Rabat
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For the Maltese city on Gozo Island which can also be called Rabat, see Victoria, Malta.
Rabat (Arabic الرباط, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ), population 1.2 million (2005 estimate), is the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, Rabat's bedroom community. Together the two cities account for a population of 1.6 million. Rabat is located at 34°1'60" North, 6°49'60" West (34.0333, -6.8333). [1] (http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html)
Unfortunately, silting problems have diminished the city's role as a port; however, Rabat and Salé still maintain relatively important textile, food processing and construction industries; some are from sweatshop labor by major multinational corpotations like Fruit Of the Loom, see Salé.
In addition, tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat the second most important city in the country after the larger and more economically significant Casablanca.
History
There have been settlements on the site since ancient times. It became a Muslim fortress circa 700. Prior to Moroccan independence in 1956, Rabat was capital of the French protectorate of Morocco since it was invaded by France in 1912.
Muhammad V University is located in the city.
External links
- Entry in Lexicorient (http://lexicorient.com/morocco/rabat.htm)
- rabatcit (http://www.rabatcity.tk) for more information
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