Mohammedia ( ar, المحمدية, al-muḥammadiyya; ber, ⴼⴹⴰⵍⴰ, Fḍala), known until 1960 as Fedala, is a port city on the west coast of

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...

between Casablanca and Rabat 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.

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 The Almoravid dynasty ( ar, المرابطون, translit=Al-Murābiṭūn, lit=those from the ribats) was an imperial Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire in the 11th century that ...

. It was frequented in the 14th and 15th centuries by

merchant ship A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which ar ...

s from Europe seeking cereals and dried fruits. In 1773, the Sultan Sidi

Mohammed ben Abdallah ''Sidi'' Mohammed ben Abdallah ''al-Khatib'' ( ar, سيدي محمد بن عبد الله الخطيب), known as Mohammed III ( ar, محمد الثالث), born in 1710 in Fes and died on 9 April 1790 in Meknes, was the Sultan of Morocco from 17 ...

made of Fédala a grains warehouse of

Tamasna Tamasna (Berber: Tamesna, ⵜⴰⵎⵙⵏⴰ, Arabic: تامسنا) is a historical region between Bou Regreg and Tensift in Morocco. It includes the modern regions of Chaouia, Doukkala, Abda, Rhamna, Sraghna and Chiadma. The indigenous pop ...

province and built the Kasbah to protect the shops for traders. He built the white masjid Al Atik as well.

French Protectorate

German officers captured in French Morocco army

During the precolonial period, competition between the

Western powers The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.

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 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

. 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 of operation Torch. 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, 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 of Casablanca. 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 Benslimane in a province of Morocco in the Casablanca-Settat Region. The province had a population of around 199,612 people in 2004 and covers an area of around 2,760 km². Subdivisions The province is divided administratively into the foll ...

to the east and south, and the prefecture of Sidi Bernoussi-Zenata to the west.

Climate

Mohammédia has a

hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

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 Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

of . All population groups of the Moroccan Kingdom are represented in this region. The first inhabitants of the city were the

Zenata The Zenata (Berber language: Iznaten) are a group of Amazigh (Berber) tribes, historically one of the largest Berber confederations along with the Sanhaja and Masmuda. Their lifestyle was either nomadic or semi-nomadic. Etymology ''Iznaten (ⵉ ...

tribes, of which only few remain, divided territorially between Mohammédia and neighboring prefectures. Another Arab tribe of Mauritania, 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).Groupe scolaire Claude-Monet
"

AEFE The Agency for French Education Abroad, or Agency for French Teaching Abroad, (french: Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger; abbreviation: AEFE), is a national public agency under the administration of the Minister of Foreign Affairs ...

. 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 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 McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold ...

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 Abraham Serfaty ( ar, أبراهام سرفاتي‎; January 16, 1926 – 18 November 2010) was an internationally prominent Moroccan Marxist-Leninist dissident, militant, and political activist, who was imprisoned for years by King Hassan II ...

, Moroccan political activist. *

Eric Besson The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ai ...

, French politician. *

Ahmed Faras Ahmed Faras ( ar, أحمد فرس; born 7 December 1946) is a Moroccan former footballer who played as a striker for Chabab Mohammédia at club level and Morocco internationally. Faras was named African Footballer of the Year in 1975. In 2006 ...

, Former international Moroccan football footballer. *

Noureddine Ziyati Noureddine Ziyati (born 27 October 1974) is a former Moroccan football player. Honours ;Rapid București *Supercupa României: 2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Col ...

, Moroccan footballer. *

Tarik El Jarmouni Tarik El Jarmouni is a Morocco, Moroccan Association football, football Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. He last played for Raja CA. Jermouni played for FAR in the 2007 CAF Champions League group stages. Jermouni played for Moroc ...

, Moroccan football goalkeeper. *

Reda El Amrani Reda El Amrani (born 19 May 1988) is a professional tennis player from Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to ...

, Moroccan tennis player. * Jannat Mahid, 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, Former international footballer * Hassan Amcharrat, Former international footballer. *

, 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 is

twinned 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