Chic African Culture Blog

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. African tech startups raise billions of dollars annually, seven African start-ups were included in the World Economic Forum 2021 cohort of 100 Technology Pioneers: 54gene, mPharma, Cambridge Industries, FlexFinTx, Kuda, Moringa School and Sokowatch.

Seven Mega Malls of Africa

Shopping at the mall in Africa

Despite having the 12th largest mall in the world, traditional markets are still the prevailing choice for shoppers across the African continent. However, seven super structures shatter the mold of what you think about luxury shopping in Africa.

Airport shopping in Johannesburg South Africa

Seven largest malls in Africa

Seven largest malls in Africa in order are the Mall of Arabia, Morocco Mall, Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Cairo Festival City, Stars Centre, Citystars Heliopolis, Canal Walk and Mall of Africa.

 

Mall of Arabia - Cairo, Egypt

Built in the shape of a huge eye, the launch of Africa's largest shopping mall at 9.5 million sq ft, the Mall of Arabia Cairo opened in December of 2010. Mall of Arabia Cairo is located on the outskirts of Cairo featuring a large food court, dancing fountains along with upscale indoor shops and an outdoor market.

Mega Malls of Africa, the largest mall in Africa is Mall of Arabia located in Cairo, Egypt
Mega Malls of Africa, the largest mall in Africa is
Mall of Arabia located in Cairo, Egypt
 

Morocco Mall - Casablanca, Morocco

Morocco Mall is the second largest shopping center in at 2.7 million sq ft and is located in Casablanca, Morocco.  Morocco Mall, which opened on December 1, 2011 featuring a 1 million liter aquarium called Aquadream which contains over 40 different species of fish. Visitors can go scuba diving with a professional instructor inside the aquarium.

 

Gateway Theatre of Shopping - Durban, South Africa

Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban South Africa at 2.4 million sq ft opened in September 2001 and has over 390 stores, 70 places to eat, a helipad, IMAX Theatre , Virgin Active Gym , Wavehouse waterpark , Outdoor Go-Karting , Skatepark , Concert Venue , Hotel and Road Lodge.

Canal Walk has over 400 stores and its very own television channel, CWTV with 2 giant screens and 32 plasma screens. The mall also has the unique Trading Post and Market Lane, which showcases the work of local retailers and craftsmen as well as views of Table Mountain and Robben Island.
Shopping for gifts

Cairo Festival City - New Cairo, Egypt

Cairo Festival City Mall is located in Almaza Al Qahirah Egypt. The Mall extends over 1.7 million sq ft spread on three levels, featuring over 300 shops, 95 restaurants and cafes, anchored by furniture flagship store IKEA, hypermarket Carrefour, and four department stores, Debenhams, H&M, Marks & Spencer and ZARA.

 

Stars Centre, Citystars Heliopolis - Cairo Egypt

Citystars Heliopolis has a total built up area of 8.1 thousand sq ft in the heart of Cairo and consists of Stars Centre, the largest shopping and entertainment center in Egypt. Citystars Heliopolis has over 750 stores over an area of 151,000 square meters.

Mega Malls of Africa, the 7th largest mall is Stars Centre, Citystars Heliopolis in Cairo Egypt
Stars Centre, Citystars Heliopolis - Cairo Egypt

Canal Walk - Cape Town, South Africa

Canal Walk has over 400 stores and its very own television channel, CWTV with 2 giant screens and 32 plasma screens. The mall also has the unique Trading Post and Market Lane, which showcases the work of local retailers and craftsmen as well as views of Table Mountain and Robben Island.  Canal Walk opened in 2000 and was built around a canal. It has a total retail area of 1.5 thousand sq ft.

 

Mall of Africa - South Africa, Midrand

Located in Waterfall City Midrand, Gauteng, Mall of Africa is South Africa's largest shopping Mall ever built in a single phase, with over 1.4 thousand sq ft of retail space, and is home to over 300 shops. Opened in April 2016, Mall of Africa architectural appearance is inspired by Africa’s geological features and iconic landscapes.

The Crystal Court is located in the Northern Section of the mall, representing Southern Africa's mineral wealth with sharp geometric patterns. The Great Lakes Court is located the Eastern Section of the mall, representing the Great Lakes mostly of East Africa and has calm and gentle materials used. 

The Desert Court is located in the Southern Section of the mall, representing the Sahara Desert of North Africa and has calm motifs used in traditional Berber carpets. The Oleum Court is located in the Western Section of the mall, representing West Africa's Oil wealth. The Forest Walk Court is in the center of the shopping mall, representing Central Africa and its rain forests.

Did you Know?
Some African currencies are stronger than others. Alongside Nigeria, South Africa boasts one of the continent’s strongest economies.

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Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet are dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing African history and heritage celebrating 14 years of service in 2021. Share and support in the pride of being part of an important cultural and educational resource.


Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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