Casablanca

Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the country's main center for business and money. It sits along the Atlantic coast in the central-western part of the country. The city has about 3.22 million people living in the city itself, and over 4.27 million in the larger area around it, making it the biggest city in the Maghreb region and the ninth-largest in the Arab world.

The Port of Casablanca is one of the biggest man-made ports in Africa, and the third-largest port in North Africa. It is also home to the main base for the Royal Moroccan Navy. Casablanca is very important for money matters, ranking 54th in the world for finance, between Brussels and Rome. The Casablanca Stock Exchange is the third-largest in Africa for the value of companies listed there.

Many big companies from Morocco and from America and Europe have their main offices and factories in Casablanca. Today, it is the country's most important place for industry.

Etymology

Anfa

Before the 15th century, the place now called Casablanca was known as Anfa. Different maps and books used many names for it, like El-Anfa, Anafa, or Nafe. Some people thought the name came from a group called the Anfaça, part of the Awraba tribe. Others thought it might have a Hebrew meaning, like a bird or a face. But a scholar named André Adam said these ideas did not fit well. He believed the real origin was a Tamazight word meaning “hill” or “promontory on the sea.”

Casablanca

When a leader named Mohammed ben Abdallah rebuilt the city after a big earthquake in 1755, he called it ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ (الدار البيضاء), meaning The White House. Over time, people started calling it Dar al-Baiḍā.

The name “Casablanca” came later. One story says a holy person named Allal al-Qairawani and his wife, Lalla al-Baiḍāʾ (the White Lady), lived there. Others think it was because of a white building on a hill that helped sailors see the city. Portuguese sailors called it Casa Branca (White House), and when the Spanish took over, they changed it to “Casablanca.”

During the time when France controlled Morocco, the name Casablanca stayed the same. Today, people in Morocco call the city Casablanca, sometimes shorten it to Casa, or use its Arabic name.

History

Main article: History of Casablanca

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Casablanca.

Early history

The area that is today Casablanca was founded and settled by Berbers by the seventh century BC. It was used as a port by the Phoenicians, then the Romans.^{[citation needed]} In his book Description of Africa, Leo Africanus refers to ancient Casablanca as "Anfa", a great city founded in the Berber kingdom of Barghawata in 744 AD. He believed Anfa was the most "prosperous city on the Atlantic Coast because of its fertile land." Barghawata rose as an independent state around this time, and continued until it was conquered by the Almoravids in 1068. After the defeat of the Barghawata in the 12th century, Arab tribes of Hilal and Sulaym descent settled in the region, mixing with the local Berbers, which led to widespread Arabization. During the 14th century, under the Merinids, Anfa rose in importance as a port. The last of the Merinids were ousted by a popular revolt in 1465.

Portuguese conquest and Spanish influence

Main article: Anfa expedition (1468)

In the early 15th century, the town became an independent state once again, and emerged as a safe harbour for pirates and privateers. The Portuguese consequently bombarded the town into ruins in 1468. The town that grew up around it was called Casa Branca, meaning "white house" in Portuguese.

Reconstruction under Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah, 1756–90

Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah constructed the port and rebuilt the town between 1756 and 1790—likely after the Portuguese evacuation of Mazagan in 1769, in order to preempt a Christian attack or return by fortifying defenses between Rabat and Mazagan (now El Jadida). The town was called ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ (الدار البيضاء), the Arabic translation of the Portuguese Casa Branca.

Colonial struggle

In the 19th century, the area's population began to grow as it became a major supplier of wool to the booming textile industry in Britain and shipping traffic increased (the British, in return, began importing gunpowder tea, used in Morocco's national drink, mint tea). By the 1860s, around 5,000 residents were there, and the population grew to around 10,000 by the late 1880s. Casablanca remained a modestly sized port, with a population reaching around 12,000 within a few years of the French conquest and arrival of French colonialists in 1906. By 1921, this rose to 110,000, largely through the development of shanty towns.^{[citation needed]}

Bombardment of Casablanca

The Treaty of Algeciras of 1906 formalized French preeminence in Morocco and included three measures that directly impacted Casablanca: that French officers would control operations at the customs office and seize revenue as collateral for loans given by France, that the French holding company La Compagnie Marocaine would develop the port of Casablanca, and that a French-and-Spanish-trained police force would be assembled to patrol the port.

To build the port's breakwater, narrow-gauge track was laid in June 1907 for a small Decauville locomotive to connect the port to a quarry in Roches Noires, passing through the sacred Sidi Belyout graveyard. In resistance to this and the measures of the 1906 Treaty of Algeciras, tribesmen of the Chaouia attacked the locomotive, killing 9 Compagnie Marocaine laborers—3 French, 3 Italians, and 3 Spanish.

In response, the French bombarded the city in August 1907 with multiple gunboats and landed troops inside the town, causing severe damage. In the immediate aftermath of the bombardment and the deployment of French troops, the European homes and the Mellah, or Jewish quarter, were sacked.

As Oujda had already been occupied, the bombardment and military invasion of the city opened a western front to the French military conquest of Morocco.^{[citation needed]}

French rule and influence

Main article: French protectorate of Morocco

French control of Casablanca was formalized March 1912 when the Treaty of Fez established the French Protectorat. Under French imperial control, Casablanca became a port of colonial extraction.

Right at the beginning of the twentieth century, when Morocco was officially declared a French protectorate, the French decided to shift power to Morocco's coastal areas (i.e. Rabat and Casablanca) at the expense of its interior areas (i.e. Fez and Marrakesh). Rabat was made the administrative capital of the country, and Casablanca its economic capital.

General Hubert Lyautey assigned the planning of the new colonial port city to Henri Prost. As he did in other Moroccan cities, Prost designed a European ville nouvelle outside the walls of the medina. In Casablanca, he also designed a new "ville indigène" to house Moroccans arriving from other cities.

Europeans formed almost half the population of Casablanca.

A 1937–1938 typhoid fever outbreak was exploited by colonial authorities to justify the appropriation of urban spaces in Casablanca. Moroccans residing in informal housing were cleared out of the center and displaced, notably to Carrières Centrales.

World War II

Further information: Operation Torch

After Philippe Pétain of France signed the armistice with the Nazis, he ordered French troops in France's colonial empire to defend French territory against any aggressors—Allied or otherwise—applying a policy of "asymmetrical neutrality" in favour of the Germans. French colonists in Morocco generally supported Pétain, while Moroccans tended to favour de Gaulle and the Allies.

Operation Torch, which started on 8 November 1942, was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. The Western Task Force, composed of American units led by Major General George S. Patton and Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, carried out the invasions of Mehdia, Fedhala, and Asfi. American forces captured Casablanca from Vichy control when France surrendered 11 November 1942, but the Naval Battle of Casablanca continued until American forces sank German submarine U-173 on 16 November.

Casablanca was the site of the Berrechid Airfield, a large American air base used as the staging area for all American aircraft for the European theatre of World War II. The airfield has since become Mohammed V International Airport.

Anfa Conference

Casablanca hosted the Anfa Conference (also called the Casablanca Conference) in January 1943. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt discussed the progress of the war. Also in attendance were the Free France generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, though they played minor roles and didn't participate in the military planning.

It was at this conference that the Allies adopted the doctrine of "unconditional surrender", meaning that the Axis powers would be fought until their defeat. Roosevelt also met privately with Sultan Muhammad V and expressed his support for Moroccan independence after the war. This became a turning point, as Moroccan nationalists were emboldened to openly seek complete independence.

Toward independence

During the 1940s and 1950s, Casablanca was a major centre of anti-French rioting.

Riots in Casablanca took place from 7–8 December 1952, in response to the assassination of the Tunisian labor unionist Farhat Hached by La Main Rouge—the clandestine militant wing of French intelligence. Then, on 25 December 1953 (Christmas Day), Muhammad Zarqtuni orchestrated a bombing of Casablanca's Central Market in response to the forced exile of Sultan Muhammad V and the royal family on 20 August (Eid al-Adha) of that year.

Since independence

Morocco gained independence from France in 1956. The post-independence era witnessed significant urban transformations and socio-economic shifts, particularly in neighborhoods like Hay Mohammadi, which were deeply impacted by neoliberal policies and state-led urban redevelopment projects.

Casablanca Group

On 4–7 January 1961, the city hosted an ensemble of progressive African leaders during the Casablanca Conference of 1961. Among those received by King Muhammad V were Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah, Modibo Keïta, and Ahmed Sékou Touré, Ferhat Abbas.

Jewish emigration

Casablanca was a major departure point for Jews leaving Morocco through Cadima (1949–1956) and Operation Yachin (1961–1964).

Mudawana

In March 2000, more than 60 women's groups organized demonstrations in Casablanca proposing reforms to the legal status of women in the country. About 40,000 women attended, calling for a ban on polygamy and the introduction of divorce law (divorce being a purely religious procedure at that time). Although the counter-demonstration attracted half a million participants, the movement for change started in 2000 was influential on King Mohammed VI, and he enacted a new mudawana, or family law, in early 2004, meeting some of the demands of women's rights activists.

Further history

As calls for reform spread through the Arab world in 2011, Moroccans joined in, but concessions by the ruler led to acceptance.^[vague] However, in December, thousands of people demonstrated in several parts of the city, especially the city center near la Fontaine, desiring more significant political reforms. On 1 November 2023, Casablanca along with Ouarzazate joined UNESCO's Creative Cities Network.

Geography

Casablanca is found on the Atlantic coast of the Chaouia Plains, which have been important for farming in Morocco. Besides the coast, the Bouskoura forest is a natural area in the city. This forest was planted in the 1900s and has many eucalyptus, palm, and pine trees. It is about 18 kilometers from the city's main airport.

Casablanca has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, which means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The cool ocean water nearby helps keep temperatures comfortable, similar to Los Angeles. The city usually gets about 412 millimeters of rain each year, and the temperature can range from very warm to quite cool.

The city has many different neighborhoods, including Ain Chock, Ain Diab, Ain Sebaa, Belvédère, Bouskoura, C.I.L., Derb Ghallef, Derb Sultan, Hay El Hanaa, Hay El Hassani, Hay El Mohammadi, Hay Salama, Hubous, Inara, Lamkansa, Maârif, Mers Sultan, Oasis, Palmiers, Racine, Roches Noires, Salmia 2, Sbata, Sidi Bernoussi, Sidi Maârouf, Sidi Moumen, and Sidi Othmane.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Casablanca

Casablanca is an important place for technology and new businesses. It has a special area called Technopark where many computer and game companies are based. Several important groups that help run the country have their main offices in Casablanca.

The area around Casablanca helps the country grow a lot. It makes a big part of the country’s factories and jobs. It also uses a lot of the country’s electricity and helps make many things that the country sells to others.

Casablanca is also a busy place for money and banking. It has many big banks and is a key spot for finance in Africa. The city has a big market where people can buy and sell shares of companies.

The city has ports where many ships come and go, bringing in and sending out goods. There are also many places to shop, eat, and have fun along the waterfront.

Administration and Politics

Casablanca is a municipality that is part of the Casablanca-Settat region. The municipality is divided into 16 districts called arrondissements.

The Mayor of Casablanca leads the city and has many important jobs. The Mayor represents the city, helps plan its development, and makes sure laws are followed. The Mayor also works with leaders from each district and can create a special police force to keep the city safe and clean.

The City Council has many elected members who help make decisions for the city. They meet three times a year and can also be called together by the Mayor or other leaders.

The municipality of Casablanca is divided into 16 local districts (arrondissements). Each district has its own president and council members who help plan local events and take care of parks and green spaces. Each district gets money from the city to use as they choose.

Casablanca is also divided into 8 prefectures. Each prefecture is led by a Governor who is chosen by the Moroccan government. A governor usually looks after 2 or 3 districts. For example, the Governor of Prefecture de Casablanca-Anfa oversees Anfa, Sidi Belyout and Maarif. Governors can sometimes change decisions made by district councils if the rules were not followed correctly.

Demographics

The city of Casablanca had a population of about 3.4 million people in 2014, according to the Moroccan census. Most people live in urban areas, and about a quarter of the population is under 15 years old. Casablanca is the largest city in the Maghreb region and holds around 11% of Morocco's total population.

Casablanca has a rich mix of people. Most residents are Arab and Berber Muslims. During the time of French rule, many Europeans lived there, but their numbers have since decreased. Today, there are also small communities of Moroccan Christians and some foreign Roman Catholic and Protestant residents. The city's population includes three main groups: the ʕrubis, the Soussis, and the Fessis. The Fessis are families from Fez who make up the modern elite, while the ʕrubis make up the largest part of the population.

Judaism in Casablanca

Main article: Jewish community in Casablanca

In the 20th century, Casablanca was a center for Jewish life in Morocco, with over 80 synagogues and many Jewish organizations. Jews have lived in Casablanca for a long time. A Sephardic Jewish community existed in Anfa until it was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1468. By 1750, the Rabbi Elijah synagogue was built, the first Jewish synagogue in Casablanca. In the mid-19th century, Moroccan Jews moved to coastal cities like Casablanca for better economic opportunities.

During the French invasion of Morocco, the Jewish area of Casablanca, known as the mellah, was damaged. Jewish people played an important role in the city's architecture, especially in building many of its tallest structures between the wars.

With the rise of Zionism, many Moroccan Jews moved to Israel between 1948 and 1951, and later through Operation Yachin from 1961 to 1964. The Jewish community in Casablanca has since become much smaller. Today, the city still has a Jewish cemetery, several active synagogues, and the Moroccan Jewish Museum, established in 1997.

Education

Casablanca has many colleges and universities, both public and private. Public schools include École Centrale Casablanca and University of Hassan II Casablanca. Private schools include HEM Business School, Université Mundiapolis, and Université Internationale de Casablanca.

The city also has many international primary and secondary schools. These include French schools such as Lycée Lyautey and Groupe Scolaire Louis Massignon, as well as schools from Belgium, Italy, Spain, America, and Britain.

Casablanca is home to several libraries, including the Hassan II Mosque Foundation Multimedia Library, King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Human Sciences and Islamic Studies, Dar America, Institut Français, and Instituto Cervantes.

Places of worship

See also: Catholic Church in Morocco

Most of the city's places of worship are Muslim mosques, with the oldest being the Dar al-Makhzen Mosque. There are also special buildings called zawiyas for holy people, often named starting with words like "Lala" or "Sidi." Some of the city's synagogues, such as Ettedgui Synagogue, are still there. Many Christian churches are still used, especially by people from West Africa and Europe. Some churches built a long time ago are now used as cultural spaces or have been turned into mosques.

One church, called the Church of Saint Margaret, was built in a special style by a person named Eugène Lendrat. It was later turned into al-Quds Mosque in 1981. Other churches, like the Church of the Sacred Heart and the Church of San Buenaventura, are now used for culture.

The Ould el-Hamra Mosque, along with the Ettedgui Synagogue and the Church of San Buenaventura, are three important buildings that show the presence of three major religions in a small area.

Sport

Association football

Casablanca is home to two famous football teams: Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca. These teams are rivals, and both have symbols—Raja has an eagle, while Wydad has a star and crescent. They have helped Morocco produce many great players. Both teams play in the Botola league and have won the CAF Champions League three times each.

The city has hosted many important football matches, including eight African Champions League finals and the 1988 African Cup of Nations final. There are plans for a new stadium, Hassan II Stadium, to be finished by 2028. It will be one of the biggest stadiums in Africa and will host matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Tennis

Casablanca holds a professional tennis event called The Grand Prix Hassan II.

Hosting

Casablanca has been the host city for several big sports events, including the 1961 Pan Arab Games and the 1983 Mediterranean Games. Morocco will also host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Venues

Some important sports venues in Casablanca include:

• Stade Larbi Zaouli
• Stade Mohamed V
• Stade Sidi Bernoussi
• Complexe Al Amal de Casablanca

Road Racing

Casablanca holds the International Casablanca Marathon, a race that started in 2008 and attracts runners from all over the world.

Culture

Music

Haja El Hamdaouia is a famous singer in aita music who was born in Casablanca. Nass El Ghiwane, led by Larbi Batma, began in Hay Mohammadi in Casablanca. Other well-known musicians from the city include Naima Samih, Abdelhadi Belkhayat, and Abdelwahab Doukkali.

Casablanca also has many modern music groups and artists, including funk bands like Attarazat Addahabia and Hoba Hoba Spirit. The city has a lively hiphop scene with artists such as ElGrandeToto, Don Bigg, 7liwa, Dizzy DROS, and Issam Harris. Casablanca holds music festivals like Jazzablanca and L'Boulevard and has a museum for Andalusi music called Dar ul-Aala.

Literature

Francesco Cavalli's opera L'Ormindo is set in Casablanca. The novel The Simple Past by Driss Chraïbi is about life in the city. Mohamed Zafzaf taught and wrote in Maarif. Each year, Casablanca holds an International Book Fair near the Hassan II Mosque.

Theater

Tayeb Saddiki, known as the father of Moroccan theater, grew up in Casablanca. Comedians like Hanane el-Fadili, Hassan El Fad, and Gad Elmaleh are also from the city.

Visual art

The École des Beaux-Arts of Casablanca began in 1919. The Casablanca School, a group of modern artists, started in the late 1960s. Today, L'Uzine is a place for art and culture, and Sbagha Bagha is a street art festival where artists paint murals on buildings.

Photography

Early photographers like Marcelin Flandrin captured life in Casablanca. Today, Yoriyas is known for photographing everyday scenes in the city.

Film

In the early 1900s, Casablanca had many movie theaters. The famous 1942 film Casablanca was not filmed there but has shaped how many see the city. Later films such as About Some Meaningless Events and Casanegra explore different parts of life in Casablanca.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Casablanca

Casablanca has buildings in many styles, including traditional Moroccan design and modern styles from the last century. Groups like Casamémoire and MAMMA. work to protect the city's special buildings.

Transport

Rapid transit

See also: Casablanca RER, Casablanca Metro, Casablanca Tramway, and Casablanca Busway

The Casablanca Tramway is a tram system that helps people move around the city quickly. As of 2024, it has four lines that cover a distance of 74 km (46 mi) with 110 stops.

Casablanca also has a special bus system called the Casablanca Busway. This system uses big buses on special roads to help traffic move faster. As of 2024, it has two lines named BW1 and BW2.

For many years, Casablanca planned to build a metro system to help with traffic and air quality. But in 2014, the city decided not to build the metro because it was too expensive. Instead, they chose to grow the tram system even more.

There are also bus services that go between cities. Compagnie de Transports au Maroc runs buses from a station near the Central Market in downtown Casablanca. Another company, Supratours, which is part of ONCF, also runs buses from a different station nearby. There is a big bus station called Wilad Zian Bus Station that serves many buses every day, especially for people who don’t have a lot of money.

Tourism

Although Mohammed V International Airport gets most international flights into Morocco, Casablanca is not as popular for tourists as cities like Fez and Marrakesh.

The Hassan II Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in Africa and the world, is the city's main attraction. Visitors also enjoy seeing the city's beautiful buildings.

People who live in the area like to visit shopping centers such as Morocco Mall, Anfa Place, the Marina Shopping Centre, and the Tachfine Centre. Other favorite spots include the Corniche, the beach at Ain Diab, and parks like the Arab League Park or the Sindibad theme park.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Casablanca

Here are some well-known people from Casablanca:

• Lahcen Abrami – former Moroccan footballer
• Saida el Alami – Moroccan human rights activist
• Amine Atouchi – Moroccan footballer
• Khalil Azmi – former Moroccan goalkeeper
• Amal Ayouch – Moroccan stage and film actress
• Wissam Baraka – Moroccan footballer
• Salaheddine Bassir – Moroccan footballer
• Laarbi Batma – Moroccan musician and artist, founding member of Nas El Ghiwan
• Larbi Benbarek – Moroccan footballer
• Badr Benoun – Moroccan footballer
• Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun – Moroccan businesswoman
• Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes – French footballer
• Frida Boccara – French singer, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1969
• Aziz Bouderbala – former Moroccan footballer
• Merieme Chadid – Moroccan astronomer
• Mustapha Chadili – former goalkeeper
• Achraf Dari – Moroccan footballer
• Jean-Charles de Castelbajac – Moroccan/French fashion designer
• Nabil Dirar – Moroccan footballer
• Abdelmajid Dolmy – former Moroccan footballer
• Don Bigg – Moroccan rapper and songwriter
• Dizzy DROS – Moroccan rapper and producer
• Issam El Adoua – Moroccan footballer
• Badr El Kaddouri – former Moroccan footballer
• Talal El Karkouri – former Moroccan footballer
• Gad Elmaleh – French/Canadian/Moroccan comedian
• Bouchaib El Moubarki – former Moroccan footballer
• Youssef Fertout – Moroccan manager
• La Fouine – Moroccan/French rapper
• Khalid Fouhami – former Moroccan goalkeeper
• Mohamed Fouzair – Moroccan footballer
• Divina Frau-Meigs – Moroccan sociologist and professor
• El Haqed – Moroccan rapper
• Serge Haroche – French physicist, awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics
• Shatha Hassoun – Moroccan/Iraqi singer and actress
• Lydia Hatuel-Czuckermann – Israeli Olympic fencer
• Mouhcine Iajour – Moroccan footballer
• Driss Joumad – former Morocco international footballer
• Nadir Lamyaghri – former Moroccan goalkeeper
• Hamza Mendyl – Moroccan footballer
• Hicham Mesbahi – Moroccan boxer
• French Montana – Moroccan/American rapper
• Nawal El Moutawakel – Moroccan Olympic champion
• Hakim Mouzaki – Moroccan footballer
• Abderrahim Najah – Moroccan international basketball player
• Noureddine Naybet – Moroccan footballer
• Mostafa Nissaboury – Moroccan poet
• Hakim Noury – Moroccan film director
• Maurice Ohana – French composer
• Faouzia Ouihya – Moroccan-Canadian singer
• Azzedine Ounahi – Moroccan footballer
• Jean Reno – Hollywood actor
• Youssef Rossi – former Moroccan footballer
• Abdelilah Saber – Moroccan former footballer
• Youssef Safri – Moroccan football manager
• Jamal Sellami – Moroccan football manager
• Daniel Sivan – Israeli professor
• Alain Souchon – French songwriter
• Frank Stephenson – Moroccan/British/American award-winning automobile designer
• Tagne – rapper
• Sidney Taurel – naturalized American CEO of Eli Lilly and Company from 1998 to 2008
• Richard Virenque – French cyclist
• Muhammad Zarqtuni – Moroccan nationalist and resistance leader
• Abdallah Zrika – Moroccan poet

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Morocco

Casablanca is twinned with:

• Bordeaux, France
• Busan, South Korea
• Chicago, United States
• Dakar, Senegal
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Muscat, Oman
• Nouadhibou, Mauritania
• Shanghai, China

Casablanca also has cooperation agreements with:

• Abuja, Nigeria

• Amman, Jordan

• Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Barcelona, Spain

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Hebron, Palestine

• Istanbul, Turkey

• Kajiado, Kenya

• Koudougou, Burkina Faso

• Montreal, Canada

• Moroni, Comoros

• Nouakchott, Mauritania

• Paris, France

• Ramallah, Palestine

• Rotterdam, Netherlands

• Brussels, Belgium

• Madrid, Spain

• London, United Kingdom

• San Sebastián, Spain

• Bucharest, Romania

• Prague, Czech Republic