• Population in Canada: 44,630 (2006)
• Canadian exports to Morocco: $330.6 million (2009)
• Canadian imports from Morocco: $138.3 million (2009)
• GDP, per capita: $4,900(2010, estimated)
• Unemployment: 9.8 per cent (2010, estimated)

On. Jan. 27, 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Canada and Morocco would begin talks on a free-trade agreement.

"It is our first time [we have negotiated such a deal] with an African or Arab country," he said.

The Canadian Wheat Board hailed the proposed agreement as crucial for maintaining durum exports to the country. Eighty per cent of Morocco's durum, used to make bread, pasta and couscous, comes from Canada.

Although the 2006 census puts the Morocco-Canadian population at less than 45,000, a Canadian government website says it is much larger, and possibly as high as 100,000.

It also says Morocco is a significant source of immigration and notes that hundreds come to Canada each year to attend university.

The government says it enjoys "very good" bilateral relations with the country and provides development assistance to provide basic education, vocational training and citizenship engagement projects.

(Sources: Statistics Canada and CIA World Factbook)

With files from Jonathan Hembry