Casablanca, Morocco Population

Population in Urban Area, now

3,826,909
  • World: 125th
  • Africa: 16th
  • Morocco: 1st

Population in City Area, 2021-11-29

3,144,909
  • World: 81st
  • Africa: 10th
  • Morocco: 1st

Casablanca Urban Area Population Graph

Casablanca Population Review

The famous city of Casablanca is located in the central-western part of the country of Morocco and is home to 3.1 million people within the city and 3.7 million people in the Grand Casablanca area. The city has grown consistently since the 1950s, adding about 3 million people to its population in the past 70 years.

Casablanca is the eighth-largest city in the Arab world and the largest in the Maghreb region. It is one of Morocco’s main ports and sits on the Atlantic Ocean. The city is considered one of the largest financial centers in Africa and the economic and business capital of Morocco. It is also one of the primary industrial zones in the nation and has the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

A colonial legacy

Casablanca was occupied during the French at two points in its history: over the course of 1907, and during the French protectorate from 1912 to 1956. The occupation of the French left a lasting mark on Casablanca. Architecturally, French influence can be seen in the palm-lined Boulevard Mohammed V and in the city’s waterfront beach cafes and ocean-view restaurants that would fit right in on the French Riviera.

While French as a language no longer has any official recognition in Morocco or in Casablanca, the language is considered a prestige language and is used for business, diplomacy, and government use and, for all practical purposes, the French language in Morocco is used as a second language.

Demographics of the city

Since the city is relatively small at only 220 square kilometres, most of Casablanca’s population live in urban, densely populated areas. The city’s small size, coupled with the number of residents, mean that Casablanca ends up being very crowded. In fact, with 14,200 people per square kilometre, Casablanca is actually one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Casablanca is actually the fifth-most populated city in the world, and the most populated city in Africa. Casablanca is predicted to continue growing, with estimates putting the city’s population at 4.6 million by 2035.

Judaism in Casablanca

Jewish people have a long and storied history in Casablanca. Originally, a Sephardic Jewish community was in Anfa up until its destruction by the Portuguese in 1468. After this initial destruction, Jews slowly returned to the city until, in 1750, the Rabbi Elijah Synagogue was built. This was the first synagogue in Casablanca. It, and much of the city, was destroyed during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Since then, Moroccan Jews have been declining, with an initial exodus of 28,000 between 1948 and 1951 leaving through Casablanca for the State of Israel. By 2018, there were only 1,000 to 2,500 Moroccan Jews left in the city of Casablanca.

Tourism in Casablanca

While the Mohammed V International Airport gets the most international flights out of Morocco, many of Morocco’s 11 million international tourists have yet to realize the beauty of Casablanca. While tourism is not as developed in Casablanca as it is in Fes and Tangiers, there are still many sites showing the city’s rich architectural heritage, including the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in Africa.

Review Updated: November 30, 2020

Casablanca Urban Area Population History

1950 625,000
1951 653,000
1952 682,000
1953 713,000
1954 744,000
1955 778,000
1956 812,000
1957 848,000
1958 886,000
1959 926,000
1960 967,000
1961 1,010,000
1962 1,056,000
1963 1,104,000
1964 1,154,000
1965 1,206,000
1966 1,261,000
1967 1,318,000
1968 1,378,000
1969 1,440,000
1970 1,505,000
1971 1,573,000
1972 1,626,000
1973 1,680,000
1974 1,735,000
1975 1,793,000
1976 1,852,000
1977 1,913,000
1978 1,976,000
1979 2,042,000
1980 2,109,000
1981 2,179,000
1982 2,251,000
1983 2,304,000
1984 2,355,000
1985 2,406,000
1986 2,459,000
1987 2,513,000
1988 2,568,000
1989 2,624,000
1990 2,682,000
1991 2,741,000
1992 2,801,000
1993 2,862,000
1994 2,925,000
1995 2,963,000
1996 2,997,000
1997 3,031,000
1998 3,065,000
1999 3,099,000
2000 3,134,000
2001 3,170,000
2002 3,205,000
2003 3,242,000
2004 3,278,000
2005 3,307,000
2006 3,335,000
2007 3,362,000
2008 3,391,000
2009 3,419,000
2010 3,447,000
2011 3,476,000
2012 3,505,000
2013 3,534,000
2014 3,563,000
2015 3,593,000
2016 3,623,000
2017 3,653,000
2018 3,684,000
2019 3,716,000
2020 3,752,000
2021 3,794,000
2022 3,840,000
2023 3,893,000
2024 3,950,000

Casablanca Urban Area Population Projections

2025 4,012,000
2026 4,077,000
2027 4,145,000
2028 4,213,000
2029 4,281,000
2030 4,349,000
2031 4,417,000
2032 4,483,000
2033 4,548,000
2034 4,612,000
2035 4,675,000

Map of Casablanca, Morocco

All Biggest Cities in Morocco

Casablanca4M
Fes1M
Agadir960k
Oujda582k
Meknes568k
Safi331k