Rabat is the African capital that serves as Morocco’s capital and sits on the Atlantic coast.
Rabat lies at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, opposite the city of Salé on Morocco’s northwestern coast. It is both Morocco’s political center and the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra administrative region. The city is one of Morocco’s four imperial cities, alongside Fez, Marrakesh, and Meknes.
The Almohads founded Rabat in the 12th century, and it later became a major administrative center under French rule. In 1912, the French made Rabat the capital of the Moroccan protectorate, and Morocco retained it as its capital after independence in 1956. A common mix-up is Casablanca: Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city and main economic hub, but Rabat is the political capital. Tangier is also coastal, while Marrakesh is inland.