History
Tangier is undoubtedly the oldest city in Morocco and the gateway to Africa . According to legend, Anteus, the son of Neptune and Gea, founded this city calling it Tanga after his wife. However, according to Herodotus, the city was founded in the fourth century B.C. by the Phoenicians who made it a trading outpost later inherited by the Carthaginians. Van dais, Goths, Visigoths successively invaded this city which, toward 700 A.D., became Arab and Muslim.
In 1923.Tangier was declared an international zone and in 1925 a protocol was signed by Great Britain , France , and Spain , guaranteeing its permanent security. The police administration of the city was confided to Spain in 1929 and an international legislative council was established in order to assure the governing of the territory. Spain , profiting from the French defeat in 1940, occupied the city until 1945.
In 1956, on the occasion of Moroccan independence, the international status of Tangier was abolished, and in 1959 the city was completely reintegrated to the country. Since then it has experienced a continual growth in its population.
Under the reign of His Majesty the King Mohamed Vl. Tangier has entered at full speed into the third millennium.
Position
Considered as Morocco 's outlet to the world, Tangier is situated at only 16 Km from Spain . It is bordered on the north by the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, on the West by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the city of Asilah and to the east by the city of Tetouan, The nearest cities to Tangier are Asilah (36 kilo meters), Tetouan (60 kilometres), and Larache (80 kilometres to the south).
Climate
Tangier enjoys a Mediterranean climate influenced by the ocean. Temperatures remain temperate in winter; mild in summer on the coast as well as at higher altitudes.
Tourism
Tangier is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only because of its geographic location but also because of its history, tradition and cultural influences. The privileged location of Tangier with its two maritime coasts along the Atlantic and the Mediterranean , its history and cultural diversity, provide valuable assets for developing tourism. The richness of the area, historically, culturally, and geographically as well as the existence of an important transport and housing infrastructure, attracts a large number of tourists during the whole year Furthermore, Tangier is considered as an important tourist gateway, receiving an important flow of returning overseas workers each year.
Major Projects
Some major projects are currently in the process of implementation allowing for ample investments opportunities.
Tangier- Mediterranean Port
The Tangier-Med port is a huge integrated infrastructure project, strategically positioned on the Straits of Gibraltar at the junction of the biggest maritime routes and at the doors of Europe .
It is organized around three major components: the port, the free zones, and the transportation infrastructure, offering to investors competitive advantages:
- An efficient hub concept tied to regional and international logistics flows
- A competitive employment potential Free trade agreements
- Free zone status
This far-reaching project targets a market of more than 600 million people including Eastern Europe, West Africa, North Africa as well as North America ).
Furthermore, Tangier-Med is expected by the year 2020 to generate a traffic of 3 million EVP (20 feet containers), drain one billion Euros of private investment and create 145,000 jobs.
Ghandouri Zone
‘Ghandouri' is a tourism zone that runs along the coast and is just three kilometres from the city centre. Covering 60 hectares, including 17 hectares of forest, the beach front covers 1,200 metres and there are panoramic views of the ocean from all areas. Included in the tourist zone are plans for five and four-star hotels, holiday villages, nature trails and cultural attraction sites, including a Kasbah, restaurants and travel facilities. |
