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Mohammedia ( ar, المحمدية, al-muḥammadiyya; ber, ⴼⴹⴰⵍⴰ, Fḍala), known until 1960 as Fedala, is a port city on the west coast of Morocco between
Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
and Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
in the region of Casablanca-Settat
Casablanca-Settat ( ar, الدار البيضاء - سطات, ad-dār al-bayḍāʾ - siṭṭāt; ber, ⴰⵏⴼⴰ - ⵙⵟⵟⴰⵜ, anfa - sṭṭat) is one of the twelve administrative regions of Morocco. It covers an area of 20,166 km² ...
. It hosts the most important oil refinery of Morocco, the Samir refinery, which makes it the center of the Moroccan petroleum industry. It has a population of 208,612 according to the 2014 Moroccan census
The 2014 Moroccan census was held in Morocco between 1 September and 20 September 2014. The census was conducted by the High Planning Commission.
During the precolonial period, competition between the Western powers to ensure the economical exploitation of Africa was behind the merger of Europeans interests in the ports of Morocco. In the region of Fédala, the German family Mannesmann acquired a large area of land.
The Treaty of November 4, 1911 between France and Germany on the partition of Africa forced the Mannesmann family to abandon the lands they held for Georges and Jacques Hersent, two French industrialists, who noticed the existence of a natural bay, valuable for the creation of a large port at low cost.
The group Hersent created the Franco-Moroccan company in 1912 and founded the port company in 1914 that took a leading part in the development of Fédala. The rapid growth of the city started around the port, which allowed the development of various industries such as canning fishery products, agro-industry plants, tannery, textile, etc..
The seaside town took shape in 1925 and the Esplanade was built in 1938. The construction of the sea line in 1951 made of Fédala the first and most modern oil port in North Africa.
The church of Saint James (Saint Jacques), which overlooks the main square, was erected in 1934 by Jean and Georges Hersent, in memory of their son and nephew Jacques (3 February 1893 - 26 July 1917), who died at the Marne during the First World War. The town also has a school "Jacques Hersent", founded in 1929 by Georges Hersent, which claims to be named after his son Jacques who was drowned in Mohammedia.
Fédala was renamed Mohammedia on 25 June 1960 in honor of King Mohammed V, the restorer of
World Gazetter
Groupe scolaire Claude-Monet
" AEFE. Retrieved on June 16, 2016.
This area where stands the Kasbah extends from Souss Street to the Al-Wafaa subdivision. It represents the historical heart of the city and has marked a transitional compromise between an urbanism of modern buildings and monuments, and the forms of ancient old Medina. Many commercials and services exist along the narrow streets of the Kasbah and the boulevards of the surrounding area, such as clothing merchants, wool merchants and fruit sellers. This area, which represents the city center, hosts many administrations, mosques, restaurants, hotels and parks as well.
* Subdivisions: The Kasbah, Al-Wafaa, Al-Marsa, Dyour Al-Qraii.
* Famous places: Twin Towns Park, Mohamed V boulevard, the Corniche.
* Infrastructures and mobility : The railway station, Moulay Abdellah Hospital, the Prefecture, Bachir Stadium.
This district is located southern in the city on a gentle hill slope, which gives it the name Al-Alia that means the upper side. It was built in 1948 as a solution to the shantytowns problem, where rural population were living, attracted by the industrial development of the city and looking for a job.
Today, the district equals a small city in continuous expansion, equipped by all necessary facilities.
* Ancient subdivisions: El Hassania, Derb Marrakech, Diour Doukkala, Derb Jamila, Derb Ourida, Derb Fath, Derb Douchmane, Riyad Salam, Derb Laâyoune, Hay Al-Houria.
* New subdivisions : Hay El-Falah, Anfa, Rachidia, Hay Reda, Hay Nasr, Hay el-Fajr, La Colline, Hay Al-Wahda.
* Infrastructures and mobility: The Municipal Theater, the Coach Station.
Early history
The harbor, at what is now Mohammédia, was originally named Fédala (). This name comes from the Arabic words ''Fadl Allah'' () which means "favor of God". Traces still exist of its business role under the Almoravid dynasty. It was frequented in the 14th and 15th centuries by merchant ships from Europe seeking cereals and dried fruits. In 1773, the Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah made of Fédala a grains warehouse of Tamasna province and built the Kasbah to protect the shops for traders. He built the white masjid Al Atik as well.French Protectorate
During the precolonial period, competition between the Western powers to ensure the economical exploitation of Africa was behind the merger of Europeans interests in the ports of Morocco. In the region of Fédala, the German family Mannesmann acquired a large area of land.
The Treaty of November 4, 1911 between France and Germany on the partition of Africa forced the Mannesmann family to abandon the lands they held for Georges and Jacques Hersent, two French industrialists, who noticed the existence of a natural bay, valuable for the creation of a large port at low cost.
The group Hersent created the Franco-Moroccan company in 1912 and founded the port company in 1914 that took a leading part in the development of Fédala. The rapid growth of the city started around the port, which allowed the development of various industries such as canning fishery products, agro-industry plants, tannery, textile, etc..
The seaside town took shape in 1925 and the Esplanade was built in 1938. The construction of the sea line in 1951 made of Fédala the first and most modern oil port in North Africa.
The church of Saint James (Saint Jacques), which overlooks the main square, was erected in 1934 by Jean and Georges Hersent, in memory of their son and nephew Jacques (3 February 1893 - 26 July 1917), who died at the Marne during the First World War. The town also has a school "Jacques Hersent", founded in 1929 by Georges Hersent, which claims to be named after his son Jacques who was drowned in Mohammedia.
Battle of Fedala
US Army invaded Fédala from the Atlantic on November 8, 1942 as part ofoperation Torch
Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
. The invasion was carried out by the Center Attack Group of the Western Task Force which landed on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The landing began on 4 AM.
New city
Fédala was renamed Mohammedia on 25 June 1960 in honor of King Mohammed V, the restorer of Moroccan independence
The Revolution of the King and the People () was a Morocco, Moroccan Anti-imperialism, anti-colonial national liberation movement to end the French Protectorate in Morocco, French Protectorate and break free from the French colonial empire. The n ...
, on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the Samir oil refinery. The new name indicates the modern character of this city. Today, the city serves as both a seaside resort and a manufacturing center.
Mohammedia is also a resort city containing a golf and tennis club, casino and many other activities. In addition, people call it which means "city of flowers and sports".
Within the past decade, Mohammedia's beaches "Sablet & Mimosa" have drawn many people from Casablanca, and its nearby cities. Sablet and Mimosa have been under development, building new beach condos, villas, as well as more investments in small businesses which creates more jobs. Summer is simply the best season in Mohammedia being that there is more involvement due to an increase of the population. There is a wide range of outdoor activities including basketball, soccer, surfing, and fishing. The night life is a great experience to be part of, including several cafes, restaurants, clubs, and a boardwalk. A couple of beach residential areas that are good place for vacation are "Residence of Oubaha" and "Palm Beach." There are several other projects going on in the city of Mohammedia as well as infrastructure throughout the city.
On 22 December 2022, A huge explosion erupted after a gas storage facility went up in flames, authorities claimed to have no casualties, families and citizens living near the facility have evacuated the surroundings.
Geography
Location
Mohammédia lies along the Atlantic Ocean northeast ofCasablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
. It is located between the outlets of the rivers Oued El-Maleh and Oued Nfifikh and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Ben Slimane Province to the east and south, and the prefecture of Sidi Bernoussi-Zenata to the west.
Climate
Mohammédia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa). The moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean influences strongly on the city climate and makes its winter soft and warm, and its summer hot and cool. Mohammédia enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year with measurable precipitation annually. The period of November through April is mild and rainy with average high temperatures of and lows of , however temperatures can occasionally drop to around in the morning, or be as high as for a few days during winter. The period of May through October is warm to hot and dry with average high temperatures of and lows of , but temperatures can exceed and occasionally reach . Most rainfall occurs from November to April, and the average annual precipitation is around 432 mm. Precipitation is most commonly in the form of light rain showers, but sometimes there is heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.Subdivisions
The province is divided administratively into the following:Demographics
The population of Mohammédia is growing at a fast rate. The city, which had a population of only 500 people in 1914, is currently home to about 204,000 people. The population of the prefecture of Mohammédia is estimated at 336,000 inhabitants with an average population density of . All population groups of the Moroccan Kingdom are represented in this region. The first inhabitants of the city were the Zenata tribes, of which only few remain, divided territorially between Mohammédia and neighboring prefectures. Another Arab tribe ofMauritania
Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
, called Mjedba, settled between Fédala and Mediouna three centuries ago and are now twice as many as Zenata.
Sources World Gazetter
Education
The city has a French international school,Groupe Scolaire Claude Monet
A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation.
Air and aviation groups
The terms group and wing differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches o ...
, serving ''moyenne section'' through ''collège'' (junior high school)." AEFE. Retrieved on June 16, 2016.
Municipality
Mohammedia, whose size has increased significantly during the second half of the 20th century, is becoming one of the biggest cities in Morocco. New neighborhoods are built in all the parts of the city and more people live in town. The city is divided into 3 major distinct areas, the Kasbah area, the Al-Alia district, and the eastern coast.Kasbah area
This area where stands the Kasbah extends from Souss Street to the Al-Wafaa subdivision. It represents the historical heart of the city and has marked a transitional compromise between an urbanism of modern buildings and monuments, and the forms of ancient old Medina. Many commercials and services exist along the narrow streets of the Kasbah and the boulevards of the surrounding area, such as clothing merchants, wool merchants and fruit sellers. This area, which represents the city center, hosts many administrations, mosques, restaurants, hotels and parks as well.
* Subdivisions: The Kasbah, Al-Wafaa, Al-Marsa, Dyour Al-Qraii.
* Famous places: Twin Towns Park, Mohamed V boulevard, the Corniche.
* Infrastructures and mobility : The railway station, Moulay Abdellah Hospital, the Prefecture, Bachir Stadium.
Al-Alia
This district is located southern in the city on a gentle hill slope, which gives it the name Al-Alia that means the upper side. It was built in 1948 as a solution to the shantytowns problem, where rural population were living, attracted by the industrial development of the city and looking for a job.
Today, the district equals a small city in continuous expansion, equipped by all necessary facilities.
* Ancient subdivisions: El Hassania, Derb Marrakech, Diour Doukkala, Derb Jamila, Derb Ourida, Derb Fath, Derb Douchmane, Riyad Salam, Derb Laâyoune, Hay Al-Houria.
* New subdivisions : Hay El-Falah, Anfa, Rachidia, Hay Reda, Hay Nasr, Hay el-Fajr, La Colline, Hay Al-Wahda.
* Infrastructures and mobility: The Municipal Theater, the Coach Station.
Eastern coast
The east side of the city is famous for its beaches, where the inhabitants of Mohammedia,Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
and the surrounding towns go swimming. Almost all of the area is a villa zone. However, many buildings have spring up on the seafront over the last 10 years, including an increasing number of luxury apartments.
Most of the faculties of Mohammedia are located in this side of town as well as a Marjane Hypermarket and a McDonald's restaurant.
* Beaches: Santa Monica, Les sablettes, Mannesman, La Siesta.
* Subdivisions: Soleil, Nice, Yasmina, Al-Asil.
Economics and transport
Port
The port of Mohammedia specialises in liquid bulk and petro-chemicals.Notable People
*Abderrahim Achchakir
Abderrahim Achchakir (born December 15, 1986) is a Morocco, Moroccan Association football, footballer who plays for SCC Mohammédia, Chabab Mohammedia and the Morocco national football team, Morocco national team. He was a member of the Morocco n ...
, International footballer
* Abraham Serfaty, Moroccan political activist.
* Eric Besson, French politician.
* Ahmed Faras, Former international Moroccan football footballer.
* Noureddine Ziyati, Moroccan footballer.
*Tarik El Jarmouni
Tarik El Jarmouni is a Moroccan football goalkeeper. He last played for Raja CA.
Jermouni played for FAR in the 2007 CAF Champions League group stages.
Jermouni played for Morocco at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the c ...
, Moroccan football goalkeeper.
* Reda El Amrani, Moroccan tennis player.
*Jannat Mahid
Jannat Mahid ( ar, جنات مهيد; born January 6, 1986), known by her stage name Jannat ( ar, جنات, , ); is a Moroccan-Egyptianelwatannews.com/news/details/5010141 singer and actress. She was born in Morocco and presently living and per ...
, Moroccan singer.
* Mohamed Al Hachdadi, international volleyball player.
* Marwane Saâdane, Moroccan footballer.
* Abdelatif Noussir
Abdelatif Noussir ( ar, عبد اللطيف نصير; born 20 February 1990, in Mohammedia) is a Moroccan footballer who plays for IR Tanger and represented the Morocco under 23 football team. He also played for Morocco at the 2012 Summer Ol ...
, moroccan footballer
*Noureddine Kacemi
Noureddine Kacemi ( ar, نور الدين قاسمي) is a Moroccan former football defender. He last played for FAR Rabat.
Kacemi played for Morocco at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVI ...
, Former international footballer
* Hassan Amcharrat, Former international footballer.
* Tarik El Jarmouni
Tarik El Jarmouni is a Moroccan football goalkeeper. He last played for Raja CA.
Jermouni played for FAR in the 2007 CAF Champions League group stages.
Jermouni played for Morocco at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the c ...
, Former international goalkeeper.
* Rachid Rokki
Rachid Rokki ( ar, رشيد روكي) (born 8 November 1974) is a former Moroccan footballer.
Career
During his career he played for clubs such as Spanish side Sevilla and Albacete Balompié
Albacete Balompié is a Spanish football team ...
, Former international footballer.
International relations
Twin towns - Sister cities
Mohammedia istwinned
Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to:
* In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so;
* Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning
* Twinning inst ...
with:
References
{{Authority control Prefecturial capitals in Morocco Municipalities of Morocco Port cities and towns on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast Ports and harbours of Morocco