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Rabat Facts |
Rabat Overview |
Rabat Tourist Attractions Rabat Location Map | Rabat City Map |
Geography: Rabat stands as a capital of the Kingdom of Morocco along with being the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer province. Rabat is nestled along the Atlantic Ocean with entrance to the Bou Regreg River. It is considered to be one of the four colonial cities in Morocco that was established by the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century. Rabat is engulfed by Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. The Rif Mountains surround the area from northwest area to the northeast region. The Atlas Mountains covers the area from southwest to the northeast while the southeast area is within the Sahara Desert.
History: Chellah, were the primitive settlements residing along the Oued Bou Regreg riverbanks during the third century BC. But later on Romans succeeded Chellah and established their colonies nearby. Until 250 AD the Romans gave away their colonies to the Berber rulers. It was the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'min who attacked Spain from the fortress of Rabat. Due to the presence of strong armed forces Rabat soon attained the designation of Ribatu l-Fath, which stood for stronghold of victory, from where the present name derives. Rabat experienced considerable growth after the advent of Moriscos in the early 17th century. Rabat along with its neighbor Salé integrated together and formed the Republic of Bou Regreg in the year 1627, which was controlled by Barbary pirates. The Alaouite Dynasty combined Morocco in 1666 and held all its administrative powers. The French occupied Morocco in 1912 and declared Rabat to be the capital of Morocco. Even after Morocco gained its independence, Rabat still remained its capital city.
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Economy: Agriculture sustains the economy of Rabat, which even employs the local natives to produce crops like wheat, barley, and sugar. Crops like sugarcane, vegetables, Citrus fruits and olives are even cultivated here. Local people are engrossed in rearing the local livestock’s while even indulging in fishing. The largest industry thriving within the region is phosphate mining as the area stands as the largest producer of calcium phosphates. Minerals like phosphoric acid, iron ore, barite, silver, Phosphate rock, lead, zinc, and copper are also extracted within the region. The other source of revenue within this region comes through money sent by natives residing in abroad along with the tourism industry. Goods that are exported include manufactured consumer goods, foods, chemical products, and electronic components. Goods that are imported include petroleum, textiles, industrial products, and mineral fuels.
Transport System: One must be aware about the local transportation facilities, which are comfortable for commuting. Opt for the right services to reach your destination on time.
- Travel to Rabat – Several international airports are based in Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir and Marrakesh, in Rabat, Morocco, which is well connected to the countries like Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Budget airline are pretty cheaper to travel while one plan to travel to Rabat. Car ferries and jetfoils are in plenty that can be availed from Algericas and Ceuta in Spain.
- Traveling in Rabat – Morocco's Office National des Chemins de Fer mainly manages the rail and bus services in the region. Trains are comfortable to travel than touring in buses. One may even opt for shared taxis in the area. Public buses and taxis are the main source of transportation for traveling within the region.
Administration and Government: The government of Rabat is based on the constitutional monarchy based on a parliamentary system headed by the Prime Minister. The PM is not only the head of government but also rules the multi-party system. The government authorizes the executive laws while the legislative powers lies both in the hand of government and the two chambers within the parliament mainly the Assembly of Representatives of Morocco and the Assembly of Councilors. An independent judiciary is functional within the area.
Society and Cultural Life: The society of Rabat is comprised of Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber decent, and a mixed group of Arab-Berber groups. Arabic is the local native language of the region. Berber languages can be distinguished in three main vernaculars namely Tarifit, Tashelhiyt, and Tamazight. French is also commonly used within the area and is the primarily language for trade purpose. The northern part of the region even resort to the Spanish language. One can even hear languages like French and English within the area. This diverse region witness people belonging to the Eastern, southern and the northern region. From the east settlements like Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews and Arabs reside while to the Southern one would find Africans and to the North Romans, Vandals, Moors and Jews can be frequently sighted. The religions thriving in the area are paganism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Educational Institutions: Mohamed V University in Rabat is one of the prime institutions in Rabat that imparts training on subjects like science, law and medicine. Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, which is an English institution, modeled on American methodology that teaches you subjects like Humanities, Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, Business Administration and many others. One can even study in The Mohammedia School of Engineering, Mohammed I University in Oujda, School of Information Science, National Institute of Posts and Telecommunications, The Arabic Language Institute in Fez and many others.
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