Rabat

Rabat is the capital and administrative seat of the Kingdom of Morocco. It lies on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, opposite the city of Salé, in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region.

With a history that stretches back to ancient times, Rabat’s current urban core grew around fortified districts such as the Kasbah of the Udayas in medieval times. The city became the capital during the French protectorate in 1912 and remained the political center after Morocco gained independence in 1956.

Rabat is home to several major monuments and historic districts. The Kasbah of the Udayas, the 12th-century Hassan Tower, the Chellah necropolis, and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V are among its best-known sites. In 2012 the Historic City of Rabat was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As the seat of government, Rabat hosts the Moroccan Parliament, numerous ministries, and the royal palace. The city is a regional hub for education, culture, and administration, and functions as a major service sector center for the country.

Rabat has a Mediterranean climate with Atlantic influences, characterized by mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The population of the city is around 580,000, with the wider Rabat metropolitan area home to more than a million people. Arabic and Amazigh are official languages, with French widely used in business and higher education.

Transportation includes Rabat–Salé Airport, the Rabat tramway, and rail links to Casablanca and other cities, including the high-speed Tangier–Casablanca corridor that serves Rabat-Ville station. Notable institutions include Mohammed V University.