El Jadida is a port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the province of El Jadida.
It has a population of 144,440 (2004 census). From the sea, El Jadida's old city;
has a very "un-Moorish" appearance; it has massive Portuguese walls of hewn stone.
El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502
by the Portuguese, and they controlled this city until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão.
Its inhabitants were evacuated to Brazil, where they founded new settlement Nova Mazagão (now in Amapá).
El Jadida was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah.