The Chaouia ( Arabic : الشاوية , romanized : shāwiyya ) is a historical and ethno-geographical region of Morocco . It is bounded by the Oum er-Rbi' River to its southwest, the Cherrate River to its northeast, the plain of Tadla to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest. The region covers a land area of nearly 14 000 km . The term also refers to a tribal confederation that traditionally inhabits the region.
52-481: Chaouia may refer to: Chaouia (region) , a historical and ethno-geographical region of Morocco Chaouia-Ouardigha , an administrative region of Algeria Shawiya people , a Berber ethnic group of Algeria Shawiya language , a Berber dialect spoken by Shawiyas See also [ edit ] Chaoui music Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
104-802: A massacre of working class Moroccans, carried out by Senegalese Tirailleurs in the service of the French colonial army , was instigated just as Sultan Muhammed V was due to make a speech in Tangier appealing for independence. 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
156-478: 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. 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. On 4–7 January 1961,
208-584: A dozen deaths while the UNFP reported more than 1,000. King Hassan II blamed the events on teachers and parents, and declared in a speech to the nation on 30 March 1965: "There is no greater danger to the State than a so-called intellectual. It would have been better if you were all illiterate." On 6 June 1981, the Casablanca Bread Riots took place, which were sparked by a sharp increase in
260-528: A further extension of Arabic and an increased importance of Arab elements in the power equation of Morocco, to the point where no one could have ruled there without their co-operation. In the early 20th century, the Chaouia carried out a strong rebellion against the French. In 1907, the French bombarded Casablanca and entered the Chaouia region before extending their control over all of Morocco . During
312-788: 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
364-591: A pure Arab origin. The Chaouia tribal confederation traditionally consists of 14 Arabic-speaking tribes: Casablanca Casablanca ( Arabic : الدار البيضاء , romanized : al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ , lit. 'the White House';, IPA: [adˈdaːru ɫbajdˤaːʔ] ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic coast of
416-653: 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 and killing between 600 and 3,000 Moroccans. Estimates for
468-406: Is Africa's third-largest in terms of market capitalization , as of December 2022. Major Moroccan companies and many of the largest American and European companies operating in the country have their headquarters and main industrial facilities in Casablanca. Recent industrial statistics show that Casablanca is the main industrial zone in the country. Before the 15th century, the settlement at what
520-477: Is a word meaning "possessors of sheep" or "shepherds". Geographically, the Chaouia can be divided into two sub-regions: low and high. The low Chaouia being the coastal part while the high Chaouia is further inland. Soils vary in fertility: The dark tirs is prized for its high yields and is found among the Mdhakra, Ouled Hriz and Oulad said. There is also the red hamri terra rossa . Throughout Morocco's history,
572-541: Is considered the locomotive of the development of the Moroccan economy . It attracts 32% of the country's production units and 56% of industrial labor . The region uses 30% of the national electricity production. With MAD 93 billion, the region contributes to 44% of the industrial production of the kingdom. About 33% of national industrial exports, MAD 27 billion, comes from the Grand Casablanca; 30% of
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#1732773217006624-632: Is now Casablanca had been called Anfa , rendered in European sources variously as El-Anfa, Anafa or Anaffa, Anafe, Anife, Anafee, Nafe, and Nafee. Ibn Khaldun ascribed the name to the Anfaça , a branch of the Auréba [ ar ] tribe of the Maghreb , though the sociologist André Adam refuted this claim due to the absence of the third syllable. Nahum Slouschz gave a Hebrew etymology, citing
676-403: Is one of 12 major African cities ( Abidjan , Alexandria , Algiers , Cape Town , Casablanca, Dakar , Dar es Salaam , Durban , Lagos , Lomé , Luanda and Maputo ) which would be the most severely affected by future sea level rise . It estimates that they would collectively sustain cumulative damages of US$ 65 billion under RCP 4.5 and US$ 86.5 billion for the high-emission scenario RCP 8.5 by
728-727: 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. 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
780-714: 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
832-631: The Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco , the city has a population of about 3.71 million in the urban area , and over 4.27 million in Greater Casablanca , making it the most populous city in the Maghreb region, and the eighth-largest in the Arab world . Casablanca is Morocco's chief port, with the Port of Casablanca being one of the largest artificial ports in Africa , and
884-477: The French protectorate , the Chaouia was part of the "Autonomous subdivision of Casablanca". It was then divided into three civilians controls : Chaouia-North ( Casablanca ), Chaouia-Center ( Berrechid ) and Chaouia-South ( Settat ). The Chaouia (or Shawiya) tribes come from a variety of Arab and Berber origins, although today they are linguistically Arabized . A French survey of Moroccan tribes published in 1915 reported that all of these tribes claimed
936-513: The Lexicon of Gesenius : anâphâh (a type of bird) or anaph (face, figure), though Adam refuted this arguing that even a Judaized population would still have spoken Tamazight . Adam also refuted an Arabic etymology, أنف ( anf , "nose"), as the city predated the linguistic Arabization of the country, and the term anf was not used to describe geographic areas. Adam affirmed a Tamazight etymology—from anfa "hill", anfa "promontory on
988-659: The National Union of Popular Forces -affiliated National Union of Moroccan Students, which spread to cities around the country and devolved into riots, started on 22 March 1965, in front of Lycée Mohammed V in Casablanca. The protests started as a peaceful march to demand the right to public higher education for Morocco, but expanded to include concerns of labourers, the unemployed, and other marginalized segments of society, and devolved into vandalism and rioting. The riots were violently repressed by security forces with tanks and armoured vehicles; Moroccan authorities reported
1040-542: The earthquake of 1755 , it was renamed " ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ " ( الدار البيضاء The White House ), though in vernacular use it was pronounced " Dar al-Baiḍā " ( دار البيضاء literally House of the White, although in Moroccan Arabic vernacular it retains the original sense of The White House ). The origins of the name "Casablanca" are unclear, although several theories have been suggested. André Adam mentions
1092-550: 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 . 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
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#17327732170061144-468: The Chaouia was famous for farming wheat and barley, which were exported in years of abundance from Casablanca , Fédala or Azemmour . Chaouia sheep was also prized for its wool, which was also exported to Marseille where it was known as wardigha in reference to one of the tribes in the interior. Nowadays, the Chaouia is part of the Casablanca-Settat administrative region. Originally,
1196-784: The Chaouia was ruled by the Barghawata until it was unified to Morocco by the Almoravids , depopulating the area. After the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'min captured the town of Marrakesh in 1147, he encouraged the settlement of Bedouin Arab tribes in the area and the rest of the Moroccan coastal plains which were largely depopulated after the Almoravid conquest, including Banu Hilal , Banu Sulaym , and Banu Ma'qil , which led to
1248-449: The Moroccan banking network is concentrated in Casablanca. One of the most important exports of Casablanca is phosphate. Other industries include fishing, fish canning, sawmills, furniture production, building materials, glass, textiles, electronics, leather work, processed food, spirits, soft drinks, and cigarettes. The Casablanca and Mohammedia seaports activity represent 50% of the international commercial flows of Morocco. Almost
1300-594: 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 . Casablanca is located on the Atlantic coast of the Chaouia Plains, which have historically been the breadbasket of Morocco. Apart from the Atlantic coast, the Bouskoura forest is the only natural attraction in
1352-466: The city are 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) and −2.7 °C (27.1 °F), respectively. The highest amount of rainfall recorded in a single day is 178 mm (7.0 in) on 30 November 2010. A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 , a "moderate" scenario of climate change where global warming reaches ~2.5–3 °C (4.5–5.4 °F) by 2100,
1404-509: The city hosted an ensemble of progressive African leaders during the Casablanca Conference of 1961 . Among those received by King Muhammad V were Gamal Abd An-Nasser , Kwame Nkrumah , Modibo Keïta , and Ahmed Sékou Touré , Ferhat Abbas . Casablanca was a major departure point for Jews leaving Morocco through Operation Yachin , an operation conducted by Mossad to secretly migrate Moroccan Jews to Israel between November 1961 and spring 1964. The 1965 student protests organized by
1456-463: The city. The forest was planted in the 20th century and consists mostly of eucalyptus , palm , and pine trees. It is located halfway to the city's international airport. The only watercourse in Casablanca is oued Bouskoura , a small seasonal creek that until 1912 reached the Atlantic Ocean near the actual port. Most of oued Bouskoura's bed has been covered due to urbanization and only
1508-427: The climate of Casablanca in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Tripoli, Libya . The annual temperature would increase by 1.7 °C (3.1 °F), and the temperature of the warmest month by 1.6 °C (2.9 °F), while the temperature of the coldest month would actually decrease by 0.2 °C (0.36 °F). Moreover, according to the 2022 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report , Casablanca
1560-454: 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
1612-425: The demands of women's rights activists. On 16 May 2003, 33 civilians were killed and more than 100 people were injured when Casablanca was hit by a multiple suicide bomb attack carried out by Moroccans and claimed by some to have been linked to al-Qaeda . Twelve suicide bombers struck five locations in the city. Another series of suicide bombings struck the city in early 2007. These events illustrated some of
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1664-495: 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. During the 1940s and 1950s, Casablanca was a major centre of anti-French rioting. On 7 April 1947,
1716-504: The entire Casablanca waterfront is under development, mainly the construction of huge entertainment centres between the port and Hassan II Mosque, the Anfa Resort project near the business, entertainment and living centre of Megarama, the shopping and entertainment complex of Morocco Mall , as well as a complete renovation of the coastal walkway. The Sindbad park was also renewed with rides, games and entertainment services. Casablanca
1768-679: The help of Spaniards from the nearby emporium. The town was called ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ (الدار البيضاء), the Arabic translation of the Portuguese Casa Branca . 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
1820-735: 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 Operations during World War II. The airfield has since become Mohammed V International Airport . Casablanca hosted
1872-434: 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
1924-493: The legend of the Sufi saint and merchant Allal al-Qairawani , who supposedly came from Tunisia and settled in Casablanca with his wife Lalla al-Baiḍāʾ ( لالة البيضاء White Lady ). The villagers of Mediouna would reportedly provision themselves at "Dar al-Baiḍāʾ" ( دار البيضاء House of the White ). In fact, on a low hill slightly inland above the ruins of Anfa and just to the west of today's city centre, it appears there
1976-626: The part south of El Jadida road can now be seen. The closest permanent river to Casablanca is Oum Rabia , 70 km (43.50 mi) to the south-east. Casablanca has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ). The cool Canary Current off the Atlantic coast moderates temperature variation, which results in a climate remarkably similar to that of coastal Los Angeles , with similar temperature ranges. The city has an annual average of 72 days with significant precipitation, which amounts to 412 mm (16.2 in) per year. The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in
2028-652: The persistent challenges the city faces in addressing poverty and integrating disadvantaged neighborhoods and populations. One initiative to improve conditions in the city's disadvantaged neighborhoods was the creation of the Sidi Moumen Cultural Center . As calls for reform spread through the Arab world in 2011, Moroccans joined in, but concessions by the ruler led to acceptance. However, in December, thousands of people demonstrated in several parts of
2080-614: 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 . 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
2132-699: The price of necessities such as butter, sugar, wheat flour, and cooking oil following a period of severe drought. Hassan II appointed the French-trained interior minister Driss Basri as hardliner, who would later become a symbol of the Years of Lead , with quelling the protests. The government stated that 66 people were killed and 100 were injured, while opposition leaders put the number of dead at 637, saying that many of these were killed by police and army gunfire. In March 2000, more than 60 women's groups organized demonstrations in Casablanca proposing reforms to
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2184-413: The sea", ifni "sandy beach", or anfa "threshing floor"—although he determined the available information insufficient to establish exactly which. The name "Anfa" was used in maps until around 1830—in some until 1851—which Adam attributes to the tendency of cartographers to replicate previous maps. When Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah ( c. 1710 –1790) rebuilt the city after its destruction in
2236-587: The third-largest port in North Africa , after Tanger-Med (40 km (25 mi) east of Tangier ) and Port Said . Casablanca also hosts the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy . Casablanca is a significant financial centre , ranking 54th globally in the September 2023 Global Financial Centres Index rankings, between Brussels and Rome . The Casablanca Stock Exchange
2288-541: The title Chaouia . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chaouia&oldid=1232885094 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Chaouia (region) The word "Chaouia" means "Land of Chaouis". "Chaoui"
2340-493: The total casualties are as high as 15,000 dead and wounded. In the immediate aftermath of the bombardment and the deployment of French troops, the European homes and the Mellah , or Jewish quarter, were sacked, and the latter was also set ablaze. 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 . French control of Casablanca
2392-492: 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 . The town was finally rebuilt between 1756 and 1790 by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah , the grandson of Moulay Ismail and an ally of George Washington , with
2444-658: The year 2050. Additionally, RCP 8.5 combined with the hypothetical impact from marine ice sheet instability at high levels of warming would involve up to US$ 137.5 billion in damages, while the additional accounting for the "low-probability, high-damage events" may increase aggregate risks to US$ 187 billion for the "moderate" RCP4.5, US$ 206 billion for RCP8.5 and US$ 397 billion under the high-end ice sheet instability scenario. Since sea level rise would continue for about 10,000 years under every scenario of climate change, future costs of sea level rise would only increase, especially without adaptation measures. The Grand Casablanca region
2496-486: Was a white-washed structure, possibly a Sufi zawiya that acted as a landmark to sailors. The Portuguese cartographer Duarte Pacheco wrote in the early 16th century that the city could easily be identified by a tower, and nautical guides from the late 19th century still mentioned a "white tower" as a point of reference. The Portuguese mariners calqued the modern Arabic name to "Casa Branca" ( [kazɐ'bɾɐ̃kɐ] White House ) in place of Anfa. The name "Casablanca"
2548-589: 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. In the early 15th century,
2600-564: Was formalized March 1912 when the Treaty of Fes 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 Marrakech). Rabat
2652-437: 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
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#17327732170062704-733: Was then a calque of the Portuguese name when the Spanish took over trade through the Iberian Union . During the French protectorate in Morocco , the name remained Casablanca ( pronounced [kazablɑ̃ka] ). Today, Moroccans still call the city Casablanca or Casa for short, or by its Arabic name, pronounced d-Dār l-Biḍā in Moroccan Arabic or ad-Dāru-l-Bayḍā' in Standard Arabic . The area that
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