View source for Rabat

{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Rabat 
|other_name             = 
|native_name            = Eṛṛbaṭ / ⴻⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ / الرباط
|nickname               = 
|motto                  =
|image_flag             = Flag of Rabat Sale province.svg
|flag_size              = 
|image_seal             =
|seal_size              = 120px
|image_skyline          = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Kasbah des Oudaias P1060348.JPG 
| photo2a =
| photo2b = Royal Palace, Rabat.jpg  
| photo3a = Une ruelle de la Kasbah des Oudayas.jpg 
| photo3b = Chellah Rabat.jpg 
| photo3c = Tour Hassan-Rabat.jpg
| size = 280
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
}}
|imagesize              =
|image_caption          = Clockwise from top:<br> River [[Bou Regreg]] and the [[Kasbah of the Udayas]], [[Dâr-al-Makhzen, Rabat|Dâr-al-Makhzen]] the main royal residence, [[Hassan Tower]], [[Chellah|Chellah Necropolis]], [[Kasbah of the Udayas]], [[Mausoleum of Mohammed V]] 
|image_shield           =
|shield_size            =
|image_map              =
| pushpin_map = Morocco#Africa
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Morocco]] & [[Africa]]
|pushpin_relief           = yes
|subdivision_type       = [[Country]]
|subdivision_name       = {{flag|Morocco}}
|subdivision_type1      = [[Regions of Morocco|Region]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Rabat-Salé-Kénitra|Eṛṛbaṭ-Sla-Qniṭra]]
|government_type        = <!--Don't put anything here it's a city article-->
|leader_title           = Mayor
|leader_name            = Mohamed Sadiki
|leader_name1           = 
|established_title     =  Founded by [[Almohads]]
|established_date      =  1146
|established_title2     =  <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date2     =
|area_magnitude         =
|unit_pref              = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
|area_footnotes         =
|area_total_km2         = 117
|area_land_km2          =
|area_water_km2         =
|area_total_sq_mi       = 45.17
|area_land_sq_mi        =
|area_water_sq_mi       =
|area_water_percent     =
|area_urban_km2         =
|area_metro_km2         =
|area_metro_sq_mi       =
|population_as_of       = 2014
|population_footnotes   = <ref name="Morocco 2014 census">{{cite web |url=http://www.hcp.ma/file/167575/ |title=Population légale d'après les résultats du RGPH 2014 sur le Bulletin officiel N° 6354 |accessdate=2015-07-11 |format=pdf |work=Haut-Commissariat au Plan |language=ar |archive-date=2018-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226055518/https://www.hcp.ma/404.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|population_note        =
|settlement_type        = City
|population_total       = 577,827
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
|population_metro       = 2,120,192
|population_density_metro_km2 =
|population_urban       = 
|population_density_urban_km2 =
|population_blank1_title= Population Rank in Morocco
|population_rank       =[[List of cities in Morocco|7th in Morocco]]
 | timezone                       = [[Western European Time|WET]]
 | utc_offset                     = +0
 | timezone_DST                   = [[Western European Summer Time|WEST]]
 | utc_offset_DST                 = +1
|coordinates            = {{coord|34|02|N|6|50|W|region:MA|display=inline}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = <ref name="HKO">{{cite web |url=http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/africa/mor_al/rabat_e.htm |title=Hong Kong Observatory |publisher=Hong Kong Observatory |accessdate=2011-11-01 |archive-date=2012-08-17 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/69yiXrju1?url=http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/africa/mor_al/rabat_e.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<!-- Elevation -------------------------->
|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m = 
|elevation_ft =
|elevation_max_m = 160
|elevation_max_ft =
|elevation_min_m = 0
|elevation_min_ft =
|postal_code_type       =  <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code            =
|area_code              =
|website                = [https://web.archive.org/web/20050605001951/http://www.rabat.ma:80/ www.rabat.ma]
|footnotes              = {{designation list | embed=yes
  | designation1 = WHS
  | designation1_offname = Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage
  | designation1_date = 2012 <small>(36th [[World Heritage Committee|session]])</small>
  | designation1_type =  Cultural
  | designation1_criteria = ii, iv
  | designation1_number = [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1401 1401]
  | designation1_free1name = State Party
  | designation1_free1value = Morocco
  | designation1_free2name = Region
  | designation1_free2value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Arab States|Arab States]]
  }}
}}
'''Rabat''' ({{lang-ar|الرباط}}, [[transliteration|transliterated]] '''ar-Rabāṭ''' or '''ar-Ribāṭ''', literally "Fortified Place"), population 577,827 hab. (''2014 estimate''), is the [[Capital (political)|capital]] of the [[Morocco|Kingdom of Morocco]]. It is also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region.

The city is on the [[Atlantic Ocean]] at the mouth of the river [[Bou Regreg]]. On the other side of the river is Rabat's [[bedroom community]]. Together the two cities with [[Temara]] have a population of 1.8 million. [[Silt]]ing problems have lowered the city's role as a port. However, Rabat and Salé still maintain somewhat important [[textile]], [[food processing]] and [[construction]] industries. Some are from sweatshop labor by major businesses.

In addition, tourism and being home to all foreign [[Embassy|embassies]] in Morocco help to make Rabat the second most important city in the country after the larger and [[economic]]ally more significant [[Casablanca]].

== History ==
===BC to 17th century===
Rabat's history began with a [[Settlement (migration)|settlement]], known as [[Chellah]] on the banks of the [[Oued Bou Regreg]]<ref>[http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17910 C. Michael Hogan, ''Chellah'', The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham]</ref> in the third century BC.  In 40 AD, [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] took over Chellah and changed it to the Roman settlement of Sala Colonia. Rome held the colony until 250 AD. They gave it up to local rulers. In 1146, the [[Berber people|berber]] [[Almohad]] ruler [[Abd al-Mu'min]] turned Rabat's [[ribat]] into a full scale [[fortress]].  It was used as a starting point for attacks on [[Spain]].  In 1170, due to its military importance, Rabat acquired the title ''Ribatu l-Fath'', meaning "stronghold of victory," from which it gets its current name.

[[Yaqub, Almohad Caliph|Yaqub al-Mansur]] (known as Moulay Yacoub in Morocco), another Almohad Caliph, moved the capital of his empire to Rabat.<ref>''History of Morocco'', Henri Terrasse, 1952</ref>  He built Rabat's city walls, the [[Kasbah of the Udayas]] and began construction on what would have been the world's largest [[mosque]]. However, Yaqub died and construction stopped. The ruins of the unfinished mosque, along with the [[Hassan Tower]], still stand today.

Yaqub's death a period of decline at first.  The Almohad empire lost control of its land in Spain and much of its African territory. Eventually this led to its total collapse.  In the 13th century, much of Rabat's economic power shifted to [[Fez, Morocco|Fez]].  In 1515 a [[Moorish]] explorer, El Wassan, reported that Rabat had declined so much that only 100 houses remained with people living in them. An increase of [[Morisco]]s, who had been removed from Spain, in the early 17th century helped boost Rabat's growth.

===Corsair republics===
Rabat and neighboring Salé united to form the [[Republic of Bou Regreg]] in 1627.  The republic was run by [[Barbary pirates]] who used the two cities as base ports for starting attacks on shipping.  The pirates did not have to fight with any central authority until the [[Alaouite Dynasty]] united Morocco in 1666.  They attempted to establish control over the pirates, but failed.  European and Muslims authorities continued to attempt to control the pirates over many years. The Republic of Bou Regreg did not collapse until 1818.  Even after the republic's collapse, pirates continued to use the port of Rabat. This led to the attack of the city by [[Austria]] in 1829 after an Austrian ship had been lost to a pirate attack.

===20th century===
====French invasion====
The French invaded Morocco in 1912 and established a [[protectorate]].  The French administrator of Morocco, General [[Hubert Lyautey]],<ref>''Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges'' 2005, Marvine Howe</ref> decided to move the country's capital from Fez to Rabat.  Among other factors, citizens had made Fez an unstable place because of their desire to rebel. Sultan [[Yusef of Morocco|Moulay Youssef]] followed the decision of the French and moved his home to Rabat.  In 1913, Gen. Lyautey hired [[Henri Prost]] who designed the Ville Nouvelle (Rabat's modern quarter) as an administrative sector.  When Morocco became independent in 1956, [[Mohammed V]], the then [[King of Morocco]], chose to have the capital remain at Rabat.

====After World War II====
After World War II, the United States created a military presence in Rabat at the former French air base.  By the early 1950s, Rabat Salé Air Base was a [[U.S. Air Force]] based hosting the [[17th Air Force]] and the 5th Air Division. These divisions oversaw forward basing for [[Strategic Air Command]] (SAC) [[B-47 Stratojet]] aircraft in the country.  With the destabilization of French government in Morocco, and Moroccan independence in 1956, the government of [[Mohammed V]] wanted the U.S. Air Force to pull out of the SAC bases in Morocco. He insisted on such action after Americans became involved in Lebanon in 1958. The United States agreed to leave as of December 1959.  They were fully out of Morocco by 1963. SAC felt the Moroccan bases were much less critical with the long range capability of the [[B-52 Stratofortress]]es that were replacing the B-47s. It also had completed USAF bases in [[Spain]] in 1959.<ref>{{cite web|author=John Pike |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/sidi_slimane.htm |title=Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco - United States Nuclear Forces |publisher=Globalsecurity.org |accessdate=2009-05-06}}</ref>

With the USAF leaving Rabat-Salé in the 1960s, the facility became a primary facility for the [[Royal Moroccan Air Force]] known as Air Base Nº 1, a status it continues to hold.

== Culture ==
[[File:Rabat downtown.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Rabat Downtown]]
The biggest place for theatre is the Theatre Mohamed V in the centre of the town. The city also has a few official galleries and an archeological museum. Many organisations are active in cultural and social issues. Orient-Occident Foundation and ONA Foundation are the biggest of these. An independent art scene is active in the city. [[L'appartement 22]], which is the first independent space for visual arts created by Abdellah Karroum, opened in 2002.

Rabat was selected as a filming location for the war film ''[[Black Hawk Down (film)|Black Hawk Down]]'' (2001).

==International relations==
===2020 Summer Olympics===
Rabat will bid to host the [[2020 Summer Olympic Games]].
===Twin towns - Sister cities===
Rabat is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
{| cellpadding="10"
|- valign="top"
|
* {{flagicon|Palestinian Authority}} [[Bethlehem]], [[Palestinian Authority]]<ref name="BethlehemTwinning">{{cite web |url=http://www.bethlehem-city.org/Twining.php |title=::Bethlehem Municipality:: |publisher=www.bethlehem-city.org |accessdate=2009-10-10 |archive-date=2010-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724140854/http://www.bethlehem-city.org/Twining.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Tunisia}} [[Tunis]], [[Tunisia]], since 1987<ref name="Tunis1">{{cite web|url=http://www.commune-tunis.gov.tn/fr/mairie_cooperation1.htm|title=Cooperation Internationale|publisher=© 2003 City of Tunis Portal|language=French|accessdate=2009-01-31|archive-date=2008-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508191341/http://www.commune-tunis.gov.tn/fr/mairie_cooperation1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Honolulu]], [[USA]]
* {{flagicon|France  }} [[ Libourne]] France, [[]]
||
* {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Athens]], [[Greece]]
* {{flagicon|Turkey}} [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]]
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Madrid]], [[Spain]]<ref name="hermanadas">{{cite web | title = Mapa Mundi de las ciudades hermanadas | publisher = Ayuntamiento de Madrid | url = http://www.munimadrid.es/portal/site/munimadrid/menuitem.dbd5147a4ba1b0aa7d245f019fc08a0c/?vgnextoid=4e84399a03003110VgnVCM2000000c205a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=4e98823d3a37a010VgnVCM100000d90ca8c0RCRD&vgnextfmt=especial1&idContenido=1da69a4192b5b010VgnVCM100000d90ca8c0RCRD}}</ref>
|}

==Climate==
Rabat features a [[Mediterranean climate]]. Along the Atlantic Ocean, Rabat has a mild, temperate climate. It moves from cool in winter to warm days in the summer months. The nights are always cool (or colder in winter) Daytime temperatures generally always rise about +9/10 C° (+15/18&nbsp;F°) every day. The winter highs usually reach only {{convert|17.5|°C|1|abbr=on}} in December-January (''see weather-table below'').

{{Weather box
|location = Rabat
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|temperature colour=
|Jan record high C = 27
|Feb record high C = 31
|Mar record high C = 35
|Apr record high C = 38
|May record high C = 41
|Jun record high C = 42
|Jul record high C = 46
|Aug record high C = 45
|Sep record high C = 44
|Oct record high C = 38
|Nov record high C = 34
|Dec record high C = 28
|year record high C = 46
|Jan high C = 17.2
|Feb high C = 17.7
|Mar high C = 19.2
|Apr high C = 20.0
|May high C = 22.1
|Jun high C = 24.1
|Jul high C = 26.8
|Aug high C = 27.1
|Sep high C = 26.4
|Oct high C = 24.0
|Nov high C = 20.6
|Dec high C = 17.7
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 12.6
|Feb mean C = 13.1
|Mar mean C = 14.2
|Apr mean C = 15.2
|May mean C = 17.4
|Jun mean C = 19.8
|Jul mean C = 22.2
|Aug mean C = 22.4
|Sep mean C = 21.5
|Oct mean C = 19.0
|Nov mean C = 15.9
|Dec mean C = 13.2
|Jan low C = 8.0
|Feb low C = 8.6
|Mar low C = 9.2
|Apr low C = 10.4
|May low C = 12.7
|Jun low C = 15.4
|Jul low C = 17.6
|Aug low C = 17.7
|Sep low C = 16.7
|Oct low C = 14.1
|Nov low C = 11.1
|Dec low C = 8.7
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = &minus;4
|Feb record low C = &minus;3
|Mar record low C = 1
|Apr record low C = 4
|May record low C = 6
|Jun record low C = 9
|Jul record low C = 12
|Aug record low C = 12
|Sep record low C = 9
|Oct record low C = 5
|Nov record low C = 1
|Dec record low C = &minus;2
|year record low C = &minus;4
|rain colour=green
|Jan rain mm = 77.2
|Feb rain mm = 74.1
|Mar rain mm = 60.9
|Apr rain mm = 62.0
|May rain mm = 25.3
|Jun rain mm = 6.7
|Jul rain mm = 0.5
|Aug rain mm = 1.3
|Sep rain mm = 5.7
|Oct rain mm = 43.6
|Nov rain mm = 96.7
|Dec rain mm = 100.9
|year rain mm = 
|Jan rain days = 9.9
|Feb rain days = 9.8
|Mar rain days = 9.0
|Apr rain days = 8.7
|May rain days = 5.7
|Jun rain days = 2.4
|Jul rain days = 0.3
|Aug rain days = 0.4
|Sep rain days = 2.4
|Oct rain days = 6.4
|Nov rain days = 10.2
|Dec rain days = 10.4
|Jan sun = 179.8
|Feb sun = 183.6
|Mar sun = 232.5
|Apr sun = 255.0
|May sun = 291.4
|Jun sun = 288.0
|Jul sun = 316.2
|Aug sun = 306.9
|Sep sun = 261.0
|Oct sun = 235.6
|Nov sun = 189.0
|Dec sun = 179.8
|source 1 = HKO<ref name="HKO"/>
|source 2 = BBC Weather (records)<ref name="weather1">{{cite web | url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT000420 | title =Average Conditions Rabat, Morocco | accessdate =August 17, 2009 | publisher =BBC Weather | archive-date =January 7, 2011 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110107060139/http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT000420 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

}}<!--Infobox ends-->

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Royal Palace, Rabat.jpg|Royal Palace
File:Sale_from_Rabat.JPG|Salé photographed from Rabat
File:Palace_gate.jpg|[[Kasbah of the Udayas]]
File:Rabat SPOT 1104.jpg|Rabat as seen from Spot Satellite

File:Train of Morocco.jpg|Train of Morocco at Rabat station
</gallery>

==Related pages==
*[[Morocco]]

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Other websites==
{{commonscat|Rabat}}
* [http://www.africatravelling.net/morocco/rabat/rabat_history.htm Rabat: History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051110051239/http://africatravelling.net/morocco/rabat/rabat_history.htm |date=2005-11-10 }}
* [http://rabat.com Rabat Post] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820184024/http://www.rabat.com/ |date=2008-08-20 }}

{{African capitals}}
{{Arab Capital of Culture}}

[[Category:National capitals in Africa]]
[[Category:Cities in Morocco]]
[[Category:1140s establishments]]
[[Category:Establishments in Morocco]]
[[Category:12th-century establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Morocco]]