In 2023/2024, Morocco's output in literature, humanities, and social sciences totaled 3,725 titles, with an average annual production of 1,863—a 6.98% increase. While the King Abdul-Aziz Al Saoud Foundation for Islamic Studies and Humanities acknowledges national efforts, it also highlights persistent structural challenges and the growing presence of Moroccan authors abroad. With 3,725 titles released during the 2023/2024 period, Moroccan publishing in literature, humanities, and social sciences has grown by nearly 6.98% compared to 2022/2023, which saw an average of 1,863 titles. According to a new report by the King Abdul-Aziz Al Saoud Foundation for Islamic Studies and Human Sciences, print still dominates the sector, accounting for 91.03% of publications, while digital formats remain underutilized (8.97%) and are mostly limited to institutional use. In terms of language, Arabic leads with 79.43% of published works, followed by French (16.86%), English (1.83%), Amazigh (1.78%), Spanish (0.34%), and Italian, which saw only one title published. On the eve of the 30th edition of the International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL 2025), the report's figures highlight ongoing disparities in access and distribution, reflecting deeper structural challenges within the industry. Two to Three Years for National Book Distribution The foundation's analysis of annual publishing output in Morocco takes into account production costs, as well as challenges related to distribution and nationwide access. On average, Morocco produces 1,741 books per year, with only 1.5% in Amazigh. The report notes that «this dynamic reflects the complexity of the challenges—particularly for self-published works, which account for 20% of the total», and highlights a strong geographic concentration of publishing along the Casablanca–Rabat axis. Due to this structural imbalance, «making a book accessible nationwide can take two to three years after its release», the foundation warns. This bottleneck, it adds, has been «one of the most significant issues flagged in its reports over the past decade», reinforcing the need for «a flexible, dynamic mechanism to monitor and collect Moroccan publications in the field, with broader communication across libraries, publishers, and distributors nationwide». Regional distribution of Moroccan publishers / source: King Abdul-Aziz Al Saoud Foundation Regional Disparities in Publishing Activity Publishing activity remains highly uneven across Morocco's regions. During the reporting period, more than 50% of all published books came from the Rabat–Salé–Kénitra and Casablanca–Settat regions, with a total of 1,682 titles—958 and 724 respectively—excluding self-published works. However, a new regional hub is emerging: the Tangier–Tetouan–Al Hoceima region published nearly 440 titles, reflecting steady growth in the area's publishing scene. Marrakech–Safi followed with 128 titles, then Fès–Meknès (121), Souss–Massa (95), Béni Mellal–Khénifra (56), and the Oriental region (35). While the overall numbers remain low outside the main hubs, the foundation notes that «publications in these regions play an important role in enriching Morocco's cultural output», even as the sector continues to struggle with achieving a broader territorial reach. Moroccan Authors Abroad Arabic remains the dominant language in Moroccan literary publishing (73.23%), followed by French (18.72%) and Amazigh (6.52%). The report also notes a steady decline in poetry's share of literary output, which has dropped from 37% in 2015 to 31.9% today, making room for other genres. The foundation also reviewed Moroccan authors published abroad. It found that around 391 titles were published in Arab countries and another 154 in Europe (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands). A smaller number—five books—were published in North America (U.S. and Canada). Distribution of fields of Moroccan authors published abroad / source: King Abdul-Aziz Al Saoud Foundation This «fragmented map» of Moroccan publishing abroad reflects «the diversity of networks between authors and publishers», the report explains, as well as «the ties between Moroccan authors in the diaspora and publishing houses in their countries of residence», It also points to authors' growing interest in how their work is received by regional and international audiences. In the Anglophone world, many Moroccan researchers working in postcolonial studies are publishing scientific and academic works primarily in the U.K. and the U.S. Within Arab countries, publishing is more geographically diverse. Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria accounted for 215 titles, followed by the Gulf (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait) with 114, while Egypt (38), Tunisia (16), Iraq (6), and Sudan (2) contributed smaller numbers. According to the foundation, Moroccan authors are increasingly turning to countries where the publishing sector offers more promise than traditional centers like Lebanon and Egypt. These newer destinations are not only more attractive financially, but also invest more in book fairs, professional gatherings, and awards to support authors. Distribution of Moroccan authors published in the rest of the Arab region / source: King Abdul-Aziz Al Saoud Foundation By enabling greater regional exposure for Moroccan authors both at home and abroad, these countries have positioned themselves as active players in promoting literature through stronger institutional support and incentives.
