Immortalised through the eponymous
Humphrey Bogart and
Ingrid Bergman movie and forever associated with
honorary citizen Sir Winston Churchill, Casablanca is a
sprawling, vibrant metropolis of close to 6.5 million inhabitants, 3.5 million of them living in the city itself.
Though not the seat of government, it is
Morocco’s undisputed commercial capital, an enigmatic meeting place of
western modernity and
Arabic tradition. Casablanca (‘Dar el-Beïda’ in Moroccan Arabic, which translates as ‘White House’ in
English) or Casa as it is known colloquially, was a
tiny Berber settlement that became a home
port for privateers, before turning into a
trading post with Europe. Then, in the era of the
French protectorate at the dawn of the 20th century, it mushroomed into what is today
one of Africa’s four largest cities. It was the vision of French governor Marshal Lyautey that set in train a massive half-century project that rebuilt the city and its facilities until they outshone those of Marseille, the port that had been the inspiration.
Casablanca today uses 35% of the nation’s electricity and handles 41% of its exports. Thanks to
one of the world’s largest artificial harbors, Casablanca dominates Morocco’s industrial and service sectors. Its suburbs contrast
sumptuous villas with
dreadful slums, while its downtown mixes the
dowdy with the
exquisite. You take it as you find it in Casablanca. Tourism is welcome but, essentially, Casablanca is a
commercial hub that goes about its life in its own way at its own
breakneck pace.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Morocco Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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