the city today
At the present time Essaouira is the capital of a province, consisting of 500 000 inhabitants. The city itself has 70 000 residents, who live in the medina and in the new districts crossed by Aqaba boulevard (the expressway) right to the north, on the «Safi» beach.

The town expansion is therefore limited because of its environment factors: it borders the ocean in the west, the valley and the dunes in the south and the green belt in the east (historically this was a dune area that was completely transformed with the plantation of new shrubs in order to preserve the ecosystem). The city cannot extend beyond its natural borders.

To find a solution to this problem two businessmen (Chaabi Lil Iskane, the one in charge) began the construction of a new city: Essaouira El Jadida on the border with the city of Ghazoua. In the last few years, this small village in the countryside has developed into a residential area with villas, small buildings and businesses.  The ongoing projects will help the continuous development of this small city.

On a different note, the ERAC-Tensift (currently Al Omrane) has started major residential and commercial projects: one of them is a new commercial complex that runs from Bab Sbaa to Bab Marrakech along the city wall (the Bin Alaswars centre) and near Bab Doukkala another property and commercial complex has revitalised a run-down area.

These are not the only changes that Essaouira has experienced.

Near the door «Bab el Menzah» for example,  the gardens of mechouar,  rare green spaces located inside the city wall, that date back to the time of the fortified city, were almost all taken away in order  to create an area for the festivals. At the end of the palm trees lined path lies a paved esplanade.