Quick answerRabat is the capital of Morocco, with 515,619 people inside the city limits in 2024. The wider metropolitan area had about 2.1 million people in 2024. It is best known for the National capital, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Its official languages are Arabic and Tamazight, and its currency is the Moroccan dirham.
Rabat is the capital of Morocco, with about 516,000 people in the city (2024 census) and about 2.1 million in the metropolitan area. It stands on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river, home to the Hassan Tower and the Royal Palace.
Key facts
| Country | Morocco |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 515,619 (2024) |
| Population (metro) | 2,120,192 (2024) · Rabat-Salé-Témara metropolitan area, 2024 census |
| Time zone | Africa/Casablanca |
| Language | Arabic, Tamazight |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD, د.م.) |
| Coordinates | 34.0211° N, 6.8414° W |
Overview
Rabat is the capital city of Morocco, on the north-western Atlantic coast at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg, opposite Salé, its main commuter town. The city itself had 515,619 residents in the 2024 census, making it the country's seventh-largest city, but the metropolitan area of Rabat, Salé and Témara held 2,120,192 people, the second-largest urban area in the country after Casablanca.
Rabat was founded as a ribat, a fortified monastery, in the 12th century under the Almohads, who began the great Hassan Mosque, of which only the Hassan Tower and rows of columns remain. It became the capital in 1912, when the French made it the seat of the protectorate's government, and it stayed the capital after independence in 1956. Its historic centre, including the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Chellah necropolis, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today Rabat is Morocco's political and administrative capital, home to the Royal Palace, the parliament, the ministries and most foreign embassies. It is a quieter, greener city than Casablanca, known for its gardens, its museums and its Atlantic beaches, and for the Mausoleum of Mohammed V beside the Hassan Tower.
What Rabat is known for
- National capital
- Hassan Tower
- Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- Kasbah of the Udayas
- Chellah necropolis
- Royal Palace
Landmarks
- Hassan Tower
- Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- Kasbah of the Udayas
- Chellah
- Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen)
- Andalusian Gardens
- Rabat Medina
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rabat?
About 516,000 people live in the city of Rabat (515,619 in the 2024 census). The wider metropolitan area of Rabat, Salé and Témara had about 2.1 million people, making it the second-largest urban area in Morocco after Casablanca. Rabat itself is only the country's seventh-largest city.
What is Rabat famous for?
Rabat is famous as the capital of Morocco, home to the Royal Palace, the parliament and the ministries, and for the Hassan Tower, the unfinished minaret of a 12th-century mosque, beside the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. It is also known for the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Chellah, the Roman and medieval ruins at the edge of the city.
Where is Rabat located?
Rabat is in north-western Morocco, on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the city of Salé. It is the capital of Morocco and of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. Its coordinates are 34.02° N, 6.84° W, and its time zone is Africa/Casablanca.
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Keep exploring
- Morocco — the country Rabat is in
- Casablanca — another city in Morocco
- Fès — another city in Morocco
- Marrakesh — another city in Morocco
- All cities in Morocco
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.