recent years. In 2019, only around 23 women out of 100 were part of the country's labor force, meaning that they were employed or actively seeking employment. In comparison, the male labor participation rate reached almost 66 percent in 2021.