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Casablanca (2 949.805 H) is more the big city of Morocco and the Maghreb, in front of Algiers (2 029.936 H).
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See also: Casablanca (homonymy)
Casablanca (rear RTL ''' الدارالبيضاء ''' Arab addar Al-baïda in traditional - dar beïda in Arab dialectal Moroccan - literally “White House”) is largest Ville Morocco. Economic capital of the country, it is located on the coast Atlantique at approximately 80 km at the south of the capital of the country, Rabat. It is the first city and agglomeration of the country in term of population. Its inhabitants name Arabic Bédaouis, and French Casablancais
Etymology
The name of Casablanca, owes its name with the fact that, formerly, the Portuguese sailors who went along this place, identified it by a white small house perched on the hill of Anfa, “Put It Branca”. Of needle and thread and with the local idioms, that ended up giving Casablanca .
History
See also: Anfa
The archaeological discoveries with Sidi Abderrahman (left southern Casablanca) attest of a settlement of the site since prehistory. It seems that Anfa was occupied by Berber fishermen since highest Antiquity, time to which the place is used as stopover with the ships phenicians on the way for the Purpuraires islands with broad of Essaouira. In the Middle Ages Anfa belongs to the kingdom of Berghouattas, of the name of a sect hétérodoxe who dominated all the area of Chaouia, before being taken by Almohades in 1188.
Under the dynasty of the Mérinides, the prosperous port thanks to the commercial relations with the Iberian peninsula, but the decline of the capacity of Fès leads the inhabitants of Anfa to go independent and to multiply raids of piracy on the Portuguese coasts .
In reprisals, the Portuguese, in 1468, decide to attack the city with 50 ships and 10 000 men. The inhabitants of Anfa, not being able to defend the city, desert it definitively to repatriate themselves on Rabat and Salé. The destroyed city, will remain uninhabited during three centuries.
In 1770, the sultan Mohamed Ben Abdallah which had just lost then the town of Mazagan (El Jadida), decides to rebuild this place to preserve it of a Portuguese unloading. The city is called " Dar El Beida" (White House) or put blanca (in Spanish). From the start, the sultan equips it with a Mosquée, a Médersa and a Hammam.
As from the 19th century, the city develops thanks to the increase in the industry of the textile, and Casablanca will become one of the largest wool suppliers of the Mediterranean basin. In 1860 the city counted: 4000 inhabitants for: 9000 inhabitants at the end of the Years 1880. The city thus decides to obtain a modern port, helped by the France, thus détrônant Tangier like first Moroccan port as of 1906. The population will be in 1921 of: 110000 due mainly to the shantytowns.
In June 1907, the French develop the railway network close to the port but this one passed through a cemetery, which have for consequence of the riots between the French workers and the residents. France sends troops to restore the order and takes the control of the city and establishes a protectorate. During the Years 1940 and the Years 1950, many riots anti-occupation take place of which an attack at the central market of Casablanca the day of Christmas 1953 (18 dead).
Meanwhile, it was a strategic port during the Second world war during which it accommodated the conference of Casablanca (Anglo-American top of 1943).
The March 2nd 1956, France recognized the independence of the Morocco, the city develops tourism then and becomes the economic pole of the country (although Rabat remains the capital).
The recent history of the city is marked by a series of attacks. Most fatal are those of May 16th, 2003, which make 45 dead and a hundred casualties, attacks which had a bond with Al-Qaida. In 2007, several attack-suicides touch Casablanca again, in a cybercafé on March 11th; three others in the district of Farah on April 10th; April 14th, two men explode themselves in Moulay-Youssef, one is unaware of their objective, since there are three potential targets: consulate of Belgium, an arts center American and a Synagog.
Urbanization
The metropolis is delimited by the sea in the west but extends more and more to north, the east and the south.
The urbanization and the architecture of Casablanca are marked by various styles, energy of the néo-Moorish until the Art-déco, since it was during several decades a " city laboratory " for the great architects of the world. In addition, the city saw the multiplication of gigantic projects, like the mosque Hassan II and the " Twin Center Casablanca".
The city is also characterized by a medina which constitutes its historical heart. It is surrounded by a wall and several doors whose the most known, the door of Marrakech give access.
Principal districts
Districts
Districts
Demography
At the time of the last census of 2004, Casablanca counted: 2 949.805 inhabitants, which does one of the most populated cities of them the Maghreb. The area of the Large Casablanca, including the towns of Mohammédia, Ain Harrouda and the two provinces Médiouna and Nouaceur, gathers on: 1615 km ² approximately 3,9 million inhabitants (2005).
Economy
Casablanca is the economic capital of the Morocco. This city, first industrial pole of the country, concentrates 55% of the productive units and nearly 60% of the industrial labor. With it only, it employs 39% of the active population of Morocco and accounts for 35% of national electricity consumption. First money market of the Kingdom and the Maghreb, it is the seat many national companies and international as well as multinationals for the area North Africa and West Africa. Its purse is one of most dynamic of Africa and is classified first of the Maghreb, third of Africa after those of Johannesbourg and Cairo and third of the Arab World after those of Riyadh and of Cairo with a capitalization of 60 billion dollars.
The piers of the wearing of Casablanca symbolize the dynamism and the opening of the fifth city and the second port of the African continent. From here phosphate and cereals the cargoes leave especially whose Morocco is the first world exporter.
Transport infrastructures
Casablanca is equipped with an expressway of 22 km which serves the city on a North-South axis and with a bypass (A5) a 33,5 km length which gives rise to 3 major axes of the country: the highway Casablanca-Reduction (A3), the highway Casablanca-Marrakech (A7) and the highway Casablanca-El Jadida (A6). This city constitutes the highway node most important of the country.
The city is also served by the most important Aéroport of Morocco and the Maghreb, the International airport Mohammed V - Nouasser, located at nearly 30 km of the downtown area. True hub for the Royal Air Maroc national company with its 3 terminals of a capacity of 11 million passengers, it is served by 45 airline companies and is connected to 70 international destinations. The airport saw forwarding more than 5 million passengers in 2006. It also has 2 terminals freight of a capacity of 150.000 t/an.
Casablanca is served by Al Bidaoui, a railway Réseau regional express (the RER) including/understanding eight stations: Ain Sebaa, Put Travellers, Mers sultan, Oasis, Facultés, Ennassim, Bouskoura and the airport Mohammed V. a TNR (fast train shuttle) also serves the Northern suburbs of Mohammédia and Bouznika and the Southern suburbs of Berrechid. The network of Casablanca east partly ensures by of Renault R312 from Paris. The Plan of Urbain Displacement, finalized in 2006, envisages, within the framework of the project Casa 2010 , the development of a grid system of mass including in particular two lines of subway, three lines of Tramway and a line of the RER. This network could be born since 2010.
The wearing of Casablanca with 54% of the national harbor traffic is the first port of Morocco and the fourth of Africa. It treats each year more than 20 million tons of goods and 500.000 containers.
The town of Casablanca has 2 main stations, Put-Port and Put-Traveller which record 8 million passengers annually.
School complexes and colleges
See also: List of School complexes and Colleges of Casablanca
Sports
Football
- Wydad of Casablanca (red color), in summary WAC (champion of Morocco for the sixteenth time at the time of the season 2006 including 5 times before independence)
- Raja de Casablanca (green color), in summary RCA (victorious of the League of the Arab champions for the season 2006)
The emblem of the RCA is the eagle. Its public comes from the popular quarters from Casablanca and certain fashionable districts. The emblem of the WAC is the goose. Its public comes from certain easy districts of Casablanca by adding old the médina and it to it center town.
These two clubs always produced the best players of the national team (Abdelmajid Dolmy, Baddou Zaki, Aziz Bouderbala, Mustapha Haddaoui, Noureddine Naybet, Salaheddine Bassir…).
A wild competition is to be noted between the supporters WAC and RCA. The matches of derby are generally exceptional days in Casablanca being given the fact that the principal stage (Stade Mohamed V) is in full center town. This competition generates provocations which involve acts of violence between the supporters of the two clubs. At the time of regional matches, brawls burst in the street between most enthusiastic supporters of each of the two groups.
-
the Rachad Bernoussi equipped in blue and white this team with the suburbs of Sidi Bernoussi evolved/moved in GNF II.
- the HEAP of Casablanca equipped in yellow and black equips with the suburbs of Hay mohammedi which évolu in GNF II Morrocan woman
Others
The large mosque Hassan II was built there between 1986 and 1993. It acts -- after Mecque -- second the largest Mosque in the world, and the largest minaret in the world (200 m).
Megarama, complex of cinema located in the district of Ain Diab, it is the largest cinema in Africa with 14 cinemas, and having the 2nd more big screen of cinema in the world after that of Los Angeles.
Places to visit
-
Park of the Arab League and the Yasmina park;
- Museum of the Villa of Arts;
- Place Mohammed V: around this place draws up the wilaya of Casablanca whose bell-tower of Tuscan inspiration attracts the glances as well as the Law courts of arabo-Andalusian inspiration and a large fountain;
- the médina (Bab Marrakech);
- many frontages “Art déco”, in particular along the avenue Mohammed V, boulevard January 11th etc;
- the central market;
- the cornice and its beaches (Ain Diab);
- the marabout of Sidi Abderrahman;
- Derb Ghallef : a large flea market, a kind of cave of Ali Baba in the open air;
- Twin Center Casablanca: two twin towers of 28 115 meters stages and high including/understanding a shopping mall (largest of Morocco and the Maghreb) of 130 shops out of 5 levels, in full heart of Maarif, the district of shopping in Casablanca;
- Festival of the Boulevard of the young musicians, Festival in annual concert of music in Casablanca;
- Festival of Casablanca, annual festival organized by the municipality.
- Park of atraction for child " Sindibad" at the exit of the city opposite the beach
Personalities born in Casablanca
See also: List of people born in Casablanca
Casablanca is a city which abounds famous people or in sights. She saw being born various singers, footballers, writers, intellectuals or TV hosts.
Twinnings and partnerships
Twinnings
- (March)
Sources: .
Photo gallery
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