for: Casablanca (film)
Welcome to CWAnswers
CWAnswers is your guide to the sprawling world wide web. The directory aims to provide a useful guide made by users. You can share your knowledge as well - simply sign up and edit your first entry. For questions just contact the team at support - at - cwanswers.com.
Weblinks for Casablanca
Top 10 for Casablanca
Things about Casablanca you find nowhere else.
Select content modules
for: Casablanca (film)
Casablanca (in Arabic: الدار البيضاء ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ as well as کازابلانکا ; Spanish for white (blanca) house (casa) ; nicknamed by locals: Casa 1 / كازا; Antique name in Amazigh: Anfa / أنفا / ⴰⵏⴼⴰ) is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Greater Casablanca region.
With a population of 3.1 million (3.85 million in "greater Casablanca" according to the September 2005 census), Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It's also the biggest city in the Maghreb and the sixth biggest city in the entire continent of Africa. Casablanca is considered the economic capital of Morocco because it is the heart of Moroccan business; the political capital is Rabat. It is also the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy.
Casablanca is the leading city hosting headquarters and main industrial facilities for the leading Moroccan and international companies based in Morocco. Industrial statistics show Casablanca retains its historic position as the main industrial zone of the country. The Port of Casablanca is considered as Morocco's chief port and as one of the largest artificial ports in the world. It is also the largest port of the Maghreb and North Africa.
History
Main: History of Casablanca
Before the French Protectorate
The area which is today Casablanca was settled by Berbers by at least the 7th century.Casablanca - Jewish Virtual Library A small independent kingdom, in the area then named Anfa, arose in the area around that time in response to Arab Muslim rule, and continued until it was conquered by the Almoravids in 1068. Casablanca seen from Spot Satellite During 14th century, under the Merinids, Anfa rose in importance as a port. In the early 15th century, the town became an independent state once again, and emerged as a safe harbour for pirates and privateers, leading to it being targeted by the Portuguese, who destroyed the town in 1468.
The Portuguese used the ruins of Anfa to build a military fortress in 1515. The town that grew up around it was called "Casa Branca", meaning "White House" in Portuguese.
Between 1580-1640, Casa Blanca was part of Spain, and later it became part of Portugal again. The European Colonists eventually abandoned the area completely in 1755 following an earthquake which destroyed most of the town.
The town was finally reconstructed by sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah (1756-1790), the grandson of Moulay Ismail and ally of George Washington. The town was called الدار البيضاء ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ (white house) in Arabic and Casa Blanca in Spanish.
